“The Directorate General of Foreign Trade has introduced DGFT automated Free Sale Certificate issuance through its official online portal to streamline export documentation.”

An FSC is issued to eligible exporters for products not covered under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. It generally confirms that a product is freely sold and commercially traded in India.

· What Has Changed?

Earlier, FSC applications were manually verified by the concerned DGFT Regional Authority, which could take considerable processing time.

Under the new system:

1. Eligible applications may be automatically approved and issued.
2. Applications requiring verification may still be sent for manual processing.
3. Some automatically approved applications may later be reviewed under DGFT’s risk-management system.

· Benefits for Exporters

The new automated FSC process is expected to provide:

1. Faster certificate issuance
2. Less manual intervention
3. Paperless processing
4. Reduced compliance burden
5. Quicker turnaround time

· Important Takeaway

Not every FSC application will receive automatic approval. Exporters must submit complete and accurate information and retain all supporting documents for possible verification.

This initiative is another important step towards a more digital, transparent and trade-friendly export-compliance system.

For assistance with FSC applications and DGFT compliance, contact DGFT EXIM Consultants.