<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nTo apply for AEO (Authorised Economic Operator) registration in India, the applicant must fulfill the following eligibility criteria and requirements<\/strong>, as per the CBIC guidelines:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- Business Experience<\/strong>\n
\n- Must have been involved in customs-related international trade activities in India for at least 3 financial years<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Legal Establishment<\/strong>\n
\n- Must be legally established in India<\/strong> with valid documentation such as:\n
\n- Certificate of Incorporation or Business Registration<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Proof of registered office and operational premises<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Customs Activity Threshold<\/strong>\n
\n- Minimum 25 import\/export documents (Bills of Entry or Shipping Bills)<\/strong> in the last financial year.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Financial Solvency<\/strong>\n
\n- Should be financially solvent<\/strong> over the past 3 years.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- No bankruptcy, liquidation, or significant financial default.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Legal Compliance<\/strong>\n
\n- No Show Cause Notices (SCNs)<\/strong> involving fraud, forgery, or smuggling in the last 3 years.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- No ongoing prosecution or legal proceedings<\/strong> against the applicant or key personnel.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Security Standards<\/strong> (Applicable for AEO-T2, T3, LO)\n
\n- Must have a documented Security Plan<\/strong>, covering:\n
\n- Premises security<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Personnel and cargo security<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Security training & threat awareness<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Business partner due diligence<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Process & Site Maps<\/strong>\n
\n- Should provide:\n
\n- A process map<\/strong> showing the flow of goods<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- A site plan<\/strong> indicating access control, CCTV, and physical security arrangements<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Accounting & Record Management<\/strong>\n
\n- Must follow GAAP or IFRS-compliant<\/strong> accounting practices<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Maintain proper documentation and internal controls to detect irregularities<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Effective systems for managing licenses and authorizations<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Business Partner Disclosure<\/strong> (For AEO-T3)\n
\n- Must disclose information about associated custom brokers, logistics service providers, warehouse operators<\/strong>, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Physical Verification<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
\n- Required for AEO-T2, T3, and LO applicants to validate the provided information and security compliance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\n- Continuity for AEO-T3<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
\n- Must have held AEO-T2 status continuously for at least 2 years<\/strong> before applying for AEO-T3.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- All key business partners must also be AEO-T2\/LO certified or hold equivalent foreign certification.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n