F.No.74/2006 – Sys Unit                                                                              Dated: 29.03.2007 

Public Notice No. 43 / 2007

Subject:  Procedure for E-Payment of Customs Duties under the Indian Customs EDI system – (ICES) Imports –regarding

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1.       Attention of the trade is invited to the Public Notice No 242/1998 dated 08.12.1998 and Facility Note No.18/2006 dated 31.08.2006 issued by the Commissioner of Customs, Chennai, regarding payment of Customs Duty and registration of goods for examination. In addition to the facility of payment of Customs Duty at the Extension counter of Harbour Branch, Indian Bank and Chennai Main Branch, State Bank of India, a facility of payment of Customs Duty through net banking is being extended to Importers at Chennai Sea Port. This service of e-Payment through net banking is offered by the banks without any extra cost. It will reduce the transaction cost of the Importers and expedite the time taken for customs clearance.

2.       This Trade Notice outlines the changes to the Customs procedures, on the ICES for Importers/CHAs who choose to pay duties through e-Payment mode. 

3.       After the introduction of the ICES at Chennai port, only the Indian Bank, Harbour Branch at Chennai Custom House Extension Counter had been the designated bank to receive payments of Customs Duty and any other Customs dues.   

4.       In addition, as a trade facilitation measure, it has been decided to authorize more bank branches for collection of Custom Duties. RBI has designated one more bank viz State Bank of India as the designated bank for the Customs Port at Chennai for collection of Customs Duty. With effect from 06.09.2006, the Chennai Main Branch of State Bank of India (BSR Code 0000800) has been authorized to collect Customs Duty. The Importers operating at Chennai Port can henceforth deposit Customs dues at either of the banks.  

5.       The Chennai Sea Port is also starting e-payment of Customs Duties via e-Payment gateway with Corporation Bank, Kellys Corner Branch (BSR Code 0350127) functioning from 12, Ormes Road, Kellys Corner, PB No.113, Kilpauk, Chennai – 600 010.

6.       Importer/CHA, who have Internet enabled accounts with the Corporation Bank, anywhere in India, will be able to make use of this facility. 

7.       Existing Procedure for payment of duty on the ICES 

(a)       After the assessment is completed, the ICES sends a challan message electronically to the computers of the designated bank(s). Simultaneously, a printout of the TR-6 challan (in 4 copies) is generated by the ICES for the Importer / CHA along with the assessed copy of the Bill of Entry. For ICEGATE users, the challan message also communicated through ICEGATE by e-mail.

(b)       The Importer / CHA physically presents all the four copies of the TR-6 challan at the designated bank along with the monetary instruments (demand draft, pay order, instruction of debit of bank account at the designated bank etc) for payment of duty.

(c)        The bank enters the particulars of receipt of the amount in their System and returns two copies of TR-6 challan to the CHA / importer duly stamped and signed. The bank retains two copies of the TR-6 challan.

(d)       After receipt of the duty, the bank conveys this information electronically to the ICES. The ICES permits registration of goods, which is a prelude to Customs examination, only after receipt of electronic payment confirmation from designated bank.

(e)      The stamped challans are then presented, along with other documents for registration of goods for examination.

8.       Procedure after implementation of E-Payment Module 

          The existing system of duty payment by physical mode shall continue as it is done presently. However, the facility of duty payment by electronic mode (E-Payment) is being introduced as an additional facilitation measure to the trade. The importers / CHAs are requested to avail the facility by observing the following procedures. 

(a)              The person desirous of availing the E-Payment facility must approach the designated bank viz Corporation Bank, Kellys Corner Branch for opening an INTERNET ACCOUNT.

(b)              CBEC has set up a CUSTOM E-Payment Gateway (CEG) at ICEGATE (www.icegate.gov.in). The users who are already registered with ICEGATE will automatically be able to avail the facility of e-Payment as REGISTERED USER without any further registration process. However, even the users who are not registered with the ICEGATE can avail e-Payment facility as an UNREGISTERED USER.

(c)               In the ICEGATE home page, a person can select the e-Payment icon from the main menu or if the person is using any other module of ICEGATE (like document filing), he can select the e-Payment option from the side screen menu.

(d)              On selection of E-Payment option, the e-Payment page will open. The users already registered with ICEGATE can login with their username and password as REGISTERED USER. Thereafter their (personal) web page would open which will display all the unpaid challans details (less than 5 days old) for the Bills of Entry filed by him.

(e)              If the person is an UNREGISTERED USER, or he intends to make payments of duties on the documents not filed by him through ICEGATE, then he can make E-Payment by entering the IE Code of the importer. The CEG will display all the unpaid challans against the IE Code.

(f)                Once the list of unpaid challans is displayed to the registered / unregistered user, he must select “PAY” option against the challan for duty payment.

(g)            On selection of the challan the user will be shown the options of the “designated” banks for the purpose of E-payment. The user can select any bank authorized for e-payment Chennai Sea Port. (at present this facility is offered by the Corporation Bank, Kellys Corner Branch.

(h)              Thereafter, the user will see the web page of the selected bank. He would be required to login as an “Internet Customer” of the bank.

(i)                After successful login in the bank site, the user will be shown the details of the challan including the amount to be paid. The user shall be prompted to confirm the payment option.

(j)                On successful payment, a cyber receipt will be generated by the bank on successful transaction. Then user may take the printout of the cyber receipt for his reference. The bank will prompt the user to come back to the CEG (Customs E-Payment Gateway) after completion of the bank transaction.

(k)            The user must come back to the ICEGATE site to complete the transaction.

(l)               In case of an incomplete transaction or link failure, a VERIFY option is automatically activated against the concerned challan for verification of the duty payment details. In case of incomplete transaction, the Importer/ CHA must go back to ICEGATE and select the VERIFY option against the challan. On selecting the VERIFY option, the Importer/ CHA is taken back to the site of the Bank for completion of the transaction. The VERIFY option must be exercised on the date of payment itself, and the option would be de-activated the next day. 

(m)           After e-payment is made at CEG, ICEGATE will send the payment particulars to the ICES location. Thereafter, the Bill of entry shall automatically move to the examination queue.

(n)              The Importer / CHA need not produce any proof of payment for the clearance of goods in case of e-payment. However, he is advised to keep the copy of the cyber receipt with him for future reference for his own convenience.

(o)              In case of problems in e-Payment, the Importer/ CHA can contact the ICEGATE 24 hour helpdesk by phone at (011) 23370133 or (011) 23379020 or by email at icegatehelpdesk@icegate.gov.in.

9.       The facility of e-payment shall commence from 30.03.2007 with Corporation Bank, Kellys Corner Branch.    

Sd/-

    (RAJKUMAR BARTHWAL)  

     COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS  

 (SEAPORT - EXPORT)