Welcome To Dwarkadhish Overseas Private Limited
DGFT, Customs and Export Compliance Support Across India
Certificate of Origin Services for Exporters in India
Get professional support with online Certificate of Origin applications for preferential and non-preferential exports through the DGFT Trade Connect and eCoO 2.0 system.
Dwarkadhish Overseas helps the exporters with agreement selection, issuing-agency selection, origin-rule assessment, application preparation, invoice and shipment details, supporting documents, Aadhaar or DSC signing, deficiency response and certificate download.
Required
Why Is a Certificate of Origin Required?
A Certificate of Origin may be requested for:
Claiming a preferential Customs-duty rate under an FTA or PTA
Demonstrating that goods originate in India
Import Customs clearance
Buyer or letter-of-credit compliance
Trade-remedy administration
Anti-dumping or safeguard requirements
Import restrictions or quota administration
Government procurement
Banking documentation
Country-of-origin labelling requirements
Contractual export documentation
The exact requirement depends on:
Destination country
Imported product
HS classification
Applicable trade agreement
Importer’s Customs procedure
Letter of credit
Purchase contract
Government or buyer instructions
A Certificate of Origin does not by itself prove that a product qualifies for every tariff concession. Preferential treatment depends on compliance with the product-specific Rules of Origin in the relevant trade agreement.
What Is a Certificate of Origin?
A Certificate of Origin is commonly referred to as a COO or CoO, is a trade document that certifies the country in which the goods in an export consignment were wholly obtained, produced, manufactured or sufficiently processed. It establishes the origin of the goods rather than the country from which the shipment was merely dispatched. The origin determination can affect tariff concessions, trade-policy restrictions, trade-remedy measures, buyer requirements and Customs clearance in the destination country.
Types of Certificate of Origin
There are two principal categories:
- Preferential Certificate of Origin
- Non-Preferential Certificate of Origin
The DGFT Handbook of Procedures formally recognises these two categories.
origin
Preferential Certificate of Origin
A Preferential Certificate of Origin is issued when eligible Indian-origin goods are exported under an applicable:
Free Trade Agreement
Preferential Trade Agreement
Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement
Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement
Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement
Unilateral tariff-preference programme
Other notified preferential arrangement
he certificate enables the importer to claim a reduced or zero Customs-duty rate where:
The product is covered under the agreement
The applicable Rules of Origin are satisfied
The certificate is issued in the prescribed format
The Customs tariff concession is claimed within the applicable validity period
All agreement-specific conditions are fulfilled
Preferential COO does not automatically guarantee duty benefit
The importing country’s Customs authority may verify:
- HS classification
- Origin criterion
- Regional value content
- Change in tariff classification
- Manufacturing process
- Direct-consignment condition
- Third-country invoicing
- Supporting origin records
- Authenticity of the certificate
Final preferential treatment is granted by the Customs authority of the importing country.
Non-Preferential Certificate of Origin
A Non-Preferential Certificate of Origin confirms the country of origin of exported goods but does not itself grant a preferential tariff rate.
It may be required for:
- Standard Customs clearance
- Buyer requirements
- Letter-of-credit documentation
- Import licensing
- Country-of-origin verification
- Anti-dumping or safeguard administration
- Government tenders
- Trade statistics
- Product registration
- Contractual compliance
India made electronic filing of Non-Preferential Certificates of Origin mandatory through the eCoO 2.0 platform from 1 January 2025. The facility is available through the Trade Connect platform under “Get Certificate of Origin.”
Important distinction
A Non-Preferential COO:
- Confirms Indian origin
- Does not provide an FTA Customs-duty concession.
- Should not be used where the importer intends to claim a preferential tariff under a trade agreement.
- Must be issued by an agency authorised for the applicable certificate process
Preferential Versus Non-Preferential COO
- Particular
- Preferential COO
- Non-Preferential COO
- Main purpose
- Claim tariff preference
- Establish country of origin
- Trade agreement
- Required
- Not required
- Duty benefit
- May provide reduced or zero duty
- Does not provide preferential duty
- Origin test
- Agreement-specific Rules of Origin
- Indian-origin assessment
- Product eligibility
- Must be covered by agreement
- Based on general origin evidence
- Issuing agency
- Authorised for relevant agreement
- Authorised Non-Preferential agency
- Supporting calculations
- Often required
- Usually simpler, depending on product
- Importer verification
- Agreement and Customs based
- Customs, buyer or trade-policy based
What Are Rules of Origin?
