Import-Export (IE) Code in West delhi, Delhi

Tagline: Your licence to trade, made valid abroad – by attestation or apostille, depending on the destination country.

The import export code (IEC) is the 10-digit code issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) that every Indian business needs to import or export. When a foreign buyer, importer or authority asks for it, it must be legalised. IE code attestation is the route for non-Hague countries such as the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait, where the embassy and the foreign ministry must also stamp it. Import export code apostille is the route for Hague Convention countries such as the USA, the UK, Canada and Saudi Arabia.

Both routes usually start the same way: a signed copy of the electronic IEC certificate is verified by a Chamber of Commerce, and then the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) adds either its attestation or its apostille. This page explains each route separately, lists which countries need which, and covers IEC certificate attestation with company documents, customs clearance document attestation for invoices and certificates of origin, and the DGFT IEC apostille on an electronic certificate.

• IEC certificates of companies, LLPs, partnership firms and proprietorships
• Import export code apostille for Hague countries
• IE code attestation for the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and other non-Hague countries
• Incorporation certificate, GST certificate and other company documents under one order
• Advice on invoices, certificates of origin and other customs papers
• Doorstep pickup in Delhi NCR and tracked courier pickup from offices across India

Key Facts About the Import Export Code

What Is an Import Export Code?

The import export code is the registration that allows a business to import into or export from India. It is issued online by DGFT and is linked to the business's PAN; for most applicants the code is the same as the PAN. Customs, banks and DGFT use it to identify the importer or exporter in every shipment and every foreign exchange payment.

The IEC is issued as an electronic certificate that can be downloaded from the DGFT portal. It does not need renewal, but under a DGFT notification of February 2021, IEC holders must update or confirm their details online every year, and an IEC that is not updated can be de-activated until it is.

What It Is Not

• GST registration certificate: proves tax registration, not the right to trade abroad
• RCMC (Registration-cum-Membership Certificate): issued by an export promotion council for export benefits
• Certificate of incorporation: proves that a company exists
• Shipping bill or bill of entry: the customs declaration for one shipment
• Certificate of origin: shows where a particular consignment's goods were made

Foreign buyers and authorities often ask for the IEC together with some of these, so it is worth planning them together.

Keep Your IEC Active Before Legalising

Before you legalise your IEC, check its status on the DGFT portal. If the annual update has been missed and the IEC shows as de-activated, foreign buyers who check it online may reject it even when every stamp is in place. Update it first, download a fresh copy of the certificate and then legalise that copy.

Checking an IEC Online

DGFT lets anyone check an IEC and its basic details online. Many foreign importers and banks do this before they accept an Indian supplier, and they compare what they see with the legalised copy. The business name and address on the legalised certificate should match the DGFT record exactly.

IE Code Attestation

IE code attestation is the chain of verifications that makes your IEC certificate valid in a country that is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention. It is needed for the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Malaysia, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Nepal and many African and Asian countries.

In attestation, each authority confirms the signature or stamp of the one before it. Only after the last stage – the embassy in India and, in the Gulf, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) – will the foreign buyer, importer or authority accept the certificate.

IE Code Attestation Process

Stage 1: A Correct Copy of the Certificate

A fresh copy of the electronic IEC certificate is downloaded and printed. It is signed and stamped by the proprietor, a partner, a director or another authorised signatory, and checked against the DGFT record.

Stage 2: Notary (Where Needed)

Where the chamber or the embassy asks for it, the signed copy is notarised. Notarisation is not a default step for every IEC.

Stage 3: Chamber of Commerce Attestation

Commercial documents are verified by a recognised Chamber of Commerce before MEA. The chamber confirms the business and the document and adds its stamp.

Stage 4: MEA Attestation

MEA attests the document after the chamber's verification. The MEA stamp is what the embassy checks next.

Stage 5: Embassy Attestation

The embassy of the destination country in New Delhi attests the certificate. Some embassies ask for a covering letter on company letterhead or a copy of the signatory's passport.

Stage 6: MOFA Attestation (Gulf Countries)

In the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs completes the chain. For the UAE, one online application after MEA attestation covers both the UAE Embassy in New Delhi and the UAE MOFA.

