Notification No. 3-Cus., dated 8-1-1957
Exemption to imports by Diplomats, Trade Representatives, etc.
In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 23 of the Sea Customs Act, 1878 (8 of 1878), the Central Government hereby
exempts each of the following categories of goods imported into mdia and specified in column (2) of the Table below from the
whole of the duty of Customs leviable thereon which is specified in the First Schedule to the Customs Tariff Act, 1975 (51 of
1975) and from the whole of the additional duty leviable thereon under Section 3 of the said Customs Tariff Act, subject to
the conditions .and limitations specified against each such category in column (3) of the said Table, namely :-
TABLE
Sl.No.Goods Conditions and limitations
(1)(2) (3)
1.
All goods, including motor vehicles, imported or purchased from
bond, for the personal use by the following classes of members of
the Diplomatic Missions in India and their families or on their behalf
-
(i) Ambassador, High Commissioner, Envoys, Extraordinary and
Ministers, Plenipotentiary Charge-d" Affairs, Counsellors, First
Secretaries, Second Secretaries, Third Secretaries and Attaches.
(ii) Articles of office equipment and all other-goods, including motor
vehicles, imported or purchased from bond by Ambassadors, High
Commissioners, Envoys, Extraordinary and Ministers,
Plenipotentiary and Charge-d" Affairs or any officer of the Mission
authorised in this behalf for the Official use of their Missions.
(iii) Calendars imported by the officers mentioned in item (i) for
free distribution to the various agencies/public, if they are the
product or manufacture of the country the officer represents.
Provided that -
(a) a corresponding exemption is allowed to Indian
Officers of the same status by the Government of the
Diplomatic Mission concerned, and
(b) the exemption of goods imported or purchased
from bond under this concession is also subject to
the Foreign Privileged Persons" (Regulation of
Customs Privileges) Rules, 1957.
2.
(i) Personal and household effects, excluding motor vehicles
imported by the officials of the Diplomatic Mission in India, other
than those holding diplomatic status, and by their families for their
personal use on their first arrival to take up their appointments in
India.
(ii) One motor vehicle each imported by the officers of the
Diplomatic Mission in India, other than those holding diplomatic
status, for their personal use on their first arrival to take up their
appointments in India.
Provided that -
(a) the goods are imported within the time-limit fixed
under the Baggage Rules made under Section 75 of
the Sea Customs Act;
(b) a corresponding exemption is allowed to Indian
officers of the same status by the Government of the
Diplomatic Mission concerned;
(c) the claimants are nationals of the State employing
them, are not normally resident in India, are sent by
their respective Governments to posts in India and
are not engaged in any gainful private occupation in
India; and
(d) the exemption of goods imported under this
concession is also subject to the Foreign Privileged
Persons" (Regulation af Customs Privileges) Rules,
1957.
3.
(i) Personal and household effects and other articles, including
motor vehicles, imported by or on behalf of the following classes of
Career Consular Officers of Foreign States and their families,
Consuls-General, Consuls (including Additional Consuls) and Vice-
Consuls.
(ii) Articles of office equipment including motor vehicles, imported
for official use in a Consulate of a Foreign State to which a Career
Consular Officer entitled to exemption under item (i) is posted.
(iii) Calendars imported by the officers mentioned in item (i) for
free distribution to the various agencies/public, if they are the
product or manufacture of the country the officer represents.
Provided that -
(a) the goods are imported at any time during the
period the Consular Officer concerned holds his
appointment in India; (b) a corresponding exemption
is allowed to Indian Consular Officers of the same
status by the Government which the Consular Officer
represents;
(c) the Consular Officer concerned is normally
resident in India;
(d) the Consular Officer is not engaged in any gainful
private occupation in India; and
(e) the exemption of goods imported under this
concession is also subject to the Foreign Privileged
Persons" (Regulation of Customs Privileges) Rules,
1957.
Provided that -
(a) a corresponding exemption is allowed in respect
of similar goods imported by the Indian Consulate in
those States;
(b) the goods are the property of the Government of
that State and imported for use in their Consulate in
India; and
(c) the exemption of goods imported under this
concession is subject to the Foreign Privileged
Persons" (Regulation of Customs Privileges) Rules,
1957.
3A
(i) Personal and household effects and other articles including
motor vehicles, imported by or on behalf of the following classes of
privileged officers of Foreign States in India, stationed outside
Delhi, and their families. Deputy High Commissioners, Assistant
High Commissioners, First Secretaries, Second Secretaries, Third
Secretaries and Attaches.
(ii) Articles of office equipment including motor vehicles, imported
for official use in a Foreign Mission to which a privileged officer
entitled to exemption under (i) above is posted.
(iii) Calendars imported by the officers mentioned in item (i) for
free distribution to the various agencies/public, if they are the
product or manufacture of the country the officer represents.