Rules of Origin are the criteria used to determine the economic nationality or origin of exported goods.
They prevent goods originating in a non-member country from receiving trade-agreement benefits merely because they were routed through or minimally processed in India.
The DGFT Handbook identifies key origin criteria including:
- Wholly obtained
- Change in tariff classification
- Value addition
- Non-minimal operations
The exact rule varies by agreement and product classification.
criteria
Common Origin Criteria
Wholly obtained
Goods may qualify as wholly obtained when they originate entirely within India without the use of non-originating materials, subject to the agreement’s definition. Examples may include eligible: Agricultural products harvested in India, Minerals extracted in India, Animals born and raised in India, Products obtained from such animals, Marine products meeting the relevant conditions. The agreement-specific definition must be checked.
Change in Tariff Classification
A product may qualify when manufacturing in India changes the tariff classification of non-originating inputs at the required level. The agreement may require: Change in tariff chapter, Change in tariff heading, Change in tariff subheading.
Regional or Domestic Value Content
A product may qualify when the required percentage of value is created within India or the applicable agreement territory. The calculation can depend on: FOB value, Ex-works value, Value of non-originating materials, Originating input value, Direct and indirect material costs, Agreement-specific calculation method.
Specific manufacturing or processing rule
Certain products must undergo a prescribed manufacturing process in India.
Cumulation
Some agreements permit eligible originating materials from partner countries to be treated as originating when calculating origin.
Minimal operations
Simple packing, labelling, sorting, dilution or minor assembly may not be sufficient to confer origin, depending on the agreement.
shipment
Which Certificate of Origin Does Your Shipment Need?
The appropriate certificate should be determined using:
Destination country
Product HS code
Applicable trade agreement
Preferential tariff availability
Product-specific origin rule
Manufacturing process
Origin of raw materials
Importer’s instruction
Invoice arrangement
Shipment route
Which Certificate of Origin Does Your Shipment Need?
An exporter should not select a Preferential COO merely because India has a trade agreement with the destination country.
The product must also:
Be covered by the agreement’s tariff schedule
Meet the product-specific origin rule
Satisfy direct-consignment or transport conditions
Have sufficient supporting documentation
Be declared under the correct origin criterion
Certificate of Origin Through eCoO 2.0
Certificate of Origin online applications are processed through the DGFT Trade Connect system.
The current exporter guide instructs users to:
- Register or log in to Trade Connect
- Ensure that the IEC is linked to the login email
- Register a DSC or Aadhaar e-sign
- Select “Get Certificate of Origin”
- Start a fresh application
- Select the certificate type and agreement
- Choose the issuing agency
- Enter importer, invoice, export and shipment details
- Upload the invoice and other supporting documents
- Sign the application
- Make the applicable payment
- Track the submitted application
- Download the issued certificate
Prerequisites for Online COO Filing
Before starting the application, the exporter should generally have:
- Active IEC
- Trade Connect or DGFT-linked login
- IEC linked to the login email
- Registered mobile number and email
- Registered DSC or Aadhaar e-sign
- Commercial invoice
- Product and HS-code details
- Buyer or importer details
- Destination country
- Shipment details
- Appropriate issuing agency
- Origin-supporting records
- Access to online payment
The current Trade Connect guide states that exporters already registered on the DGFT Customer Portal can use the same email and password, provided that the IEC is linked to the login email.
Our Certificate of Origin Consultant Services
Preferential Certificate of Origin filing
We assist with:
- Trade-agreement identification
- Tariff-preference review
- Product coverage assessment
- Origin-criterion review
- Issuing-agency selection
- Application preparation
- Origin data
- Supporting documents
- Signing and filing
- Deficiency response
- Certificate download
Non-Preferential Certificate of Origin filing
We assist exporters requiring standard Indian-origin certification for Customs, buyer, bank or contractual purposes.
