The process of transporting, especially exporting from India, is very complicated. In exports, documents are required at every step as you move forward. The documentation process includes applying, submitting, obtaining, and producing the documents required to export from India. The process has many intricacies and requires a lot of paperwork and office work. In this case, you need to understand what the necessary documents are required to export from India. The process must be carried out carefully and appropriately for a smooth exporting journey from India.
The article provides you with the details of all the necessary documents required to export from India, making this tiresome and perplexing process a little easier for all.
List of Documents required to export from India
The list of documents required to export from India is divided into three sections: Core Documents, Necessary Documents, and Additional Documents required for exporting purposes.
3 Core Documents required to export from India
- Bill of Lading- Bill of Lading or BoL /BL is a document issued by a carrier to acknowledge receipt of cargo for shipment for any type of carriage of goods. The carrier or the transportation company issues the BL to the shipper that details the type, quantity and destinations of goods.
- Commercial Invoice cum packing list -The Commercial Invoice serves as a proof of sale, containing information about the export goods. The Foreign Trade Policy of the government of India mandates the commercial invoice cum packing list to accompany all exports from India. The seller or the exporter issues commercial invoices to the buyer or the importer.
- Bill of Export- Bill of export is one of the essential documents required to export from India. To acquire a clearance for exporting and boarding goods, from the customs, a seller needs to submit an application called a Bill of Export.
7 necessary documents required to export from India
- Proforma Invoice- A Performa Invoice is an estimated bill that should accompany the goods that are being exported. It is more like a request from the committed buyer for payment before they are supplied. The invoice contains a description of the goods, the total amount and other transactional information.
- Export Order- The Export Order or the Purchase Order comes after the proforma Invoice is issued. Purchase Order indicates that the Order is confirmed, the type of currency used for the transaction and shipping details.
- Certificate of Origin- CoO or Declaration of Origin indicates that the goods that are being exported have met certain originating criteria in a particular country. A certificate of Origin is very important in international trade as necessary documents are required to export from India.
- Bill of Exchange- The Bill of Exchange document is a written document that obligates one party to pay the other party on demand or in future. This specifies the terms of transactions between the Seller and the Buyer. Bill of exchange can be used by the exporter and the importer to fulfil the trading. Also, includes the third party of Drawer, who obliges the drawee to pay the payee.
- Letter of Credit- The letter of credit is a payment guarantee document sent from a bank or any financial institute assuring that the seller will receive the full amount of money on time by the buyer’s side. A letter of credit is an essential document within the international trade industry.
- Quality Check Certificate- The Quality Check Certificate verifies the packaging parameters and quality of the goods that are being exported. This certificate can be demanded by the importer before shipment of the goods.
- Phyto-Sanitary & Fumigation Certificates- Both of these documents are necessary if you are shipping any agro-plant-based goods. The phytosanitary certificate indicates that the goods being exported are quality checked and are Pest& Disease Free. A Fumigation Certificate is necessary for international or ocean freight cargo. One cannot afford to have failure in these measures risking the cargo not being sent, liquidated, or quarantined upon arrival in other ports.
5 Additional documents required to export from India
- Marine Insurance Policy Certificate- The certificate of Marine Insurance Policy indicates that the cargo is insured while in transit and the shipper is responsible for their cargo or any other shipment activity.
- Mate’s Receipt- Mate’s Receipt is issued by the commanding officer of the ship on which the cargo is loaded. It contains details of the vessel including its name, berth, date of loading, package, condition, etc..
- Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) Declaration for Exporters- The FEMA declaration for export includes all the essential paperwork and procedures required by India’s Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA) during the export of goods internationally. The sole purpose of the FEMA Declaration is to ensure compliance with foreign exchange regulations and transparency in export-import transactions.
- Let Export Order- The ‘Let export order’ can be issued after the customs clearance procedure, to ensure that all the essential procedures, activities, formalities and documents required to export from India have been fulfilled.
- Export General Manifest- An export General Manifest is a legal document, also known as an Export Report, which is filed by the carrier of the shipment to confirm the export transaction. It declares the consignments along with the relevant particulars like the shipping bill number and number of packages that have been loaded in for taking these out.
Conclusion
The world of export sounds interesting and exciting, but in reality, the documents required to export from India and the process of exporting can be tiring and confusing. The documentation procedure is intricate and an integral part of the export process. After applying for these documents, make sure to carefully check all the information shared to ensure accuracy and alignment with your export goods. By referring to the list above of all the necessary documents required to export from India, exporters need to understand various aspects of financing, business, Export Bill, Order Bill, Advance Authorisation Scheme that allows duty-free import of inputs, Advance License Scheme, etc., for better preparation for export.
