Procedure to Obtain Sanitary Import Permit

As per the regulations by the Ministry of Agriculture, animal products importers in India must obtain a sanitary permit at the customs gate while importing meat and its products, eggs, milk products, pet food embryos, ova, or semen. Section 3 and Section 4 of the Livestock Importation Act, 1898, which the Department of Animal Husbandry released, Dairying and Fisheries regulate the trade of livestock products in eliminating the foreign diseases penetrating the country through the import of livestock and its consequences.

What is Sanitary Import Permit?

Sanitary Import Permit is a certificate stating the sanitary conditions listed by the Government of India for importing livestock and livestock products. It is not a license but a document that informs exporting countries to follow the sanitary conditions listed under the Livestock Importation Act of 1898.

The intent of the Permit

Traders can import the animal and animal products from the exporting country only through the seaports or airports of Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai. Fish products can be imported through the port of Vishakhapatnam and the seaport and airport of Kochi. Fish products from Bangladesh can be imported through the Land Customs Station at Petrapole. There is a high chance for livestock products to transfer foreign diseases from the exportation countries. The Sanitary Import Permit system intends to checklist the sanitary conditions mentioned and verified by the authorized veterinarian of the exportation country to control the risk of transfer of foreign diseases into the country.

Mandatory Documents

The trader or the importer willing to import livestock products from foreign countries meant for human intake should mention the purpose of the business to attain a license from the Food Safety Authority of India.
A copy of the FSSAI license should be enclosed with the application form.
An elaborated description of the product and the catalog should be attached.
Importers importing dairy and its products should obtain a license from the Food Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) as per the requirement under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954.

Application Procedure

Traders or importers can follow the below procedures to apply for the Permit:

The applicants should log in to the sip portal by entering their ID, password, and Captcha image.
Once the welcome page is opened, applicants should click the apply online option, fill in forms A or B, and enclose all the mandatory documents.
After submitting all the documents, the application fee of Rs.300 should be paid through the online payment gateway of the portal.
Once the application is processed and approved by the SIP authorities, it will be updated on the portal for the applicants to print their application copies.
The Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries would send an email to the registered ID of the applicant in case of any insufficient information or documents. The applicant should rectify the error by logging into their account on the SIP portal.
Applicants with one IEC certificate can be registered only once and submit new applications with their already registered ID and Password.
The applicant should register valid mobile numbers to retrieve their password through OTP.
The applicants can alter the information entered in the portal whenever necessary and download the user manual for reference.

Validity of the Permit

The Permit's validity varies depending upon the livestock products and from three months to one year. The importer can carry out as many shipments as required per the SIP's permitted quantity within the stipulated period. The Department may extend the validity of the Permit on request from the traders and the guidelines under which the Permit is given as follows:

When transported through the seaport, the date prescribed in the Bill of Lading will be considered the imported date, and the expiry will be accounted for accordingly.
When transported through the airport, the date of the relevant Airway bill provided represents the date on which goods left the last airport in the country and is considered the effective date of import.
When transported from Land-Locked Countries, the date of dispatch of goods by rail, road, or other recognized modes of transport to the consignee in India through a consignment basis.
When transported using postal Parcel Services, the date of the Official Stamping of dispatch on the packet or dispatch note.
When transported through the Registered Courier Services, the date affixed on the Courier Receipt e-Waybill will be regarded as the imported date.
When transported using other Multimodal Transport, the date of handing over goods to the first carrier in a combined transport bill of loading will be considered the imported date.

Other Conditions

The traders importing and exporting livestock and its products mentioned as restricted under the EXIM policy of the Government should obtain a license from the Director-General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).
Traders importing live animals should obtain a pre-import no-objection certificate from the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying, and Fisheries and get the quarantine and animal certificate.
The importers of the live animals should get permission from the Regional Officer/Quarantine Officer of the respective ports and display a copy of the import license dispensed by the DGFT and the health certificate given by the authorized veterinarian for the boarding of the livestock seven days before the boarding.
Testing animals for exotic diseases should be carried out in the exporting countries, and the report must be sent to the port along with the animals.
In case of violation of rules and regulations by the importer, the import permit will be canceled by the authorities without any prior notice and information to the importers.

Import Export Code

The Import Export Code is a primary document necessary for commencing Import-export activities. The IE code is to be obtained for exporting or importing goods or services.IEC has numerous benefits for the growth of the business. Indeed, you cannot ignore the necessity of IE code registration, as it is mandatory. You can apply for an Import Export code through IndiaFilings and obtain it within 6 to 7 days.