Bill of entry status is visible in national customs portals—such as ICEGATE for India and ASYCUDA for Bangladesh—showing stages like filed, assessed, duty paid, examined, and out-of-charge.
What Does My Bill of Entry Status Mean?
Select the stage shown on your status screen — works for ICEGATE, ASYCUDA, CDS, ACE, and most other customs portals.
Have your BoE number instead and want to decode it? Use the number decoder tool above, or check live status on the official ICEGATE enquiry portal.
After your broker files a bill of entry, importers need visibility into customs status—from assessment and duty payment to examination and out-of-charge. This guide covers every status stage in detail and explains exactly where to check bill of entry status (also written "BoE status" or "BE status") in ICEGATE (India), NBR ASYCUDA (Bangladesh), and major hubs including UAE, UK, and USA systems.
How to check your bill of entry status right now
The fastest way to check a bill of entry in India is through ICEGATE:
- Go to icegate.gov.in → e-Services → Bill of Entry / Shipping Bill Status
- Enter your BoE number (format: INNSA1-YYYY-NNNNNNN), port code, and filing date
- No login needed for the basic public enquiry — registered IEC holders get more detail after login
For Bangladesh: your C&F agent checks declaration status on ASYCUDA World under NBR. For UAE, use the Dubai Trade / Mirsal 2 portal. Full portal guides for each country are in the sections below.
Bill of entry status stages explained
Every bill of entry moves through a predictable sequence of status stages between filing and release. Knowing what each stage means lets you judge whether a delay is normal or needs escalation.
| Status stage | What it means | Typical duration | Action needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Filed / EDI accepted | Declaration submitted and accepted by the customs system; a unique BoE number is generated | Instant to a few hours | Note the BoE number — it is your reference for every later check |
| RMS facilitation / risk assessment | Automated risk system (RMS in India) decides whether the shipment is facilitated (no checks) or routed for assessment/examination | Minutes to a few hours | None — automated |
| Under assessment | A customs officer reviews value, classification, and exemption notifications claimed | Same day to 2–3 days | Be ready to respond to queries |
| Query / deficiency raised | Customs needs clarification — missing certificate, value query, classification dispute | Depends entirely on response time | Respond immediately through your CHA; this is the most common cause of delay |
| Duty assessed / computed | Final duty amount is calculated and displayed against the BoE | Same day as assessment | Arrange funds for payment |
| Duty paid | Payment confirmed in the customs ledger | Instant once paid via authorized bank/e-payment | Confirm payment challan number for records |
| Examination (physical or document) | Shipment selected (by RMS or manually) for physical inspection or document verification at the port/CFS | 1–5 days depending on port congestion | Coordinate inspection timing with CHA/CFS |
| Out of charge (OOC) | Customs formalities are fully complete; goods are cleared for removal | — | Apply for delivery order at the port/CFS |
| Delivery order issued | Port/CFS releases the cargo physically after OOC plus payment of port/line charges | Same day to 2 days after OOC | Settle container/ground rent and shipping line charges separately from customs duty |
How to check bill of entry status in India (ICEGATE)
India's bill of entry status is tracked through the ICEGATE e-filing system. Most importers rely on their CHA for day-to-day status, but you can also check directly:
- Through your CHA's portal — most Customs House Agents provide clients a tracking dashboard or daily WhatsApp/email update showing the BoE number and current EDI status.
- Via ICEGATE e-services — registered IEC holders can log in at the ICEGATE portal and use the "Bill of Entry / Track Status" enquiry service by entering the BoE number, port code, and filing date.
- Via ICEGATE's public BoE/Shipping Bill status enquiry — a non-login enquiry is available for basic status using BoE number and date, useful for a quick check without portal credentials.
- Duty payment challan / e-payment portal — once assessed, the duty payment screen on the customs e-payment gateway also reflects whether duty is paid against that BoE number.
Common reasons Indian BoE status stalls: examination not yet scheduled at a congested port, unpaid line/container charges despite customs out-of-charge, IGM mismatch with the bill of lading, or a pending query the CHA has not yet answered. Always ask your CHA for the specific stage name shown on ICEGATE, not just "pending" — the exact stage tells you who needs to act next.
How to check bill of entry status in Bangladesh (NBR / ASYCUDA World)
Bangladesh import declarations are processed through ASYCUDA World under National Board of Revenue (NBR) rules.
- Clearing agent ASYCUDA printout — your C&F (clearing and forwarding) agent has direct ASYCUDA access and can pull a live status print showing assessment, query, and payment stages.
- Bangladesh Customs / NBR portal — declarants with valid credentials can check declaration status directly through the customs e-service for registered importers.
- Bank/LC status cross-check — for LC-backed imports, your bank can confirm whether documents required for the declaration have been retired, which often gates the next ASYCUDA stage.
In Bangladesh, separate IRC (Importer Registration Certificate) compliance holds and port/yard storage charges at Chattogram or Mongla often run independently of the ASYCUDA assessment stage — clearing the customs side does not automatically clear port-side charges.
