DGFT Launches Online Payment Facility

In order to give a boost to the Digital India initiative of PM Narendra Modi and give service to importers and exporters, the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has launched an online payment facility of application fees through Credit and Debit Cards. This also includes payment through fund transfer from 53 banks.

It is important to note that DGFT has already operationalized the online filing facility of applications by various stakeholders of foreign trade under the new Foreign Trade Policy (2015-20). The online submission of applications for the issue of online importer exporter code was started some time ago. With the start of this online payment facility through 53 banks, now exporters and importers can apply online for the benefits under various schemes under FTP. Also they can make payment of the required application fee online. This has not totally obviated the  need to visit the offices of DGFT and banks but instead it has made the total environment virtually 24*7 as anybody can now pay online fees and do various other things in a 24- hour environment.

The Department is of the view that these initiatives will make the environment totally paperless and hassle free. Also it will facilitate moving to T+1 environment as fund transfers would happen in no time. The DGFT has also signed an MOU with Central Bank of India that will provide payment gateway services of online portal of DGFT. It will provide the service of collection of fee through the online portal of DGFT from banks via the internet. It will also provide challans, transaction ids and bank scrolls.