IEC Certificate Attestation With Company Documents

IEC certificate attestation is rarely asked for on its own. Foreign importers, registries and tender bodies usually want proof that the business exists, who runs it and that it may trade, so they ask for:

• The IEC certificate
• The certificate of incorporation (for companies and LLPs) or the firm's registration documents
• The GST registration certificate
• A board resolution or authority letter for the person who will deal with them
• Sometimes the RCMC, recent financial statements or a bank reference

Every document is attested separately, with its own stamps, even when they are sent together. We plan the full set at once so that every document reaches the embassy in the same batch.

Customs Clearance Document Attestation

Customs clearance document attestation covers the papers that move with a shipment: commercial invoices, packing lists, certificates of origin and sometimes health or quality certificates. These follow a different rule from the IEC itself.

The Apostille Convention does not cover "administrative documents dealing directly with commercial or customs operations". So even in some Hague countries, invoices and certificates of origin may still need legalisation at that country's embassy rather than an apostille. In India, certificates of origin are usually issued or attested by a Chamber of Commerce or another authorised agency, and invoices are usually verified by a chamber before MEA. For the UAE, commercial invoices and certificates of origin follow the UAE's separate eDAS route, not the normal attestation route used for the IEC.

Because the rule depends on the document and the destination, tell us exactly which customs papers your buyer or the destination customs asked for. We confirm the route for each one before your shipment deadline.

Business Documents for the UAE and the Gulf

UAE: importers in the UAE, free zones and government buyers often ask for the Indian supplier's attested IEC with the incorporation certificate and trade documents. After the Chamber of Commerce and MEA stages, the UAE route is digital: one online application covers the UAE Embassy and the UAE MOFA, a MOFA-approved provider collects the original, and the digitally attested document is emailed.

Qatar and Kuwait: both need embassy attestation in New Delhi after MEA, followed by their own Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Their requirements for commercial documents change from time to time, so we confirm the current list before pickup.

Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain: these three are Hague members, so the IEC and company documents for them need the apostille, not embassy attestation.

Other Non-Hague Countries

For Malaysia, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Kenya and similar countries, IE code attestation follows the same route up to MEA, and then the embassy or high commission of that country in India attests it. Some of these missions also ask for a translation into their own language.

Import Export Code Apostille

An import export code apostille is a single certificate from MEA that makes your verified IEC certificate valid in every country where the Hague Apostille Convention applies with India. No embassy and no foreign ministry is needed after it.

The apostille confirms the authenticity of the signature, the capacity of the person who signed and the seal on the document it is attached to. It does not confirm your trading record or creditworthiness. India joined the Convention with effect from 14 July 2005, and MEA is the only authority in India that issues apostilles.

Import Export Code Apostille Process

1. Status check: we check that your IEC is active and updated on the DGFT portal.
2. Copy preparation: a fresh, signed and stamped copy of the electronic certificate, notarised where the route needs it.
3. Chamber of Commerce: the chamber verifies the document.
4. MEA apostille: MEA fixes its apostille sticker with a unique number to the document.
5. Quality check and return: we photograph every stamp and return the document by tracked courier.

DGFT IEC Apostille: Using the Electronic Certificate

A DGFT IEC apostille is placed on a printout of the electronic certificate downloaded from the DGFT portal, after it has been signed by the business and verified by the chamber. There is no paper "original" issued by DGFT any more, so the downloaded certificate is the document that is legalised. Download a fresh copy just before legalisation, so the details are current, and make sure the printout is clear and complete. Our commercial document apostille service covers the IEC together with the other business papers a company needs for Hague countries.

What an Apostilled or Attested IEC Is Used For

• Supplier and vendor registration with foreign importers, distributors and retailers
• Import licences or registrations that a foreign buyer needs to bring in your goods
• Government and public sector tenders abroad
• Appointing distributors and agents
• Opening bank or payment accounts abroad for trade receipts
• Product registration with foreign regulators, together with other company documents

Hague and Non-Hague Countries: Apostille or Attestation?

The destination country decides the route. If the Hague Apostille Convention applies between India and that country, your IEC needs the import export code apostille. If it does not, it needs IE code attestation. The tables below were checked against the Hague Conference status table in November 2026.