How to check bill of entry status in UAE
UAE imports are processed through Federal Customs and emirate-level systems — most prominently Mirsal 2 for Dubai Customs and equivalent platforms for Abu Dhabi and other emirates.
- Licensed customs broker / declarant access — most UAE import declarations are filed and tracked by a broker with direct Mirsal 2 (or local emirate system) login.
- Dubai Trade portal — companies registered on Dubai Trade can view declaration status, inspection results, and clearance directly online.
- Customs service centers — physical or call-center status confirmation is available where online access is not yet set up.
UAE status stages broadly mirror the same pattern — registration, inspection/selectivity, duty/VAT settlement, and clearance — but exact portal names differ by emirate, so confirm with your broker which system your declaration was filed under.
How to check import declaration status in the UK (CDS)
Post-Brexit UK import declarations are filed in the Customs Declaration Service (CDS), which replaced CHIEF.
- CDS Declaration Status service — declarants with Government Gateway credentials linked to their EORI number can check declaration status directly in CDS.
- Customs broker / freight forwarder — most importers without direct CDS access rely on their broker's dashboard, which mirrors the same MRN (Movement Reference Number) status.
- Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS) — for roll-on roll-off ports, the GVMS reference links the customs status to the physical ferry/port movement.
The key reference number in the UK is the MRN, not a "bill of entry number" — but it serves the identical function as India's BoE number for status tracking purposes.
How to check entry status in the USA (ACE / CBP)
US import entries are tracked in ACE — the Automated Commercial Environment, operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
- Licensed customs broker's ACE access — nearly all formal entries are filed and tracked by a licensed broker through ACE.
- ACE Secure Data Portal — importers with their own ACE portal account can view entry summary status, holds, and liquidation directly.
- CBP holds and PGA (Partner Government Agency) flags — entries can be held for FDA, USDA, EPA, or other PGA review independent of CBP's own release decision; your broker's ACE screen shows which agency is holding the entry.
US entries also go through a final "liquidation" stage months after physical release — this is a financial/administrative status, not a release condition, and does not delay receiving your goods.
Common status codes and what they mean
| Code / term | System | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| OOC | India (ICEGATE) | Out of charge — clearance complete |
| RMS Facilitated | India (ICEGATE) | Risk Management System cleared shipment without assessment/examination |
| 1st / 2nd check | India (ICEGATE) | Examination ordered before (1st) or after (2nd) duty assessment |
| Inw Date (INW date) | India (ICEGATE) | Date customs granted "entry inwards" to the vessel — permission to start unloading. For advance-filed BoEs, this is the date the duty rate is locked in under Section 15 |
| Assessed / Provisionally Assessed | Bangladesh (ASYCUDA) | Declaration value/classification confirmed, may be final or provisional pending tests |
| Selectivity — Green/Yellow/Red/Orange | Various (UAE, others) | Channel assigned by risk engine: green = no checks, red = full inspection |
| MRN cleared | UK (CDS) | Equivalent of out-of-charge — declaration accepted for release |
| Released / Hold / Liquidated | USA (ACE/CBP) | Released = cleared; Hold = PGA or CBP review pending; Liquidated = final duty determination months later |
Why is my bill of entry status stuck? (Troubleshooting)
- Stuck at "filed" with no movement — usually means the carrier's manifest (IGM) has not been filed yet; the BoE cannot proceed until the manifest matches.
- Stuck at "query/deficiency" — customs is waiting on you, not the other way around; check with your CHA on exactly what document or clarification is outstanding.
- Stuck at "examination" for several days — common at congested ports during peak season; ask whether the shipment can be expedited or if examination can be scheduled at an inland CFS instead of the port.
- Out-of-charge issued but goods not released — this means customs is done but the shipping line or port/CFS is holding goods for unpaid container detention, ground rent, or a pending delivery order application. This is a logistics charge, not a customs charge.
- Status shows duty paid but examination hasn't started — sequencing differs by port; in some flows duty is paid before examination (provisional), in others after. This is normal and not an error.
Bill of entry status vs. bill of entry number — what's the difference?
These two terms are often searched together but mean different things. The bill of entry number is the fixed reference ID assigned to your declaration when it is filed (for example INNSA1-2025-1234567 in India) — it never changes. The bill of entry status is the current stage of that declaration's clearance journey (filed, under assessment, examined, out-of-charge, etc.) — it changes over time as your shipment moves through customs. You always need the BoE number first in order to check the status. For a full breakdown of the number format, finding your number, and decoding it, see our dedicated bill of entry number guide.
Practical tracking tips
- Get your BoE/entry number immediately after filing — every status check depends on it
- Align internal cargo-ready dates with your CHA/broker's typical query-response SLA
- Track customs status and carrier/port logistics status separately — clearing customs does not automatically release goods physically
- Escalate to a supervisor or duty office if status stalls beyond your port's free storage days, since demurrage accrues regardless of why customs is delayed
- Keep a record of every status screenshot/printout for audit and dispute purposes
Related guides
Bill of entry number — format, lookup & decoding, India ICEGATE filing, Bangladesh NBR, how to file a bill of entry.
Download BOE format
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