Provided that -
(a) the goods are imported at any time during the
period the privileged officer concerned holds his
appointment in India;
(b) a corresponding exemption is allowed to Indian
Officers of the same status by the Government which
the privileged person concerned represents;
(c) the privileged officer concerned is not normally
resident in India;
(d) the privileged officer is not engaged in any gainful
private occupation in India; and
(e) the exemption of goods imported under this
concession is also subject to the Foreign Privileged
Persons" (Regulation of Customs Privileges) Rules,
1957.
Provided that -
(a) a corresponding exemption is allowed in respect
of similar goods imported by the Indian Mission of
similar status in the country represented by the
Mission concerned; (b) the goods are the property of
the Government of their country and imported for use
in their Mission; and
(c) the exemption of goods imported under this
concession is subject to the Foreign Privileged
Persons" (Regulation of Customs Privileges) Rules,
1957.
4.
(i) Personal and household effects, excluding motor vehicles,
imported by the official of a Consulate of Foreign State other than
the Career Consular Officers mentioned in Serial No. 3 for their
personal use, on their first arrival to take up their appointments in
India.
(ii) One motor vehicle each imported by the officials of a
Consultate of Foreign State, other than those holding diplomatic
status (other than the career Consular Officers mentioned in S. No.
3) for their personal use, on their first arrival to take up their
appointments in India.
Provided that -
(a) the goods are imported within the time-limit fixed
-under the Baggage Rules made under Section 75 of
the Sea Customs Act;
(b) a corresponding exemption is allowed to Indian
Officers of the same status by the Government of the
Consulates concerned;
(c) the claimants are nationals of the State employing
them, are not normally resident in India, are sent by
their respective Governments to posts in India and
are not engaged in any gainful occupation in India;
and
(d) the exemption of goods imported under this
concession is also subject to the Foreign Privileged
Persons" (Regulation of Customs Privileges) Rules,
1957.
4A
(i) Personal and household effects, excluding motor vehicles,
imported by the official of a Deputy High Coin~mission or an
Assistant High Commission of a foreign country in India outside
Delhi, other than the privileged officers mentioned in Serial No.
3A(i) above for their personal use, on their first arrival to take up
their appointments in India.
(ii) One motor vehicle each imported by the officers of the Deputy
High Commission in India, outside Delhi, other than those holding
diplomatic status, for their personal use on their first arrival to take
up appointments in India.
Provided that-
(a) the goods are imported within the time-limit fixed
under the Passengers" (Non-Tourist) Baggage
Rules, I9601.
(b) a corresponding exemption is allowed to Indian
Officers of the same status by the Government of the
country concerned;
(c) the claimants are nationals of the State employing
them, are not normally resident in India, are sent by
their respective Governments to posts in India and
are not engaged in any gainful occupation in India;
and
(d) the exemption of goods imported under this
concession is also subject to the Foreign Privileged
Persons" (Regulation of Customs Privileges) Rules,
1957.
5.
(i) Personal and household effects and all articles including motor
vehicles intended for personal use imported by a Trade
Commissioner, Trade Representative or a Trade Agent appointed
by the Government of a foreign or Commonwealth country and the
members of their families.
(ii) All articles, including motor vehicles, imported for the official
use of the officers mentioned in item (i).
(iii) Samples (including advertising literature, if any) imported by
the officers mentioned in item (i), if they are the produce or
manufacture of the country the officer concerned represents and
are in ten ded solely for display in the office of the officer
concerned.
(iv) Calendars, publicity posters and booklets imported by the
officers mentioned in item (i) for free distribution to the various
agencies/public, if they are the product or manufacture of the
country the officer represents.
Provided that-
(a.) a corresponding exemption is allowed to Indian
Officers of the same status by the Government of the
country concerned; and
(b) the exemption of goods imported under this
concession is also subject to the Foreign Privileged
Persons" (Regulation of Customs Privileges) Rules,
1957.
6
Personal and household effects excluding motor vehicles, imported
by the officials in the office of a Trade Commissioner, Assistant
Trade Commissioner, Trade Representative or a Trade Agent
mentioned in Serial No. 5 for their personal use on their first arrival
to take up their appointments in India.
Provided that -
(a) the goods are imported within the time-limit fixed
under the Baggage Rules made under Section 75 of
the Sea Customs Act;
(b) a corresponding exemption is allowed to officers
of the same status by the Government which Trade
Commissioner, Assistant Trade Commissioner,
Trade Representatives or the Trade Agent
concerned represents;
(c) claimants are nationals of the State employing
them, are not normally resident in India, are sent by
their respective Governments to posts in India and
are not engaged in any gainful occupation in India;
and
(d) the exemption of goods imported under this
concession is also subject to the Foreign Privileged
Persons" (Regulation of Customs Privileges) Rules,
1957.
Notification No. 3-Cus., dated 8-1-1957as amended by Notification No. 159-Cus., dated 27-8-1966;
No. 112-Cus., dated 26-7-1969; No. 135-Cus., dated 20-9-1969; No. 56-Cus., dated 7-6-1975;
No. 128/86-Cus., dated 17-2-1986 and No. 36/90-Cus.(N.T.), dated 27-6-1990.
