Import Documents from India to Iran — Bilingual Document Checklist

Documents are the lifeline of any India-to-Iran import. Wrong, missing or discrepant documents cause customs delays, LC payment blocks, demurrage and quality disputes. This bilingual checklist (مدارک واردات از هند به ایران) lists every document an Iranian importer needs when buying from India — and explains what each document does.

Document 1 — Proforma Invoice (PI)

The PI is the foundation of the order. It is used for:

• Order registration in the Iranian trade system.
• LC opening at the Iranian bank.
• Advance TT authorisation.
• Customs reference on arrival.

A good PI must include:

• Buyer and seller name, address, contact.
• Seller IEC, GST.
• Product description with HS code.
• Country of origin (India).
• Unit price, quantity, total value.
• Incoterm (FOB Mundra, CIF Bandar Abbas).
• Packaging (e.g. 25 kg PP bags).
• Payment terms (advance TT, 50/50, LC at sight, rupee).
• Validity (e.g. 7 days).
• Order-registration field for the Iranian buyer's number.

Document 2 — Commercial Invoice

The commercial invoice is the official customs document for the shipment. It includes:

• Invoice number and date.
• Buyer and seller details.
• Product description with HS code.
• Unit price, quantity, total value.
• Incoterm and freight / insurance breakdown (under CIF).
• Country of origin.
• Payment terms.
• Signature and stamp.

Document 3 — Packing List

The packing list tells customs and the buyer exactly how the cargo is packed:

• Product description.
• Total quantity (pieces, cartons, bags).
• Net weight and gross weight.
• Number of packages.
• Carton / pallet dimensions.
• Container number (for FCL).
• Shipping marks.

Document 4 — Bill of Lading (BL)

The BL is the title document for sea freight. It includes:

• Shipper (exporter).
• Consignee (buyer or "to order" under LC).
• Notify party.
• Port of loading (Mundra, Nhava Sheva, Kandla).
• Port of discharge (Bandar Abbas).
• Container number and seal number.
• Description of goods.
• Gross weight, net weight, measurement.
• Freight status (prepaid / collect).
• Number of original BLs.

**Delivery options:**

• Original BL couriered to the buyer (under advance TT).
• Bank-to-bank under LC.
• Telex release (where agreed).

Document 5 — Certificate of Origin (COO)

COO confirms the goods originate in India. It is issued by:

• Export Inspection Council (EIC).
• Authorized chambers of commerce.
• APEDA (for certain agricultural products).

COO includes:

• Exporter and importer details.
• Product description and HS code.
• Country of origin (India).
• Quantity and value.
• Issuing authority signature and stamp.

COO may affect the duty rate at Iranian customs — always confirm the correct format with the buyer.

Document 6 — Certificate of Analysis (COA)

COA is mandatory for food, pharma, chemicals and cosmetics. It includes lab test results:

• Moisture.
• Foreign matter.
• Broken percentage (for rice).
• Pesticide residue (MRL).
• Aflatoxin.
• Microbiology (where applicable).
• Heavy metals (where applicable).
• Active ingredient (for pharma / chemicals).

COA is issued by an accredited lab — not by the exporter.

Document 7 — Phytosanitary Certificate

Mandatory for plant-based food (rice, pulses, spices, fresh fruits, dry fruits, vegetables). Issued by the Indian plant quarantine authority. Confirms the product is free from quarantine pests and meets Iran's plant-health requirements.

Document 8 — Health Certificate

Mandatory for processed food, dairy, meat, fish, animal-feed and certain pharma products. Issued by the relevant Indian health authority (FSSAI / EIC / APEDA).

Document 9 — Fumigation Certificate

Mandatory for rice, pulses, wood packaging, wooden handicrafts and selected agricultural products. Confirms fumigation was carried out as per ISPM-15 (for wood) or product-specific protocols.

Document 10 — Pre-Shipment Inspection (PSI) Certificate

Issued by SGS, Intertek, Bureau Veritas, Cotecna or TÜV after AQL-based inspection. Confirms:

• Product matches spec.
• Packaging and marking correct.
• Quantity and weight verified.
• Lab testing passed (where applicable).
• Container condition verified.

PSI is non-negotiable for buyers who want independent quality verification.

Document 11 — Insurance Certificate

Required under CIF / CIP Incoterms (where the exporter arranges insurance). Includes:

• Insured value (typically 110% of CIF value).
• Coverage (Institute Cargo Clauses A / B / C).
• Voyage (port-to-port).
• Insurer name and policy number.

Document 12 — Stuffing Video and Photographs

Not a "document" in the legal sense, but the strongest visual evidence of what was loaded. We share on every shipment:

• Empty container inspection photos.
• Loading in progress photos.
• Loaded cargo photos.
• Seal application photo (close-up of seal number).
• Sealed container photo (container number + seal number).
• Short stuffing video (2–5 minutes).

Document 13 — LC Document Set (under LC payment)

If payment is by LC at sight, the document set must match LC terms exactly. Typically:

• Full set of clean on-board ocean BL consigned to the issuing bank / to order.
• Signed commercial invoice.
• Packing list.
• Certificate of Origin.
• Certificate of Analysis.
• Phytosanitary / health certificate.
• Fumigation certificate.
• PSI certificate.
• Insurance certificate (under CIF).

Any discrepancy can block payment. This is why draft document review is critical.

Common document mistakes

• HS code wrong or missing on invoice and PI.
• Consignee field on BL does not match LC.
• Country of origin missing on COO.
• COA missing for food / chemicals.
• Phytosanitary certificate missing for plant-based food.
• Fumigation certificate missing for rice / wood packaging.
• Gross / net weight mismatch between packing list and BL.
• Shipping marks missing on packing list.
• LC documents with discrepancies that block payment.

Why draft document review matters

Discrepancies caught at draft stage cost nothing. Discrepancies caught after issuance cost time and money — and can block LC payment. Blueroute Exim shares draft BL, invoice, packing list, COO, COA and phytosanitary for buyer review before final issuance. We also help prepare LC documents that meet Iranian bank requirements.

Why choose Blueroute Exim

• Iran-ready Proforma Invoice with HS code, country of origin, packaging, total value, Incoterm, validity, order-registration field.
• Draft document review on every shipment.
• Independent PSI on every shipment.
• Stuffing video and seal number on every shipment.
• LC document preparation that meets Iranian bank requirements.
• Single-point coordination under one IEC for multi-SKU orders.
• Based in Surat, Gujarat — close to Mundra and Nhava Sheva ports.
• Business hours: Monday to Friday, 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM IST.
• Contact: +91 93132 01754, info@bluerouteexim.in.

Key Takeaways

• 13 documents cover the typical India-to-Iran import.
• PI, BL, invoice, packing list, COO, COA, phytosanitary, fumigation, PSI and insurance are the core set.
• HS code and country of origin must be consistent across all documents.
• LC document set must match LC terms exactly — discrepancies block payment.
• Draft document review catches discrepancies before they cost money.
• PSI and stuffing video are the strongest quality protection.

If you want clean, complete documents on every shipment, contact Blueroute Exim at info@bluerouteexim.in or +91 93132 01754. We respond during business hours (Monday to Friday, 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM IST).