Rules of Origin assessment
- Product HS code
- Export product description
- Manufacturing process
- Originating and non-originating inputs
- Applicable tariff-shift rule
- Value-addition requirement
- Specific processing conditions
- Direct-consignment requirements
Origin calculation support
Where required, we assist with:
- Bill of materials
- Input-country analysis
- Imported-input value
- Domestic-input value
- FOB value
- Ex-works value
- Origin percentage
- Product-wise calculation
- Supporting working papers
Manufacturer declaration support
Merchant exporters may need origin and manufacturing information from the manufacturer.
We help organise:
- Manufacturer declaration
- Manufacturing-process note
- Input details
- Product classification
- Origin confirmation
- Supporting purchase records
Issuing-agency selection
The available issuing agency depends on:
- Certificate type
- Trade agreement
- Export product
- Exporter location
- Agency authorisation
- Applicable office jurisdiction
The Trade Connect application populates the available issuing agencies after the exporter selects the certificate type and agreement.
Third-country invoicing assistance
Where an invoice is issued by an entity in a third country, the application and certificate may require specific third-country invoicing information.
Acceptance depends on:
- Relevant trade agreement
- Certificate format
- Invoice-party information
- Importing-country Customs rules
The Trade Connect exporter guide includes a facility to enter third-country invoicing details.
Deficiency-response assistance
Where the issuing officer raises a deficiency, we assist with:
- Reviewing officer remarks
- Correcting application details
- Uploading additional documents
- Providing clarification
- Re-signing and resubmitting the response
- Tracking the revised application
Trade Connect allows an exporter to respond to a deficiency either by reopening and editing the application or by submitting clarification with supporting documents.
Certificate download assistance
After approval and digital issuance, the exporter can download:
- Approved Certificate of Origin
- Attested documents, where requested
- Payment receipt
- Application summary
Certificate of Origin Amendment and Correction
We review cases involving:
- Wrong invoice number
- Incorrect invoice date
- Buyer-name error
- Product-description error
- Quantity or value error
- Port or shipment-route error
- Incorrect origin criterion
- Missing third-country invoice details
Availability of correction, replacement, cancellation, duplicate or retrospective issuance depends on the applicable agreement, certificate type, issuing agency and current portal process.
In-lieu Non-Preferential Certificate
An in-lieu certificate may be required where an earlier Non-Preferential COO needs replacement under the applicable notified process.
Back-to-Back Non-Preferential Certificate
A back-to-back certificate may be relevant in permitted trading or re-export structures where the origin of goods is supported by an earlier origin certificate and related transaction documents.
DGFT notified provisions for in-lieu and back-to-back Non-Preferential Certificates of Origin in January 2025.
Certificate verification support
We assist exporters where:
- Import Customs seeks verification
- Buyer questions authenticity
- Issuing agency requests additional evidence
- Product origin is challenged
- Supporting records are required after issuance
Checklist
Documents Required for Certificate of Origin
The exact document requirement depends on the certificate type, agreement, product and issuing agency.
Document / Information
Typical requirement
Active IEC
Required
Commercial invoice
Mandatory in the online application
Export product details
Required
HS code
Required
Importer name and address
Required
Destination country
Required
Invoice number and date
Required
Invoice value
Required
Port of shipment
Required
Port of discharge
Required
Mode of transport
Required
Shipment route
Required
Digital signature or Aadhaar e-sign
Required for filing
Packing list
Commonly required
Shipping Bill
Where available or required
Bill of Lading or Airway Bill
Where available or required
Manufacturer declaration
Where applicable
Origin calculation
Preferential cases where applicable
Bill of materials
Agreement or agency dependent
Purchase invoices
Where origin verification requires them
Third-country invoice
Where applicable
Letter of credit
Where buyer or bank requires consistency
The Trade Connect guide identifies the commercial invoice as a mandatory attachment and permits other supporting documents to be uploaded as required.
