Image
PRADITHA ENGINEERS

Foreign manufacturers Certification Scheme

image

Foreign manufacturers Certification Scheme

Foreign Manufacturers’ Certification Scheme (FMCS) enables a foreign manufacturer to obtain BIS Licence to put ISI mark on the product being exported to India and ensures compliance to appropriate Quality Control Orders which are known as technical regulations.

At Praditha Engineers, we offer a comprehensive solution for obtaining BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) licenses across a wide range of products. Our team, composed of highly experienced former BIS senior officers with over three decades of expertise, provides expert technical guidance to make the licensing process straightforward and efficient.

To obtain BIS certification, manufacturers must meet key prerequisites: the facility should have the necessary manufacturing equipment, an in-house testing laboratory aligned with Indian Standards, and skilled quality control personnel who understand the relevant standards and testing methods to ensure consistent product quality.

The application process involves submitting detailed documentation, including in-house test and calibration reports, to BIS. During the BIS audit, the applicant must produce sample lots, which the BIS auditor will test both in-house and at a BIS-recognized independent laboratory. Upon receiving satisfactory test reports, paying the necessary fees, executing an indemnity bond, and providing a bank guarantee, the applicant firm is granted a license to use the BIS standard mark.

The Hand Holding by offered Praditha Engineers from application to Grant of Licence are as under:

We streamline the BIS application process by gathering all necessary documentation online whenever possible and conducting a site visit to the applicant’s facility. During this visit, we assess the firm’s testing equipment against Indian Standard requirements, recommending adjustments as needed to ensure all required parameters can be tested in-house according to BIS methods. We also work closely with the quality and production teams, providing guidance and, if needed, training on Indian Standard testing practices. Once documentation is complete, we submit the application to BIS.

To further prepare for the BIS audit, we conduct a mock audit with the applicant’s technical team, helping to resolve potential issues in advance. This reduces the likelihood of discrepancies during the actual audit and minimizes delays in license approval. Upon request, we also provide on-site support during the BIS audit to help ensure a smooth and efficient process.

For foreign manufacturers, we can act as an Authorized Indian Representative (AIR), leveraging our expertise in BIS rules and technical matters to handle any issues related to BIS compliance. We also offer a year of administrative and technical support for AIRs after the license is granted.

Once a BIS license is issued, we provide ongoing support for manufacturers looking to include additional grades/variety as per the grouping guidelines, ensuring compliance with BIS guidelines. Through our Annual Certification Services, we advise on matters related to exporting products to India, including labelling, packaging, and Indian Customs requirements, to help streamline market entry and prevent potential issues.

The following documents are required for submission along with the application:

Sl No

Document type

1.

Duly filled and signed application

2.

Check list for application

3.

Application fee Payment receipt; Copy of swift remittance

4.

Copy of business license

5.

Route map for reaching the factory (Location Plan)

6.

Factory lay out

7.

Process flow chart

8.

List of manufacturing equipment in BIS Format CM/PF 305

9.

List of test equipment in BIS Format CM/PF306

10.

In house factory test report

11.

Raw material details along with test certificates, Where ever applicable

12.

Valid calibration certificates, where ever applicable

13.

Appointment letter of Quality Control Personnel along with their qualification certificate and Govt identity.

14.

Authorization letter duly signed by competent authority in case the company Director is unable to sign the documents

15.

Copies of system certifications such as ISO 9001; ISO 14001; ISO 45001 if available

16.

Agreement with AIR

17.

Nomination form of Authorized Indian Representative

18.

Undertaking

Before processing the case for Grant of License

19.

Indemnity bond, English translation at a later date (when license is about to be granted)

20.

submission of bank guarantee document (when license is about to be granted)

21.

Acceptance for Rate of Marking fees

22.

Acceptance of Scheme of Inspection and Testing

The Process of obtaining BIS Licence

  1. Submission of application, application check list along with requisite enclosures through AIR, Copy of swift remittance in support of payment of requisite application fees.
  2. BIS would scrutinize the submitted application and deficiencies if any, would be conveyed to the applicant firm to offer clarifications. If BIS finds the clarifications provided are appropriate, then they accept the application.
  3. After acceptance of the application an application number be allotted for future correspondence.
  4. All those applications would be placed before the Screening committee of BIS and an officer be allotted to carry out the audit. The screening committee meets at periodic intervals after accumulation of such applications and allocates officers of relevant discipline to the unit for under taking an audit of their facilities and submission of the report.
  5. On appointment of the Inspecting officer (BIS Auditor) the necessary fees towards travel, accommodation, Visa, Contingency fund and also Per diem charges for three days needs to be paid and a copy of the swift remittance to be sent by mail to BIS.
  6. The allocated Auditor then scrutinizes the application from his point of view once again and communicate deficiencies/clarifications if any to the applicant firm. On obtaining clarifications he would plan a visit to the applicant firm.
  7. During the visit the auditor would check authenticity of all the submitted documentation such as Machinery and test equipment details, Quality control in-charge qualification and appointment letter, Calibration certificates and their validity as per the list submitted and also checks that machinery and test equipment shown in the lay out drawing are indicated properly in the lay out drawing or not. He would check the authentication of the Firm its Addresses where licence is sought for from the documents submitted.
  8. He would make a tour of the manufacturing and testing facilities in the factory and also the stock yard and would check the in house testing facilities and the process declared in the application is being followed or not.
  9. He would also check the test facilities in the QA/QC lab in detail and their working condition and also check the calibration status of the test equipment.
  10. He would assess the competence of QA/QC personnel appointed by the firm and check their qualification certificates.
  11. He would visit the stock yard and from there pickup two samples from two different Lots/Casts/Heats. He would draw the samples from one cast and subject the sample to testing for all the requirements stipulated in the Indian Standard. He tests one sample and prepares a factory test report. If the product passes in the factory testing, then he would consider sending of the sample drawn from another Cast and seal the sample and ask the Firm to dispatch to a BIS recognize independent lab for testing with seal intact. He would also keep a counter sample. He provides a test request addressed to the lab advising the lab to test the sample for all the requirements stipulated in the Indian Standard.
  12. On his return to India, He would submit his observations in the form of a report to Foreign Manufacturers Certification Department of BIS.
  13. On receipt of test report of the sample drawn and passing of it, the Application be processed for grant of License. The applicant firm would be asked to submit the payment details of advanced marking fee, Performance Bank Guarantee etc. On submission on them a license be given to the firm and after that the product can be dispatched without any problem at Indian customs at Indian ports of Entry.

