Multimodal Logistic Systems Private Limited

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Import Stage 3: Receive the proforma invoice

Import guide · Stage 3 of 10 · The Paper Trail

Import Stage 3: check the proforma invoice, before money moves

Five stations between the accepted quotation and a proforma invoice you are happy to pay against. Check the description, price, payment terms and approvals. Clear each hurdle, earn each badge, and finish as a Paper Master. Prefer reading? Use the plain guide button.

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Station 1 of 5

Know what the proforma invoice is for

Station 1 of 5 · Badge: Clear Brief

Know what the proforma invoice is for

The proforma is the supplier's detailed offer. Your payment and clearance both lean on it.

What you do

  1. It is not the final invoice
  2. It fixes goods, price and terms
  3. Your bank may need it
  4. Customs compares later papers with it

Keep these ready

  • Accepted quotation
  • Proforma invoice
  • Purchase order

Watch out

  • A proforma that differs from the quotation.
  • Missing IEC or wrong consignee name.
  • Bank details that differ from the contract.

Pro tip

Send the supplier a proforma template with every field you need. It saves rounds of correction.

Full details for this station

The proforma invoice is the last chance to fix the details before money moves. Treat it as a draft of the commercial invoice.

How to do it

  1. Ask the supplier for a proforma invoice that matches the accepted quotation.
  2. Read it against your quotation, line by line.
  3. Use it to apply for any licence, to arrange payment through your authorised dealer bank, and to plan duty.
  4. Keep it with the order file. The later commercial invoice should match it.

Documents to keep ready

  • Accepted quotation
  • Proforma invoice
  • Purchase order

What the documents must show

Proforma invoice
Marked "Proforma". Shows seller and buyer with addresses, your IEC, description, HS code code, quantity, unit price, currency, total, Incoterms term and place, payment terms, bank details, origin and port of shipment.

Time and cost

  • Request and receive: a day or two.
  • Corrections: a day each round.

Where people get stuck

  • A proforma that differs from the quotation.
  • Missing IEC or wrong consignee name.
  • Bank details that differ from the contract.
Station 2 of 5

Check the description and the code

Station 2 of 5 · Badge: Code Cracker

Check the description and the code

The words and the code on the proforma carry into every later paper.

What you do

  1. Exact description
  2. HS code checked against India's tariff
  3. Specification attached
  4. Same words everywhere

Keep these ready

  • Proforma invoice
  • Specification or datasheet
  • Your HS code working

Watch out

  • Supplier code accepted without checking.
  • "Parts" or "accessories" as the whole description.
  • Quantity in a unit different from your order.

Pro tip

Paste your own description into your reply and ask the supplier to use it word for word.

Full details for this station

A vague description on the proforma becomes a vague description on the Bill of Entry, and a Customs query.

How to do it

  1. Check the goods description: what it is, the material, the use and the model.
  2. Check the HS code code against the Indian tariff. If the supplier's code differs, ask why.
  3. Check quantity, unit and weight.
  4. Ask for the specification or datasheet to be attached.
  5. Ask for corrections now, not after shipment.

Documents to keep ready

  • Proforma invoice
  • Specification or datasheet
  • Your HS code working

What the documents must show

Goods description
Plain words: what it is, the material, the use and the model. "Spares" or "parts" alone invites a query.

Time and cost

  • Checking: an hour.
  • Corrections: a day or two.

Where people get stuck

  • Supplier code accepted without checking.
  • "Parts" or "accessories" as the whole description.
  • Quantity in a unit different from your order.
Station 3 of 5

Check the price and the payment terms

Station 3 of 5 · Badge: Fair Deal

Check the price and the payment terms

Price, currency and payment terms must agree with the contract.

What you do

  1. Unit price and total
  2. Currency
  3. Incoterm and place
  4. Payment terms and bank details

Keep these ready

  • Proforma invoice
  • Contract or purchase order
  • Supplier bank details on company letterhead

Watch out

  • Beneficiary account in a different name.
  • Currency different from the order.
  • Payment terms changed without a note.

Pro tip

Phone the supplier on a number you already had to confirm the bank details before your first payment.

Full details for this station

These figures drive both the money you send and the value you declare to Customs.

How to do it

  1. Check unit price, quantity and total against your order.
  2. Check the currency.
  3. Check the Incoterms term and the place.
  4. Check the payment terms: advance, letter of credit or open account.
  5. Check the beneficiary name, bank and account. They must be the supplier's own, in the supplier's country.