Information Entered in the Online COO Application
The online application can require:
Basic details
- iEC
- Firm name
- IEC branch
- Applicant details
- Delivery preference
Certificate details
- Preferential or Non-Preferential type
- Applicable agreement
- Issuing agency
- Issuing-agency office
Importer details
- Importer name
- Importer address
- Importing country
Invoice details
- Invoice number
- Invoice date
- Invoice value
- Currency
- Third-country invoice information
Export details
- Product description
- HS code
- Quantity
- Unit
- Item value
- Origin criterion
Shipment details
- Mode of transport
- Port of shipment
- Port of discharge
- Route
- Shipment document information
Attachments and declaration
- Commercial invoice
- Supporting documents
- Exporter declarations
- Digital signature or Aadhaar e-sign
The portal requires the sum of the individual export-item values to match the invoice value.
Our Process
Certificate of Origin Application Process
Requirement assessment
We review: Destination country, Export product, HS classification, Buyer requirement, Available trade agreement, Preferential duty opportunity, Origin status, Shipment deadline.
Certificate and agreement selection
We identify whether the shipment requires: Preferential COO, Non-Preferential COO, In-lieu certificate, Back-to-back certificate, Another agreement-specific origin document.
Origin and document review
We review: Manufacturing process, Raw-material origin, Value addition, Product-specific rule, Invoice, Packing list, Shipment route, Supporting declarations.
Application preparation and filing
The application is prepared on Trade Connect, signed using registered Aadhaar e-sign or DSC and submitted to the selected authorised issuing agency.
Agency processing
The COO application status may show: In Process, Deficient, Approved Pending Issuance, Approved, Rejected. These statuses and the deficiency-response facility are described in the official exporter guide.
Certificate issuance and download
After approval and digital signing by the issuing officer, the certificate can be downloaded from the portal.
Certificate of Origin Fees and Charges
Dwarkadhish Overseas professional fee
The starting professional fee applies to a standard application-assistance scope where:
₹
499
/ starting*
- Certificate type is clear
- Basic documents are available
- No detailed origin calculation is required
- No deficiency or rejection exists
- One invoice and standard shipment are involved
- No urgent or complex verification is required
Charges payable separately
- Issuing-agency fee
- Portal user charge
- Courier or physical-delivery charge
- Attestation charge
- Verification fee
- DSC charge
- Chartered Accountant or Cost Accountant certification
- Translation
- Notarisation
- Chamber membership, where required
- Complex Rules of Origin assessment
- Bill-of-material preparation
- Deficiency response
- Amendment or replacement
- Retrospective or duplicate certificate
- Third-party expenses
Pricing disclaimer
₹499 is the starting professional charge of Dwarkadhish Overseas for a standard Certificate of Origin filing-assistance scope. Issuing-agency charges, portal fees, delivery charges, certifications and other external expenses are payable separately at actuals. Payment of professional or agency charges does not guarantee issuance where the exporter, goods or supporting records do not meet the applicable requirements.
obtain
How Long Does It Take to Obtain a COO?
The processing time depends on:
Certificate type
Issuing agency
Office workload
Application completeness
Origin-rule complexity
Supporting documents
Officer queries
Payment completion
Digital signing
Shipment urgency
Verification requirement
A standard, complete application may be processed quickly, but no consultant should guarantee issuance within a specific number of hours.
Recommended website wording
Applications with complete information and supporting documents may be processed promptly. Final issuance time depends on the selected issuing agency, certificate type, portal processing and verification requirements.
Validity of Certificate of Origin
Certificate validity is not identical under every trade agreement.
The validity period may depend on:
- Relevant FTA or PTA
- Certificate format
- Date of issuance
- Shipment date
- Importing-country rules
- Retrospective issuance provisions
- Exceptional circumstances
The exporter and importer should verify the applicable trade agreement before considering the general validity period.
Is a Separate COO Required for Every Shipment?
A Certificate of Origin generally relates to a specific consignment, invoice or shipment arrangement.
Whether multiple invoices, products or shipments can be included depends on:
- Agreement
- Certificate format
- Issuing-agency process
- Importing-country acceptance
- Invoice and shipment structure
Do not reuse a certificate for an unrelated consignment.
