DGFT Tightens PSIC Process: 2-Day Issuance Deadline and a One-Time 7-Day Window to Clear the Backlog

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has tightened the way Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificates (PSICs) are issued. Through Trade Notice No. 28/2026-27 dated 16 September 2026, DGFT has set a hard rule that a PSIC must now be generated and uploaded within two days of the physical inspection, and that the upload must happen from the same geographical location or country where the inspection took place. To prevent genuine cases from being stranded by the new system control, DGFT also opened a one-time seven-day window — running from 16 September 2026 — for Pre-Shipment Inspection Agencies (PSIAs) to clear a backlog of certificates for inspections carried out before 25 August 2026.

For importers who rely on a valid PSIC to clear consignments such as metallic scrap, this is a process change worth understanding now, because a certificate that misses the system window can no longer be issued the old way.

What Happened

A PSIC is the inspection certificate issued by a DGFT-recognised PSIA confirming that an inspected consignment is free of contamination and prohibited material before it is shipped to India. It is a familiar requirement for importers of unshredded metallic waste and scrap, where the certificate attests that the cargo does not contain arms, ammunition, explosives, mines, shells or radioactive material.

Trade Notice 28/2026-27 makes three operational changes:

• A two-day issuance clock. The DGFT portal now restricts PSIC generation to within two days of the inspection date. Certificates are expected to be raised promptly after inspection rather than days or weeks later.
• Location-locked uploads. The PSIC must be uploaded from the same geographical location or country where the inspection is carried out, closing a gap that allowed certificates to be generated remotely.
• A one-time backlog relaxation. Recognising that the tighter control would otherwise orphan older inspections, DGFT granted a single seven-day grace window from 16 September 2026 for PSIAs to upload pending PSICs for inspections conducted before 25 August 2026.

These changes build on the portal enhancements DGFT introduced on 25 August 2026, which had already moved the PSIA/PSIC process toward same-day, digitally signed, photo- and video-backed certification.

Why / Background

The PSIC system sits at the intersection of trade facilitation and safety. Scrap is a sensitive import category precisely because contaminated or mis-declared consignments carry real risk, so the certificate is a gatekeeping document. At the same time, delayed or remotely generated certificates had created both compliance gaps and clearance friction. By forcing certificates to be issued close to the inspection, in the place of inspection, DGFT is trying to reduce manual intervention, cut the scope for discrepancy, and make the audit trail cleaner.

Who's Affected

The notice directly affects DGFT-recognised PSIAs, who must now adjust their field workflows to issue within two days and upload locally. It indirectly but materially affects importers of metallic scrap and other goods requiring pre-shipment inspection, whose customs clearance depends on a valid, correctly issued PSIC. Customs house agents (CHAs) handling scrap bills of entry should expect to verify PSIC issuance dates more carefully, and forwarders coordinating inspections at origin should factor the two-day clock into their scheduling.

What Importers and CHAs Should Do Now

• Confirm with your PSIA that inspections are being scheduled so the certificate can be raised and uploaded within two days.
• Ensure the PSIA uploads the PSIC from the actual country/location of inspection — remote uploads from a head office elsewhere may now be blocked.
• If you had inspections completed before 25 August 2026 with certificates still pending, treat the seven-day backlog window as a now-closed deadline and reconcile whether those PSICs were cleared; chase any that were missed.
• Build the two-day issuance step into your origin timelines so a late certificate does not delay the bill of lading or the shipment.
• At the destination, have CHAs check the PSIC issuance date against the inspection date to avoid queries at assessment.

The Bigger Picture

This is part of a steady DGFT push to digitise and discipline pre-shipment inspection. The direction of travel — same-day or near-immediate issuance, location-locked uploads, digital signatures and richer evidence — points to a system where the PSIC is harder to manipulate and faster to verify. For compliant importers and PSIAs the net effect should be smoother clearances over time, provided origin-side logistics keep pace with the tighter clock. The transitional friction is real, which is why the one-time backlog window mattered.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a PSIC and who issues it? A Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate is issued by a DGFT-recognised Pre-Shipment Inspection Agency confirming an inspected consignment is free of prohibited and hazardous material. It is commonly required for imports of unshredded metallic scrap.

What is the new issuance deadline? Under Trade Notice 28/2026-27, a PSIC must be generated and uploaded within two days of the inspection, and uploaded from the location where the inspection was done.

What was the seven-day window for? It was a one-time relaxation from 16 September 2026 allowing PSIAs to clear backlog PSICs for inspections conducted before 25 August 2026. It is not a recurring facility.

Does this change the inspection requirement itself? No. The requirement to obtain a PSIC is unchanged; the notice changes how and how quickly the certificate must be issued and uploaded.

Conclusion

Trade Notice 28/2026-27 is a procedural tightening rather than a policy reversal, but procedure is where scrap consignments clear or stall. Importers and CHAs who align their origin inspection scheduling with the two-day issuance clock, and who insist on location-correct uploads, will avoid the clearance queries this change is designed to surface.

This summary is for general guidance only. Verify the exact text and current status against the official DGFT Trade Notice at dgft.gov.in before acting.