ICEGATE: What is this? Shipping Bills, payments, how to track, login, check status

 

Submitting documents, tracing status, paying duties and taxes, etc., are the most overwhelming processes related to the import-export trade. The government of India aims at streamlining the processes with the ICEGATE portal.

This article elaborates on various capabilities of the ICEGATE portal and also how to file and check the status of various documents.

ICEGATE: What is this?

The full form of ICEGATE stands for Indian Customs Electronic Gateway. It is an online portal operated by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) in India for facilitating the electronic exchange of trade-related documents and data between the Indian Customs and the trading community. In other words, it helps importers, exporters, customs brokers, and regulatory authorities.

As per the official website of ICEGATE, currently, more than 1.6 lakh users are registered with the portal.

Through the portal, CBIC facilitates the following:

• E-fling of documents: Importers and exporters use ICEGATE to file various customs-related documents electronically. These documents include bills of entry, shipping bills, bills of lading and other customs declarations.
• E-Sanchit: The portal also has a feature named e-Sanchit that can be used to submit supporting documents.
• Payment of duties: The ICEGATE portal allows users to make payment of customs duties and taxes online. Thus, it has not only streamlined the import and export processes but also has made payment processes hassle-free and convenient.
• Real-time tracking: The portal offers real-time tracking and status update services for the clearance of goods at various customs points. Such tracking makes it easier for traders to monitor their shipments and understand their whereabouts.
• Data exchange: The ICEGATE portal also serves as a platform for the electronic exchange of data between different stakeholders involved in international trade. This facility enhances the efficiency and transparency of customs processes.

How to make a payment of customs duty?

ICEGATE allows making payment of custom duties online. Here is how you can do it.

• Login to the ICEGATE portal using your credentials.
• Click on the Pay Customs Duty option.
• You will receive a prompt to input payment information, including the payment amount, the reason for the payment, and the source bank account you plan to use for the transaction. Enter all details.
• Once you click on submit, the payment will be initiated. You will be redirected to the payment gateway of the bank you mentioned.
• Make payment.
• The confirmation of payment will be displayed on the screen. The status of the payment will be mentioned as ‘Paid’.

ICEGATE portal: Documents you can file

As mentioned above, the ICEGATE portal allows you to file and track various documents including:

• Shipping bill
• Bill of entry
• Bill of lading and so on.

Here is an explanation on the purpose of these documents and how to file/track them.

What is a Shipping Bill?

If you plan to start an import-export business, you need to keep in mind that it involves documentation and paperwork. It is a legal document which is issued by shipping agencies. The shipping bill is one such document that is a mandate in the export trade. A shipping bill contains the following details:

• Details of exported goods
• Goods’ value
• Seller’s name
• Buyer’s name
• Details of taxes paid by the sender

There are five different types of shipping bills. Here are the five types:

• Duty-free shipping bill: It is a shipping bill used when goods are exported without incurring any customs duties or taxes. This is printed on a white paper.
• Coastal shipping bill: The coastal shipping bill is issued when goods being exported need to be transferred from one port to another port.
• Dutiable shipping bill: Dutiable shipping bill is generated when goods exported attract customs duties from the destination country. It is printed on yellow paper.
• Drawback shipping bill: This type of shipping bill is generated when the exporter needs to claim a refund of duties paid.
• Ex-bond shipping bill: It is issued when goods are stored in a custom-bonded warehouse till they are ready for export. These goods are stored without payment of any duty. Hence the duty is paid before goods are moved for exportation.

 

How to track shipping bill on the ICEGATE portal?

Do you want to check the status of your shipping bill? ICEGATE portal enables tracking of shipping bills. Here is how you can do it.

Step 1: Visit the ICEGATE portal’s tracking page.

Step 2: Select the location along with the port code.

Step 3: Enter the shipping bill number.

Step 4: Input the shipping bill date.

Step 5: Enter Captcha

Step 6: Click on ‘Submit’

Tracking or status details will be displayed on the screen.

Bill of Entry

Bill of Entry is yet another document you can file through ICEGATE. However, do you know what bill of entry is? A Bill of Entry is a legal document that needs to be filed mandatorily by the importer or his clearing agent. The bill of entry contains details such as IGST, port code, customs duty, mode of payment, value of goods, bill of entry number, name and address of the importer. It needs to be filed on or before the arrival of the goods to get customs clearance for the goods imported.

Tracking the bill of entry

Here is how you can track the bill of entry on the ICEGATE portal.

Step 1: Visit the bill of entry tracking page of the ICEGATE portal.

Step 2: Using the dropdown menu, select the port code.

Step 3: Enter the bill of entry number.

Step 4: Enter the date of the bill of entry.

Step 5: Enter captcha.

Step 6: Click on the Submit button.

The status of your Bill of Entry will be displayed on the screen.

Concluding note

ICEGATE allows the filing or tracking of many other documents related to the import export trade. Some of them include bill of lading, Import General Manifest (IGM), Export General Manifest (EGM), and so on.

It is the government’s portal made to streamline import-export trade. Therefore, it is best to learn about it and use it to its full potential.