Certificate of Origin for Merchant Exporters
Merchant exporters may apply for a Certificate of Origin, but they must maintain sufficient evidence establishing the Indian origin of the goods.
Documents may include:
- Manufacturer declaration
- Purchase invoice
- Manufacturing-process details
- Product HS code
- Raw-material information
- Origin calculation
- Supporting production records
The certificate should not be issued merely on the basis that the exporter purchased the goods in India.
Certificate of Origin for Manufacturer Exporters
Manufacturer exporters should maintain records demonstrating:
- Manufacturing location
- Production process
- Raw materials
- Imported inputs
- Domestic inputs
- Product classification
- Value addition
- Finished-product output
- Compliance with the applicable origin criterion
Troubleshooting
Common Certificate of Origin Problems
Wrong certificate type selected
The exporter may select Non-Preferential COO when the importer requires preferential tariff treatment.
Our approach: We review the destination, agreement and importer’s instruction before filing.
Product does not qualify under the FTA
India may have a trade agreement with the destination country, but the product may: Not be covered, Not meet the tariff-shift rule, Not meet the value-content rule, Undergo only minimal processing, Fail direct-consignment conditions.
Our approach:We assess the product-specific Rule of Origin before making a preferential claim.
Incorrect HS code
An incorrect HS code can affect: Agreement coverage, Origin criterion, Tariff preference, Certificate format, Import Customs acceptance.
Our approach: We compare the product description, export classification and importing-country requirement.
Incorrect origin criterion
The exporter may select “wholly obtained” where imported raw materials were used.
Our approach:We review the manufacturing and input structure and determine the relevant criterion.
Invoice value does not match item value
Trade Connect requires the total item value to match the invoice value.
Our approach: We reconcile product-level values before submission.
Duplicate invoice number
The official guide states that invoice number and date should be unique for the IEC holder within the same financial year.
Our approach:We verify the exact invoice format and financial-year records before filing.
Importer address is entered incorrectly
Information entered in the importer fields is printed on the certificate.
Our approach: We compare the application with the commercial invoice and purchase order.
Wrong issuing agency selected
Not every agency is authorised for every agreement or product.
Our approach: We select from the agencies populated for the chosen certificate and agreement. Only agencies authorised under the applicable DGFT framework can issue Certificates of Origin for exports from India.
DSC is not detected
Possible causes include: Expired DSC, Token-driver problem, Signer or PKI utility issue, Incorrect PAN in the DSC, DSC not registered on the portal, Browser or system configuration, Authorised-signatory mismatch.
Our approach: We perform basic checks and identify whether DSC-provider or portal support is required.
Aadhaar e-sign fails
The possible reasons include: The mobile number is not linked to Aadhaar, OTP issue, Signatory mismatch, Incorrect portal registration, Temporary service interruption.
Our approach: We assess whether Aadhaar e-sign can be corrected or a DSC should be registered.
Application is marked deficient
An officer may seek: Revised invoice, Origin calculation, Manufacturer declaration, Product clarification, Corrected importer details, Shipment information, Additional supporting evidence.
Our approach:We review the officer’s remarks, prepare the response and resubmit through the portal.
Certificate shows Approved Pending Issuance
This states that the application has been approved, but the certificate has not yet been issued.
Our approach:We monitor the status and follow the applicable agency process.
Certificate is rejected by importing Customs
Possible reasons include: Incorrect origin criterion, Certificate-format issue, HS-code difference, Signature or verification issue, Third-country invoicing not declared, Direct-consignment condition not met, Certificate expired, Origin evidence insufficient.
Our approach: We check the Customs objection, certificate, trade agreement and the supporting documents before recommending the corrective action.
Third-Country Invoicing
Third-country invoicing arises when: Goods are exported from India, The commercial invoice is issued by an entity located in another country, The goods are shipped to the importing country. Whether preferential origin treatment is available depends on the relevant agreement.
The Trade Connect application includes fields for third-country invoice information, but portal availability does not itself guarantee that every agreement permits the arrangement.
