ISI MARK CERTIFICATION - FOREIGN MANUFACTURERS CERTIFICATION SCHEME (FMCS)

The Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme (FMCS) is tailored for manufacturers out of India who wish to export their products to the Indian market. Foreign manufacturers can apply for BIS certification through an Authorized Indian Representative (AIR) or by establishing their own representative office in India. FMCS certification facilitates international trade by ensuring that imported products meet Indian standards, improving consumer safety and protecting national interests. It smoothens the process for foreign manufacturers to certify their products in line with Indian regulations.

FMCS (ISI Mark) is a Scheme operated by the Bureau of Indian Standards since year 2000 under Scheme-I of Schedule-II, BIS Act, 2016 and (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 for foreign manufacturers. This scheme enables the overseas applicants/manufacturers to use the standard mark, which is also called ISI Mark, to sell their products in India. The foreign manufacturers Certification Department (FMCD) is the only eligible authority that can grant BIS Certificate for import to the foreign manufacturers. The major motive of BIS for granting a Manufacturing certificate to Foreign manufactures is that the public gets good quality, safe, reliable and risk-free products.

BIS FMCS Certificate in India from the FMCD department is meant for the manufacturing units located overseas, which will undergo for factory audit to determine whether the manufacturer is complying with all the necessary requirements illustrated by BIS. ISI Mark under Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme is issued by FMCD since 2000. BIS Standard Mark or ISI Mark consists of Licence number as 'CM/L-XXXXXXXXXX' at the bottom of ISI Mark and Indian standard number at the top of above ISI Mark. This mark shall be rewarded by the Bureau of Indian Standards after the successful grant of the BIS Certificate. Approx. 700 items are listed by BIS under FMCS certification & are available on BIS website.

Procedure, documents & other terms & conditions :

The Certification process involves the following steps:

1. Submit application:

Compile all required documents
Submit the application with required documents to BIS online and hardcopy to FMCD department
BIS authority will verify the application

2. Query raised (if any):

In case, any document or test equipment or any other requirement is missing or incomplete, communication will be done by email with applicant
If the application is found satisfactory in all respects, it will be recorded
Acknowledgement number will be allotted for future purpose

3. Factory Visit:

BIS Officer will arrange a visit at factory premises of applicant on the mutually agreed date
Remittance of inspection/audit fee
BIS Officer will verify the manufacturing process, testing infrastructure and also test the product in your in-house laboratory
BIS Officer will collect the sample, seal it, and forward it for testing with an independent laboratory

4. Sample Testing:

Sample collected sent to BIS Approval Laboratory
BIS(FMCS) receive the test report
Charges for testing will be paid by the application firm

5. Grant of Licence:

Satisfactory inspection report of the auditor visited the factory premises, and test report of the product received according to Indian Standards
Applicant should pay a Licence fee, advance minimum Marking fee & if any outstanding due
Letter for Grant of Licence issued

List Of Documents Required For BIS Certification

1. Form I Manufacturing Machinery & Test equipment details in manufacturing Premise
2. Form II List of Test Equipments
3. Form III Checklist for Application
4. Form IV Test report
5. Form V BIS Application
6. Form VI Authorised Indian Representative Nomination (Application for Foreign manufacturers)
7. Form IX Agreement (applicable for foreign manufacturers)
8. Form X Indemnity Bond (applicable for foreign manufacturers)
9. Form XI Performance Bank Guarantee (applicable for foreign manufacturers)

Note :

Documents are subject to variation
During Audit by BIS team it is liability of the overseas manufacturer to arrange for VISA, travelling & staying facilities.

Additional Terms & Conditions :

1. IndemnityBond:

Agreement & Indemnity bond entered between the applicant and BIS. It includes following provisions

Fees
Nomination
All rights and responsibilities of licensee
Indemnity
Termination
Performance bank guarantee
Cancellation of license
Non-Renewal

After qualifying all above steps, the licence will be granted once all type of fee is paid. Initially, it will be granted for 1 year, which would be further renewable for subsequent years.

Performance Bank Guarantee to be submitted should be of USD 10000 of any bank approved by Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

2. Timeline for BIS License

The average time taken for Grant of Licence is approximately 6 months from the date receipt of complete application and its recording. The rest depends upon the circumstances. It may vary for certain reasons like delay from applicants in response to queries raised, if any, delay in organizing inspection or testing of the sample, remittance of dues, etc.

3. Surveillance Inspection

Surveillance Inspection is carried out from time to time, and market samples are drawn out by the BIS in order to assess the performance of the foreign BIS licensee.

4. Complaint Redressal

In case any complaint is received against the licensee's product, then an investigation will be carried out as per IS/ISO 10002, and immediate action will be taken to redress the complaints, such as free replacement or repair. In case of any damage, the entire liability will be borne by the licensee, and BIS will not be responsible for any damages or losses.

5. How To Renew BIS License?

A BIS certified manufacturers license is valid for the time period of one year. It can be further renewed for one year just by filing a renewal application form along with the prescribed fees, which should be certified by the Chartered accountant.

6. Authorised Indian Representative :

BIS certification process involves complexities and therefore requisites that :

Foreign manufacturers should either have representative office in India or have Authorised Indian Representative (AIR) who should be Indian.
AIR should be well qualified & conversant with BIS Act 1986.
AIR shall have no conflict of interest in their role with testing of a sample in third-party laboratories.
AIR's name shall appear in the licence document

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