Implementation of Customs Baggage Declaration Form for Passengers who come to India w.e.f. 1 March 2014

[CBEC Circular No. 05 dated 27^th February 2014]

Subject: Customs Baggage Declaration Regulations 2013 – implementation thereof.

Attention is invited to Customs Baggage Declaration Regulation, 2013 notified vide Notification No 90/2013-Cus (N.T.) dated 29.08.2013 subsequently amended vide Notification No. 133/2013-Cus. (N.T.) dated 30.12.2013 and Notification No. 10/2014-Cus (N.T.) dated 10.02.2014. The Customs Baggage Declaration Regulations, 2013 will come into force with effect from 1.03.2014.

2. Under the Customs Baggage Declaration Regulations 2013 all incoming international passengers will be required to declare the content of their baggage in the Indian Customs Declarations Form prescribed in the regulation. Therefore the declaration relating to Customs purposes by incoming passengers in arrival card notified by MHA hitherto done by passengers will be dispensed with. In other words, the incoming passengers will have to fill up the form notified under Customs Baggage Declaration Regulations 2013 independent of the form prescribed by the MHA. Ministry of Home Affairs has decided that arrival (disembarkation) card of MHA would be given to foreign nationals only.

3. Directorate of Publicity and Public Relations, New Delhi has been requested to print the Indian Customs Declarations Forms and distribute the same to all Commissioners of Customs having jurisdiction over the airports. The Indian Customs Declarations Forms may also be handed over to concerned airlines for distributing the same among the passengers.

4. Board desires that the Commissioners of Customs should sensitize field formations working at airports so that this arrangement should not disrupt passenger facilitation at the airports.

5. Wide publicity may be given at the airports and suitable public notice be issued for guidance of staff.

F. No. 520/13/2013- Cus.VI