Hague Countries: Import Export Code Apostille

Non-Hague Countries: IE Code Attestation

Special Cases You Should Know

• Germany: Germany objected to India's accession in 2005, and the objection still stands, so an Indian apostille has no legal effect for German authorities. German missions in India stopped legalising Indian documents in 2000 and use document verification instead, which only a German authority can request.
• China: documents for China need MEA attestation followed by legalisation at the Chinese Embassy or a Chinese Consulate in India.
• Vietnam: from 11 September 2026, the Vietnamese Embassy in New Delhi stopped consular legalisation of Indian public documents covered by the Convention. Documents outside the Convention, such as certain administrative documents tied to commercial or customs activity, can still be legalised at the embassy.
• Thailand: Thailand has joined, but the Convention takes effect only on 28 February 2027. Until then, Thailand still needs attestation.
• Canada and Saudi Arabia: both moved from embassy legalisation to the apostille (Canada in January 2024, Saudi Arabia in December 2022), so older advice that asks for embassy attestation is out of date.

Apostille or Attestation: Quick Comparison

Who Needs an IEC Legalised – and Who Does Not

Most Indian exporters never need to legalise their IEC. Foreign buyers who simply place orders usually rely on the invoice, the shipping documents and an online check of the IEC. Legalisation becomes necessary when a foreign authority or a large buyer formally registers you – as a supplier, a manufacturer, an importer of record or a bidder. Individuals who import or export goods only for personal use, not for business, generally do not need an IEC at all, so they will not be asked for one. Ask the buyer in writing whether a legalised IEC is really required before you start.

Service Exporters and the IEC

Service exporters, such as IT, design and consulting companies, often hold an IEC too. Their foreign clients sometimes ask for it during vendor onboarding, together with the incorporation certificate and GST certificate. The legalisation route is the same as for goods exporters: chamber verification, then MEA attestation for non-Hague countries or the MEA apostille for Hague countries.

Certificates of Origin

A certificate of origin shows where the goods in a shipment were made. Non-preferential certificates of origin are commonly issued by Chambers of Commerce. Preferential certificates of origin, which allow lower duties under India's trade agreements, are issued by designated agencies through DGFT's online system. Some importing countries also ask for the certificate of origin to be legalised at their embassy. Because certificates of origin deal directly with customs operations, they can fall outside the Apostille Convention, so check the rule for your destination before each shipment.

Product Registration and Tenders Abroad

Foreign regulators for medicines, medical devices, food and cosmetics usually ask for a full company file before they register an Indian product: the IEC, the incorporation certificate, manufacturing licences and product certificates issued by Indian regulators. Each document has its own route, and some product certificates are issued by central regulators rather than by the company. Tender bodies abroad ask for similar files, often with a power of attorney for the person who signs the bid. Tender and registration deadlines are fixed, so start legalising as soon as you receive the list.

Which Businesses Hold an IEC?

The signatory must match the person or entity named in the DGFT record. If a firm has changed partners or a company has changed directors, update the DGFT record first.

When IEC Details Change

DGFT allows IEC holders to modify their details online, such as the business name, address, partners or directors and bank details. After any change:

• Download a fresh certificate that shows the new details
• Update the other documents (GST, incorporation certificate) so the names match
• Legalise the new certificate – a legalised copy of an old certificate no longer matches the DGFT record

A legalised document is a snapshot of the record on the day it was printed. Foreign buyers who check the IEC online will compare it with the current record.

Timing Your Legalisation Around the Annual Update

Because the IEC must be updated or confirmed online every year, plan your IE code attestation or import export code apostille after the update for the year is complete. A certificate legalised just before a missed update can show a de-activated status when the buyer checks it online a few weeks later. If a buyer abroad will rely on your documents for a long contract or a multi-year registration, tell them that the DGFT record is updated every year and that they can check the current status online at any time.

Several Buyers, Several Copies

Each buyer, registry or authority usually keeps the legalised documents it receives. If you are registering with several importers in the same country, legalise several printouts of the IEC at the same time rather than one after another. For Hague countries, one import export code apostille per copy is enough; for non-Hague countries, each copy goes through IE code attestation, including the embassy stage. Planning the number of copies at the start saves a second round of chamber, MEA and embassy visits.

Branches and Additional Places of Business

The IEC record shows the registered address and can also list branch offices and factories. If the buyer will deal with a particular branch or factory, make sure it appears in the DGFT record before you download the certificate. A foreign auditor or buyer who visits a factory may compare its address with the legalised IEC, so mismatches can raise questions.