Documents to keep ready

  • Proforma invoice
  • Contract or purchase order
  • Supplier bank details on company letterhead

What the documents must show

Bank details
Beneficiary name (the supplier's legal name), bank name and address, account number and SWIFT code. All should match the supplier's records.

Time and cost

  • Checking: an hour.
  • Bank checks, if your bank needs them: a day or two.

Where people get stuck

  • Beneficiary account in a different name.
  • Currency different from the order.
  • Payment terms changed without a note.
Station 4 of 5

Use the proforma for licences and approvals

Station 4 of 5 · Badge: Permit Holder

Use the proforma for licences and approvals

Some applications need the proforma attached.

What you do

  1. Import authorisation
  2. Agency approvals
  3. Registration numbers on the proforma
  4. Validity dates

Keep these ready

  • Proforma invoice
  • Application forms
  • Approval numbers and validity

Watch out

  • Approval that expires before the goods arrive.
  • Approval in the name of a different importer.
  • Applying after the money has moved.

Pro tip

If an approval can fail, apply before you pay. An advance paid for goods you cannot import is the costliest mistake.

Full details for this station

If your goods need a licence or an agency approval, the proforma is usually part of the application.

How to do it

  1. If the import policy needs an authorisation, apply with the proforma attached.
  2. If another agency's approval applies, such as BIS, FSSAI or WPC, apply with the proforma and the specification.
  3. Quote the approval numbers on the order file.
  4. Check the validity of every approval against the shipping date.

Documents to keep ready

  • Proforma invoice
  • Application forms
  • Approval numbers and validity

What the documents must show

Authorisation
Issued online by DGFT. Keep the number and validity date. It is quoted in the Bill of Entry.

Time and cost

  • Applications: days to weeks.
  • Start before payment, not after.

Where people get stuck

  • Approval that expires before the goods arrive.
  • Approval in the name of a different importer.
  • Applying after the money has moved.
Station 5 of 5

Accept the proforma and file it

Station 5 of 5 · Badge: Deal Sealed

Accept the proforma and file it

Confirm the proforma in writing, then file it with the order.

What you do

  1. Written acceptance
  2. Corrections agreed
  3. Filed with the order
  4. Next: the payment

Keep these ready

  • Final proforma invoice
  • Written acceptance
  • Order file

Watch out

  • A proforma changed after acceptance.
  • Not telling the bank which proforma applies.

Pro tip

Save the proforma as a PDF with the date in the file name.

Full details for this station

When the proforma is right, confirm it. Everything that follows is built on it.

How to do it

  1. Confirm the proforma in writing, quoting its number and date.
  2. Keep it with the quotation, order and landed cost sheet.
  3. Tell your bank and your broker the proforma number.
  4. Move to Stage 4: remit the money.

Documents to keep ready

  • Final proforma invoice
  • Written acceptance
  • Order file

What the documents must show

Acceptance
A short email quoting the proforma number and date and confirming the details.

Time and cost

  • Same day.

Where people get stuck

  • A proforma changed after acceptance.
  • Not telling the bank which proforma applies.

Run complete

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Words used on this page

HS code: Harmonised System code. An international product code. India uses 8 digits for duty and for Customs filings.
IEC: Importer Exporter Code. A 10-character code issued by DGFT. You need it to import or export goods as a business.
Incoterms: Trade terms of the International Chamber of Commerce (Incoterms 2020). They say who pays for transport and insurance, and who bears risk, at each point.

Questions people ask

Is a proforma invoice the same as the commercial invoice?

No. The proforma is a preview before shipment. The commercial invoice is issued at shipment and is the document Customs uses. They should agree.

Can I pay on a proforma invoice?

Yes, many suppliers ask for payment on a proforma. Check the details first, as Stage 4 explains.

Do I need a proforma for Customs?

Customs uses the commercial invoice. The proforma helps you check and plan, and supports licence and bank applications.

Is this legal advice?

No. It is practical guidance. Rules change, so confirm the position on the date of your order.

Want us to read the proforma with you?

Send us the proforma and the order. We will check it against the quotation and tell you what to fix. It is just a call and a message away.

Message us on WhatsAppCall +91 98230 14118

Office (backup): +91 93733 11838

← Stage 2: Get the quotationStage 4: Remit the money →

Last checked: 12 November 2026. Based on the Customs Act, 1962 (CBIC), the Foreign Trade Policy 2023 (DGFT) and the foreign exchange rules of the Reserve Bank of India. Rules and notifications change, so confirm the position on the date of your order.

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