Customs Clearance
Custom house agent · Gujarat ports
What does a customs clearance agent do?
A customs clearance agent files your Bill of Entry or shipping bill on ICEGATE, checks the HS code and value, follows the assessment and duty payment, attends any examination and obtains out-of-charge. RP International does this at Mundra, Kandla and four more ports, with a clearance desk in Gandhidham open 24 hours.
The people who check your documents are the people who file them and stand beside the officer at examination. Nothing is handed from a head office to a local sub-agent, so a query on your Bill of Entry is answered the same day it is raised.
- Ports
- Mundra, Kandla, Pipavav, Hazira, Dahej, Nhava Sheva
- ICDs
- Ahmedabad, Sanand, Vadodara, Ankleshwar, Varnama
- Filed on
- ICEGATE: Bill of Entry and shipping bill
- Typical time
- Exports ~24 hours · imports ~48 working hours, once documents are complete
What's included
What is included in customs clearance?
Everything between the cargo reaching the port and customs letting it go, for imports and exports.
Document and HS code check
Invoice, packing list and B/L checked against each other, and the HS code confirmed before anything is filed.
Filing on ICEGATE
Bill of Entry for imports and shipping bill for exports, filed under our customs broker registration.
Duty and assessment
Duty worked out on the assessable value, assessment queries answered, and the e-payment followed to confirmation.
Examination attended
If customs orders an examination, we arrange it at the CFS or port and attend it with the officer.
Out-of-charge and LEO
Out-of-charge for imports and the Let Export Order for exports, obtained and passed straight to you.
Delivery handover
Delivery order, CFS release and the truck to your factory or warehouse, arranged in the same job if you need it.
Process
How does customs clearance work at a Gujarat port?
The same sequence runs at every port we cover. Starting before the vessel arrives is what saves the most time.
- Filed and followed by one team
- Attended at the port
- Clearance desk open 24 hours
Imports
-
01
Imports
Documents checked before arrival
Invoice, packing list, B/L, IEC and any licence, matched and corrected.
-
02
Imports
Bill of Entry filed
On ICEGATE against the IGM, ideally before the vessel berths.
-
03
Imports
Assessment
Customs checks classification and value; we answer any query.
-
04
Imports
Duty paid
Paid online against the assessed Bill of Entry.
-
05
Imports
Examination, if ordered
Attended at the CFS or port with the officer.
-
06
Imports
Out-of-charge and delivery
Customs releases the goods; delivery order, CFS release and transport to your door.
Exports
-
01
Exports
Documents checked
Invoice, packing list, IEC, AD code and any export licence.
-
02
Exports
Shipping bill filed
On ICEGATE, with the export scheme declared correctly.
-
03
Exports
Container carted
Factory-stuffed and sealed, or stuffed at the CFS.
-
04
Exports
Examination, if selected
Attended at the CFS or port gate.
-
05
Exports
Let Export Order
Customs allows the goods to be loaded.
-
06
Exports
Loaded on board
The container sails and the B/L is issued.
Documents
What documents are needed for customs clearance?
Eleven documents cover most shipments. Your commodity can add a licence or certificate, so we confirm the list with every quote.
Not sure what you have? Send photos of your documents on WhatsApp for a first check.
Send on WhatsApp| Document | Import | Export | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial invoice | Required | Required | Value, currency, incoterm and seller and buyer details |
| Packing list | Required | Required | Packages, weights and marks, matching the invoice |
| Bill of lading or airway bill | Required | After loading | Issued by the carrier; the export B/L follows shipment |
| Importer-Exporter Code (IEC) | Required | Required | Issued by the DGFT |
| GST registration (GSTIN) | Required | Required | For input credit on IGST and export refunds |
| AD code registration | — | Required | Bank AD code registered at the port of export |
| Authority letter and KYC | Required | Required | Authorises us, as customs broker, to file for you |
| Certificate of origin | If claiming FTA rate | If the buyer needs it | Needed to claim a lower duty under a trade agreement |
| Insurance certificate | If applicable | — | Used for the assessable value when insured separately |
| Licence or permit | By product | By product | For example BIS, FSSAI, drug controller or plant quarantine |
| Purchase order or contract | On request | On request | Supports the declared value if customs asks |
Requirements change with the commodity and the rules in force, so we confirm the list for your consignment with every quote.
Quote
Get a quote for Customs Clearance
Rates and the document list for your consignment, back within 24 hours.
- A team at the port, in Gandhidham
- Clearance desk open 24 hours
- Document list with every quote
Timing
How long does customs clearance take?
Once documents are complete, exports typically clear in about 24 hours and imports in about 48 working hours. Typical figures, not guarantees: the consignment decides.
| What changes the time | Effect | How we reduce it |
|---|---|---|
| Incomplete documents | Filing waits until they arrive | Checked before the vessel berths |
| Assessment query | Assessment pauses for a reply | Answered the day it is raised |
| Examination order | Adds the examination and report | Booked and attended at once |
| Licence or NOC needed | Waits for the other agency | Flagged at the quote stage |
Ports
Where do we clear cargo?
Six sea ports and five inland container depots, attended by the same team that files your Bill of Entry.
Industries
Which cargo do we clear most often?
Each commodity brings its own documents, licences and examination risks.
Related services
What is usually booked with customs clearance?
What does a custom house agent actually do?
A custom house agent (CHA), licensed as a customs broker, files the Bill of Entry or shipping bill on ICEGATE, checks the classification and valuation, follows up assessment and duty payment, attends any examination, and obtains out-of-charge or the Let Export Order so the cargo can leave or be loaded.
What documents are needed for import clearance in India?
The core set is the commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading or airway bill, and the importer's IEC and GST registration. Add a certificate of origin to claim a trade-agreement rate, an insurance certificate where it applies, and any licence or permit the product needs, such as BIS or FSSAI.
How long does customs clearance take?
Once documents are complete, export clearance typically takes about 24 hours and import clearance about 48 working hours. An examination order, an assessment query, a missing licence or port congestion can extend it, so we confirm the expected timeline for each consignment before it arrives.
How are customs clearance charges worked out?
There are three parts: our clearance fee, the port, CFS and shipping line charges passed on at actuals, and the customs duty itself, which depends on the HS code and value. We quote each consignment separately, with the document list, so you see every part before the cargo arrives.
What is the difference between a CHA and a freight forwarder?
A CHA handles the customs side: filing, assessment, examination and out-of-charge. A freight forwarder books and moves the cargo: the vessel, the container and the trucks. RP International does both, so one team is responsible from the booking to the release of the goods.
What happens if customs orders an examination?
The container is opened at the CFS or port in front of a customs officer, who checks the goods against the declaration. We arrange the examination, attend it, answer the officer's questions and follow up the report, so out-of-charge can be issued as soon as it is cleared.
How do I clear a container that is stuck at the port?
Find out why it is held: a query on the Bill of Entry, a missing document, an examination order or unpaid duty. Call or WhatsApp +91 97141 41559 with the container or B/L number. The clearance desk is open 24 hours and can check the status on ICEGATE and at the port.
Can you clear my cargo if my company is outside Gujarat?
Yes. What matters is that the cargo moves through a port or ICD we cover. Documents come by email or WhatsApp, the filing is done online on ICEGATE, and our team attends the cargo at the port, so the importer or exporter can be anywhere.