Notarised Copy, Certified Copy or Legalised IEC?

Foreign buyers use these words loosely, and the difference decides how much work is needed.

When a Gulf authority writes "attested", it means full IE code attestation through MEA and the embassy, not a notary stamp alone.

Questions to Ask the Buyer or Authority Before You Start

1. Do you need an apostille, embassy attestation, a certified copy or only a scan?
2. Which other documents do you need with the IEC?
3. Do invoices, certificates of origin or other customs papers also need legalisation, and by which route?
4. How recent must the documents be?
5. Do you need a translation, and must the translator be sworn in your country?

Share their reply with us. We match the route and the document list to it, so the documents are accepted the first time and your shipment is not held up. If the buyer is not sure, we can suggest the questions to ask their own customs broker or legal adviser, so that you get a clear written answer before any stamp is added.

Documents Required

We tell you the exact list for your country before pickup, because embassies change their requirements for commercial documents more often than for personal documents.

How Long Does It Take?

These timelines are indicative only. Embassy holidays, public holidays and queries from any authority can change them. We confirm the timeline for your country before you send the documents.

Bilingual Requirements and Arabic-Speaking Markets

Buyers and authorities in Arabic-speaking markets – the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan and Iraq – often ask for an Arabic translation of the legalised IEC and company documents. The translation is usually done after the IE code attestation is complete, so that it includes every stamp. In Hague countries that do not use English, such as Spain, France or Latin American countries, a sworn translation is usually made after the import export code apostille. We confirm with you which language and which translator the buyer accepts before arranging anything, because some authorities accept only their own sworn translators.

Exporters Outside Delhi

The IEC does not go through a state education or home department, so the route is the same wherever your business is registered, from Mumbai, Surat and Ludhiana to Tiruppur, Kochi or Kolkata. What changes is only the pickup. We collect documents from offices in Delhi NCR at your doorstep and from other cities through a tracked courier, handle the chamber, MEA and embassy stages in New Delhi, and send the legalised documents back the same way. Because much of the work starts from a downloaded certificate, we can often begin preparing your file as soon as you share the IEC number and the buyer's request.

Three Typical Situations

A Spice Exporter Registering With a Dubai Importer

A Kerala spice exporter was asked by a Dubai importer for its attested IEC, GST certificate and incorporation certificate. Each document went through the chamber and MEA, and one online application then covered the UAE Embassy and the UAE MOFA. The importer's certificates of origin for each shipment followed the separate UAE route.

An Engineering Exporter Supplying a Saudi Buyer

A Pune manufacturer was told by its agent to get Saudi Embassy attestation of its IEC. Because Saudi Arabia has been a Hague member since 2022, the IEC and company documents were apostilled instead, which saved the embassy stage.

A Pharmaceutical Exporter Entering Egypt

An Ahmedabad pharmaceutical company needed its IEC and company documents attested for product registration in Egypt. Egypt is not a Hague member, so the documents went through the chamber, MEA attestation and the Egypt Embassy in New Delhi, followed by an Arabic translation for the Egyptian authority.

Common Mistakes With IEC Legalisation

• Legalising a de-activated IEC because the annual update was missed
• Old printout after a name or address change, which no longer matches DGFT
• Signatory not named in the DGFT record
• Apostille for the UAE, Qatar or Kuwait, where attestation is needed
• Embassy attestation for Saudi Arabia, Oman or Bahrain, where the apostille is enough
• Apostille for China or Germany, where it has no effect
• Expecting an apostille to cover invoices and certificates of origin every Hague country
• Legalising documents one by one instead of as a set, which causes repeated embassy visits
• Ordering one copy when several buyers each need their own legalised IEC

Translation After the Apostille or Attestation

Countries that do not use English often want a sworn or certified translation of company documents. For apostille countries, the usual order is to finish the apostille and then translate the whole document, including the apostille. For attestation countries such as the UAE and Egypt, an Arabic translation is often requested by the local authority after attestation. Some countries accept only their own sworn translators, so we check before arranging a translation in India.

How to Check an Apostille or Attestation

Every MEA apostille carries a unique number that can be checked on MEA's verification facility. Make sure the sticker is fixed to the right document and that the business name is correct. For attestation, check that every stage – chamber, MEA, embassy and, in the Gulf, MOFA – appears in that order. For UAE digital attestation, keep the emailed document safe, because that is what UAE authorities verify.