According to the BIS website, this process generally takes about six months from the complete application submission. However, delays may occur due to response time to queries, arranging inspections, sample transportation, and payment processing.

Providing Authorised Indian Representative Services

For foreign applicants seeking a BIS license, it is mandatory to appoint an Authorized Indian Representative (AIR) in India if they do not have a branch office in the country. The AIR must be an Indian resident and can only represent one foreign manufacturer at a time. As the local representative, the AIR manages the application process, responds to inquiries, and ensures compliance with BIS requirements, including all provisions of the BIS Act, rules, regulations, license terms, agreements, and undertakings related to the license grant and operation.

The team at Praditha Engineers (PE) is highly trained in BIS regulations and is technically equipped to handle all aspects of BIS compliance as an AIR.

Inclusion of Additional Varieties

After a BIS license is granted, manufacturers may need to add new grades or varieties to their license to meet specific market demands. We offer end-to-end support for this process, guiding the manufacturer through documentation preparation, sample testing at BIS-recognized laboratories, and coordination with BIS authorities to ensure the seamless inclusion of new product varieties.

Annual Certification Services

Praditha Engineersprovide the following services after grant of BIS license.

  • Ongoing License Support: We provide hands-on assistance to address any issues related to BIS license operations, ensuring continuous compliance.
  • Renewal and Inclusion Assistance: We guide you through filing renewal applications when the license validity likely to expire and facilitate the inclusion of new grades or varieties.
  • Training and Compliance Support: We offer training for your Quality Assurance team on standard interpretation, grouping guidelines, record maintenance, and compliance practices.
  • On-Site Visits: Regular visits to your facility help ensure that all systems, procedures, documentation, and product testing align with BIS standards and that any updates in BIS or regulatory guidelines are implemented.
  • Export Guidance and Customs Compliance: For manufacturers adding new product grades or varieties, we advise on export compliance to India, including packaging, labelling, and other BIS and Indian Customs requirements.

Our Annual Certification Services deliver these activities in a streamlined manner. Our experts gain a thorough understanding of your organization and product system to provide tailored, ongoing guidance and mentorship.

List of Fee to be paid to BIS by the Applicant firm.

Prior to Issue of BIS License

    1. Application fees to be submitted along with application documents.

On appointment of an Inspecting officer

    2. Towards travel, accommodation, Visa, Contingency fund and also Per diem charges as applicable.

After completion of the visit of the officer at the foreign plant

    3. Testing Charges for the samples drawn for testing at BIS/BIS recognized lab in India

After Grant of License

    4. BIS Advance marking fees per application as applicable for two years
    5. The applicant requires to sign an agreement and submit an indemnity bond and also to furnish a bank guarantee for a sum of $10000/-in favour of BIS from any bank having RBI approved branch in India for due compliance of the provisions of the BIS Act 2016 and the rules and regulations and also terms and conditions.

After completion of renewal period of BIS License

    6. After completion of renewal period the total quantity of BIS certified product exported to India to be declared to BIS in units and the fees calculated as per unit rate and it exceeds the minimum marking fees the higher of the two needs to be paid to BIS.

Notes:

  1. All payments are to be made in USD by applicants
  1. The amount indicated above are excluding bank commissions and transfer charges. Ensure that bank commission and/or transfer charges, if any, are deposited in addition to the above-mentioned amount and fluctuation in the foreign exchange rate is also taken care of so that the above mentioned net fee/charges (in INR) are credited to BIS
  1. Before wire transfer of the amount indicated against each item above, the deduction for inward forex remittances to be ascertained and the corresponding amount to be added to the principal amount so that the exact principal amount would be credited to BIS account. Even if, the shortage is very small still it would be considered as short payment and the processing of the application would be kept on hold till the balance amount is credited to BIS Bank account.
  1. The payment may only be deposited with BIS through SWIFT transfer.