Back-to-Back Certificate of Origin
A back-to-back certificate may be used in a permitted trade structure where: Goods are supported by an earlier Certificate of Origin, The goods are traded, consolidated, split or re-exported under applicable conditions, The original origin remains unchanged, The required documentary chain is maintained.
Availability and conditions depend on the certificate type, trade arrangement and notified procedure.
In-Lieu Certificate of Origin
The applicant may need: Original certificate details, Reason for replacement, Supporting declaration, Corrected invoice or shipment information, Issuing-agency approval.
An in-lieu certificate may be required where an issued certificate must be replaced due to an error, cancellation, loss or another permitted reason.
Retrospective Certificate of Origin
The application may require: Explanation for the delay, Shipping Bill, Transport document, Invoice, Proof of origin, Declaration required under the applicable agreement.
A retrospective certificate is issued after export or after the ordinary filing period where permitted by the relevant trade agreement.
It should not be assumed to be available in every case.
Why Dwarkadhish overseas
Why Choose Dwarkadhish Overseas?
Certificate-selection support
We determine whether the shipment requires preferential or non-preferential origin certification.
Rules of Origin assessment
We review product eligibility rather than only filling portal fields.
Issuing-agency selection
We help select the appropriate authorised agency and office.
Document verification
Invoice, buyer, product and shipment information are checked before filing.
Deficiency support
Our services include assistance where the issuing officer seeks clarification or additional records.
Connected export services
After COO filing, we can also assist with: IEC Registration, RCMC Registration, eBRC Generation, ICEGATE Registration, AD Code Registration, RoDTEP, Duty Drawback, Advance Authorisation, EPCG, Export Compliance Outsourcing.
Services across India
Most application, document and portal coordination can be completed remotely.
Related Services
IEC Registration
Obtain or update the IEC required for DGFT applications.
RCMC Registration
Register with the correct Export Promotion Council or Commodity Board.
eBRC Generation
Generate and reconcile realisation records required for export-obligation closure.
Advance Authorisation
Apply for duty-free import authorisation for inputs used in export production.
EPCG Authorisation
Import eligible capital goods at concessional or zero Customs duty against an export obligation.
Export Compliance Outsourcing
Outsource ongoing DGFT, Customs, incentive and authorisation management.
Client Experiences
What Our Clients Say
“Dwarkadhish Overseas supported us with our export documentation and compliance requirements. Their team was responsive and kept us informed throughout the process.”
Nishu Vishwas
[Company Name]
Service: Advance License
“We approached the team for our pending refund-related work. They reviewed the documents carefully and helped us understand the issues and required next steps.”
[Client Name]
[Company Name]
Service: IGST Refund Support
“The team assisted us with DGFT and Customs requirements in a professional and organised manner. Communication and follow-up were consistent.”
[Client Name]
[Company Name]
Service: Export Compliance Support
Pan India
Certificate of Origin Services Across India
Dwarkadhish Overseas provides remote Certificate of Origin application and document support to exporters throughout India
Mumbai
Delhi NCR
Bengaluru
Chennai
Ahmedabad
Surat
Hyderabad
Kolkata
Pune
Indore
Jaipur
Kochi
Ludhiana
Tiruppur
Rajkot
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The COO stands for Certificate of Origin.
It certifies the country where the goods were wholly obtained, produced, manufactured or sufficiently processed.
There are mainly two types of COOs, i.e., Preferential and Non-Preferential.
A Preferential COO allows eligible products to receive reduced or zero Customs duty under an applicable trade agreement, provided they meet the Rules of Origin.
A Non-Preferential COO confirms the origin of the product but does not offer any Customs-duty benefit.
An active IEC linked to the exporter’s portal login is generally required for filing the application.
The commercial invoice is mandatory. Other documents may include the packing list, Shipping Bill, transport document, manufacturer declaration and origin calculation.
Yes, a merchant exporter can apply subject to having documents to prove that the goods are of Indian origin.
The Rule of Origin determines whether the goods qualify as originating in India.
A retrospective certificate may be available where permitted by the applicable agreement and issuing-agency process.