Ferro-boron

Ferro-boron, a ferro-alloy of iron and boron

SIMS CLEARANCE

HSN 7202 99 31 (Ferro-boron) is subject to compulsory advance registration under the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under policy condition no. 5 of Chapter 72 of the ITC (HS). The importer must obtain an automatic SIMS registration number by paying a fee of ₹500 before the consignment arrives; the registration remains valid for 75 days from the date of grant.

What this is

HSN code

7202 99 31

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

Primary regulator

SIMS · ITC (HS) policy condition no. 5, Chapter 72 (Steel Import Monitoring System)

Customs documentation

SIMS registration number from DGFT
ITC (HS) policy compliance from DGFT

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

SIMSSIMS·Steel Import Monitoring System

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Compliance steps

1
Register the import online through the Steel Import Monitoring System portal and obtain the automatic SIMS registration number by paying the ₹500 registration fee. Applications may be submitted not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival of the consignment; the registration number is valid for 75 days.
DGFT Notification 28/2023-24 dated 28-08-2023 · DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · ITC (HS) policy condition no. 5, Chapter 72
2
Quote the valid SIMS registration number on the bill of entry at the time of import. Ensure the registration has not lapsed: a registration number that has passed its 75-day validity window renders the consignment non-compliant and liable to detention pending fresh registration.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022

A word of counsel

The most frequent error on this tariff line is misreading the SIMS carve-outs as broader than they are. Re-import of ferro-boron that was exported to an SEZ and returned to the DTA — whether with or without value addition — is exempt from SIMS registration; however, a routine commercial import from any foreign origin requires registration without exception. Treat the 75-day validity window as a hard deadline: a lapsed registration has no grace period and will halt out-of-charge.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7202 99 31 require BIS certification?

No. No BIS Quality Control Order covers ferro-boron or this ferro-alloy product family. Import is governed solely by the compulsory SIMS registration requirement administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under ITC (HS) policy condition no. 5 of Chapter 72.

Has the mandatory 15-day advance registration window under SIMS been removed?

Yes. The requirement for advance registration of a minimum 15 days before the expected date of arrival was abolished by DGFT Notification 19/2015-20 dated 07-07-2022; importers may now apply up to 60 days before arrival, with no minimum lead-time requirement.

Are re-imports of ferro-boron used for packaging or returning from an SEZ exempt from SIMS?

Yes. DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022 clarifies that steel re-imported for packaging purposes and steel exported to an SEZ and re-imported into the DTA — with or without value addition — do not require SIMS registration.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: SIMS / DGFT / Indian Customs CUSDATA.