E-Way Bills for Imports and Exports

Are e-way bills required to be issued for imports and exports as well?

Since imports and exports have been considered as inter-state supplies under the GST act, the e-way bill is required to be issued for these transactions as well. For imports, the e-way bill will be generated by the importer. The exporter is liable to generate the e-way bill for export supplies.

Before we delve into the steps for generating e-way bills, let’s understand how the processes take place or is e way bill required for export and what is export e way bill pin code 

Import Process

• When goods reach the seaport or airport, the import is said to be completed. Goods remain under the custody of the Customs Department until the importer pays the custom duty.
• From the port/ airport, goods are moved to inland container depot. For this movement, there is no requirement of issuing the eway bill for export. Here we also know how to make e way bill for import, how to raise e way bill for imported goods.
• At the Inland Container Depot (ICD), the importer files the Bill of Entry and pays the import duty. After this, the goods are cleared for home consumption with import e way bill.
• If the importer moves the goods from the Inland Container Depot to the factory or any other place of business, he has to generate the e-way bill.
• If the goods are moved from the Inland Container Depot to the bonded warehouse, there is no requirement of issuing the e-way bill. However, when goods are moved from the bonded warehouse to the factory of any other place of business at a future date, the e-way bill has to be issued.

Export Process

• Goods are moved from the place of business or warehouse of the exporter to Inland Container Depot (ICD) or Customs Freight Station (CFS). For the movement, an export e way bill format has to be issued.
• After filing the shipping bill, goods are moved from ICD or CFS to the port or airport with pin code for export in e way bill. E-way is not required to be issued for this movement. now lets know how to generate e way bill for export shipment, eway bill for import shipment, how to generate e way bill for import shipment.

What Details Shall be Furnished in an E-Way Bill?

How to Compute Validity And Distance for E-Way Bill?

The validity of e-way bill is based on the distance of transportation of goods which is as follows –

In the case of imports, the distance will be calculated from the ICD or CFS to the place of business (factory etc.). For exports, the distance will be calculated from the place of business or the warehouse to the ICD or CFS. Based on the distance, the validity will be computed.