Safe Handling of Your Business Documents

Trade documents can include bank details, buyers and prices, so we treat them as confidential. Only the people working on your order see them. Every document is logged with a written receipt at pickup, moved only through tracked couriers and stored securely between stages. We share photos of every stamp before dispatch and return documents only to the business or the person it authorises.

Why Choose Pro Attestation for Your IEC?

• Right route first: apostille or attestation, checked for your destination country
• IEC status and name checks against the DGFT record before any stamp is added
• Customs papers advice, so invoices and certificates of origin take the right route
• Full business files planned together, so all documents reach the embassy at once
• Correct country lists, including recent changes such as Canada, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh and Vietnam
• Clear fees discussed before any work begins
• Serving clients since 2015

Frequently Asked Questions About the Import Export Code

1. What is IE code attestation?

It is the legalisation of an IEC certificate for a non-Hague country: Chamber of Commerce, MEA attestation, the embassy and, in the Gulf, MOFA.

2. What is an import export code apostille?

It is the MEA apostille on a verified IEC certificate, accepted in Hague countries without an embassy stage.

3. What is IEC certificate attestation?

It is the attestation of the IEC certificate, usually together with the incorporation certificate, GST certificate and other company documents.

4. What is customs clearance document attestation?

It is the legalisation of shipment papers such as invoices, packing lists and certificates of origin. These can fall outside the Apostille Convention, so the route depends on the destination.

5. What is a DGFT IEC apostille?

It is the MEA apostille on a printout of the electronic IEC certificate downloaded from the DGFT portal, after chamber verification.

6. Can the electronic IEC certificate be legalised?

Yes. A fresh printout, signed and stamped by an authorised signatory and notarised where needed, is used.

7. Is Chamber of Commerce attestation needed?

Yes, commercial documents are usually verified by a Chamber of Commerce before MEA. We confirm the current route before starting.

8. Do I need to legalise my IEC for every shipment?

No. The IEC is usually legalised once for a buyer or authority. Shipment papers such as invoices and certificates of origin are handled per shipment if required.

9. Does an updated IEC need fresh legalisation?

If the details on the certificate change, yes. A legalised copy of an old certificate no longer matches the DGFT record.

10. What if my IEC is de-activated?

Complete the annual update on the DGFT portal first, download a fresh certificate and then legalise it.

11. Can a proprietorship or partnership firm legalise its IEC?

Yes. The proprietor or a partner signs the copy, and the same route applies.

12. Does Saudi Arabia need embassy attestation for an IEC?

No. Saudi Arabia has been a Hague member since 7 December 2022, so the apostille is used.

13. What about China and Germany?

India objected to China's accession, so China needs MEA attestation and Chinese Embassy legalisation. Germany objected to India's accession, so Indian apostilles have no effect there.

14. Is an RCMC needed for IEC attestation?

No. The RCMC is a separate certificate from an export promotion council. Some buyers ask for it as well, and it can be legalised alongside the IEC.

15. How much does IE code attestation cost?

It depends on the documents, the route and the destination. Our team shares the exact total after reviewing your documents.

16. Can a business outside Delhi use your service?

Yes. We collect documents by tracked courier from every city in India and return them the same way.

Related Services

Commercial Document Apostille | Certificate of Incorporation | Company Agreements | Power of Attorney | MEA Apostille | Embassy Attestation

Start Legalising Your IEC Today

Send your IEC number, the buyer's or authority's request and the destination country. We will check your IEC status, confirm whether you need an apostille or attestation, share the document list, discuss the fees with you and arrange pickup.

Contact Details

Office Address

Pro Attestation Services, Office No. S204, 2nd Floor, Balaji Building, Property No. 40-A, Corner Market, Malviya Nagar, New Delhi 110017

Phone and WhatsApp

+91 8700770603 | +91 8595563930

Sources: HCCH Apostille Convention status table and text of the Convention (Article 1); Ministry of External Affairs – Attestation and Apostille; DGFT – IEC and Notification No. 58/2015-2020 (12 February 2021) on the annual IEC update; Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992; UAE Embassy New Delhi – Attestation Information; Embassy of Vietnam in India – notice on the Apostille Convention (September 2026).