DGFT Sets 2-Day PSIC Issuance Rule and Gives a One-Time 7-Day Window for Pre-25 August Backlog

# DGFT Sets 2-Day PSIC Issuance Rule and Gives a One-Time 7-Day Window for Pre-25 August Backlog

Finin2min 2-minute summary

Trade Notice 28/2026-27 requires PSICs to be generated and issued within two days of inspection and grants recognised PSIAs a one-time seven-day relaxation for specified pre-25 August backlog cases.

What changed

DGFT revised the PSIA/PSIC module timeline introduced by Trade Notice 22/2026-27 and created a limited transitional route for backlog certificates affected by system restrictions.

Why it matters

PSIC timing and geo-location controls affect whether import documentation can be generated validly. Missed issuance windows can delay customs clearance or create compliance disputes.

Who is affected

Pre-shipment inspection agencies, scrap/import traders, customs brokers, import compliance teams and customs authorities relying on PSIC documentation.

Action / control point

PSIAs should issue qualifying backlog PSICs within the one-time relaxation window and ensure all future PSICs are generated within two days from inspection and uploaded from the inspection country/location.

Key verified facts

• DGFT issued Trade Notice No. 28/2026-27 on 16 September 2026.
• A one-time seven-day relaxation applies to backlog PSICs for inspections conducted before 25 August 2026 where system restrictions prevented issuance.
• PSICs must be generated and issued within two days from the date of inspection.
• The system will permit generation/issuance only within the prescribed timeline.
• PSIC uploading must occur from the same geographical location/country where the inspection took place; all other provisions of Trade Notice 22/2026-27 remain unchanged.

Detailed Finin2min analysis

The rule is operational rather than merely advisory because the portal itself is designed to enforce the two-day window. A business cannot assume that a late certificate can always be regularised manually.

The seven-day relief is narrowly targeted at legacy inspections before 25 August that were affected by the new system restrictions. It should not be treated as a recurring extension for later inspections.

The same-country/location requirement is an anti-abuse and evidence-integrity control. PSIAs should align login, IP/location, inspection records and certificate-generation processes to avoid mismatches.

Importers should capture the inspection date and PSIC issuance date in their customs documentation checklist so a certificate that looks valid on its face is not used outside the prescribed workflow.

Where consignments are time-sensitive, the practical control is to build the two-day requirement into supplier and inspection-agent SLAs rather than discovering the restriction only at customs clearance.

Compliance lens: exact notification numbers, dates, forms and effective provisions belong in the working paper supporting any filing or procedural action.

Tax lens: a procedural amendment should not be expanded into a substantive tax conclusion unless the enabling Act and operative rule support that reading.

Audit lens: controls should preserve source documents, chronology, approvals and reconciliations so the organisation can evidence why a particular procedure was followed.

Canonical-control note

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Finance / CA / compliance lens

The controlling source is dated 2026-09-16 and this package closes at 2026-09-19 22:59 IST. Decisions should therefore be based on the evidence available at that timestamp, with later events treated as a fresh delta rather than silently merged into the current record.

For management reporting, separate verified facts from interpretation. Amounts described as asset values, claims, forecasts, possible tariff changes or compensation are not automatically equivalent to recognised revenue, expense, liability or cash flow.

For assurance and review, preserve the source document, calculation support and status label with the article. This reduces the risk that a later editor treats a consultation, interim order or attributed forecast as a final operative rule.

What not to infer

Do not infer more than the controlling evidence states. Negotiations, board recommendations, procedural amendments and court holdings are labelled according to their actual scope.

Practical questions readers may have

Is this already effective or completed?

Only to the extent stated in the source and event-status fields above. Where the development is a negotiation, recommendation or gated legal item, no final implementation is implied.

What should a finance or compliance team do first?

PSIAs should issue qualifying backlog PSICs within the one-time relaxation window and ensure all future PSICs are generated within two days from inspection and uploaded from the inspection country/location.

What is the biggest interpretation risk?

Treating a headline number or reported development as a final cash, tax, legal or market outcome without checking its mechanism and effective status.

What should be monitored next?

DGFT portal enforcement of the two-day rule; Any clarification for exceptional system outages; Customs treatment of late/backlog PSICs.

What to watch next

• DGFT portal enforcement of the two-day rule
• Any clarification for exceptional system outages
• Customs treatment of late/backlog PSICs
• PSIA compliance and recognition actions
• Further amendments to Trade Notice 22/2026-27

Source and methodology

• Controlling source: Directorate General of Foreign Trade — https://content.dgft.gov.in/Website/dgftprod/98942b09-a8ed-4821-bfa3-37c49be3d253/Revised%20Trade%20Notice%20%20no%2028%20PSIA_PSIC%20Signed.pdf
• Source reference: DGFT Trade Notice 28/2026-27 dated 16 Sep 2026 — PSIC timeline/backlog relief
• Source date: 2026-09-16
• Research window: **2026-09-18 21:09 IST → 2026-09-19 22:59 IST**
• Research cutoff: **2026-09-19 22:59 IST**

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Disclaimer

This material is for general information and education only. It is not investment, tax, legal, accounting or financial advice. Markets, regulations, litigation, tax positions and transaction terms can change after the stated research cutoff. Verify the latest controlling source and obtain appropriate professional advice before acting on a material decision.