DGFT Consultancy

Status Holders are business leaders who have excelled in international trade and have successfully contributed to country’s foreign trade. Status Holders are expected to not only contribute towards India’s exports but also provide guidance and handholding to new entrepreneurs.

All exporters of goods, services and technology having an import- export code (IEC) number shall be eligible for recognition as a status holder. Status recognition will depend on export performance. An applicant shall be categorized as status holder on achieving export performance during the current and previous three financial years (for Gems& Jewellery Sector the performance during the current and previous two financial years shall be considered for recognition as status holder) as indicated in paragraph 3.21 of Foreign Trade Policy. The export performance will be counted on the basis of FOB of export earning in freely convertible foreign currencies

For deemed export, FOR value of exports in Indian Rupees shall be converted in US$ at the exchange rate notified by CBEC, as applicable on 1st April of each Financial Year.

For granting status, export performance is necessary in at least two out of four years.

Status Category

All exporters of goods, services and technology having an import-export code (IEC) number, on the date of application, shall be eligible for recognition as a status holder based on export performance. An applicant may be categorized as status holder on achieving the threshold export performance in the current and preceding three financial years as indicated in para 1.26 of Foreign Trade Policy.

For granting status, an export performance would be necessary in all the three preceding financial years (and in all the two preceding financial years for Gems & Jewelry Sector).

I) Status Holder Category – Export Performance – No of Trainees per Year Criteria

II) Skilling & Mentorship Program Details – Post Issuance Obligation

Grant of Double Weightage

1. The exports by IEC holders under the following categories shall be granted double weightage for calculation of export performance for grant of status.
   
   1. Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) as defined in Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises Development (MSMED) Act 2006.
   2. Manufacturing units having ISO/BIS.
   3. Units located in North Eastern States including Sikkim and Jammu & Kashmir.
   4. Units located in Agri Export Zones.
2. Double Weightage shall be available for grant of One Star Export House Status category only. Such benefit of double weightage shall not be admissible for grant of status recognition of other categories namely Two Star Export House, Three Star Export House, Four Star export House and Five Star Export House.
3. A shipment can get double weightage only once in any one of above categories.

Other conditions for grant of status

1. Export performance of one IEC holder shall not be permitted to be transferred to another IEC holder. Hence, calculation of exports performance based on disclaimer shall not be allowed.
2. Exports made on re-export basis shall not be counted for recognition.
3. Export of items under Authorisation, including SCOMET items, would be included for calculation of export performance.

Privileges of Status Holders

A Status Holder shall be eligible for privileges as under:

1. Authorisation and Customs Clearances for both imports and exports may be granted on self-declaration basis;
2. Input-Output norms may be fixed on priority within 60 days by the Norms Committee ;Special scheme in respect of Input Output Norms to be notified by DGFT from time to time, for specified status holder
3. Exemption from furnishing of Bank Guarantee for Schemes under FTP, unless specified otherwise anywhere in FTP or HBP;
4. Exemption from compulsory negotiation of documents through banks. Remittance/receipts, however, would be received through banking channels;
5. Two star and above Export houses shall be permitted to establish Export Warehouses as per Department of Revenue guidelines.
6. Three Star and above Export House shall be entitled to get benefit of Accredited Clients Programme (ACP) as per the guidelines of CBEC (website: http://cbec.gov.in).
7. The status holders would be entitled to preferential treatment and priority in handling of their consignments by the concerned agencies.
8. Manufacturers who are also status holders (Three Star/Four Star/Five Star) will be enabled to self-certify their manufactured goods (as per their IEM/IL/LOI) as originating from India with a view to qualify for preferential treatment under different preferential trading agreements (PTA), Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreements (CECA) and Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPA). Subsequently, the scheme may be extended to remaining Status Holders.
9. Manufacturer exporters who are also Status Holders shall be eligible to self-certify their goods as originating from India as per Para 2.108 (d) of Hand Book of Procedures.
10. Status holders shall be entitled to export freely exportable items (excluding Gems and Jewellery, Articles of Gold and precious metals) on free of cost basis for export promotion subject to an annual limit of Rupees One Crore or 2% of average annual export realization during preceding three licensing years, whichever is lower. For export of pharma products by pharmaceutical companies, the annual limit would be 2% of the average annual export realisation during preceding three licensing years. In case of supplies of pharmaceutical products, vaccines and lifesaving drugs to health programmes of international agencies such as UN, WHO-PAHO and Government health programmes, the annual limit shall be up to 8% of the average annual export realisation during preceding three licensing years. Such free of cost supplies shall not be entitled to Duty Drawback or any other export incentive under any export promotion scheme.