BIS FMCS Certification for Foreign Manufacturers: Step-by-Step Process

You have a factory outside India, a buyer inside India, and a purchase order that can't move until someone produces a BIS licence. If that sounds familiar, you have probably already run into the Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme (FMCS). Obtaining BIS FMCS Certification for Foreign Manufacturers is an important step for eligible overseas manufacturers whose products are required to comply with applicable Indian Standards. It is one of the most misunderstood parts of Indian import compliance, and many delays result from small, avoidable mistakes rather than issues on the BIS side.

This guide walks through what FMCS is, who needs it, how the process works, what changed in 2026, and where applications usually get stuck

What is BIS FMCS certification?

The BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) administers the Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme (FMCS), which allows an overseas manufacturer to get a licence to affix the ISI Mark on goods to be imported into India. Introduced in 2000, FMCS operates under the BIS Act 2016 and the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations 2018. 

The idea behind this scheme is simple: BIS issues a licence to a manufacturing facility abroad and evaluates it against the corresponding Indian Standard, much like it evaluates Indian manufacturing units. It does not just mean document verification; the facility is also subjected to an on-site inspection, product testing, and continuous surveillance.

Who actually needs it?

If your product isn't covered by a QCO, FMCS generally isn't required. The first job, always, is to identify the exact IS code that applies to your product.

Not every foreign manufacturer. You need FMCS when both of these are true:

1. Your product is made outside India, and
2. Your product falls under a mandatory Indian Standard, usually through a Quality Control Order (QCO) that makes BIS certification compulsory.

FMCS certification vs other BIS schemes

If your product is electronics, check CRS first. If it is a chemical, steel, cement, machinery component or similar item under a QCO, FMCS is usually the route.

People mix these up constantly. A quick comparison:

What changed in 2026: online filing only

This is the part many older blog posts and consultant pages still get wrong. BIS now accepts FMCS applications through the manakonline portal. Hard-copy applications were accepted only up to 31 May 2026. From 1 June 2026, only applications submitted online are accepted.

BIS has published a user manual for the online submission. If you read advice telling you to courier a duplicate set of documents to BIS headquarters in New Delhi, check the date on that page before you follow it.

The FMCS Certification process, step by step

1. Confirm the IS and QCO. Identify which Indian Standard covers your product. Everything else depends on this.
2. Plan your applications. A separate application is needed for each product (IS) and for each factory location. One factory making two products under two different standards means two applications.
3. Appoint an Authorized Indian Representative (AIR). More on this below. BIS has a prescribed nomination form.
4. Prepare documents. Use BIS's own checklist rather than a consultant's summary of it.
5. Submit online with the required fees. Applications go through the manakonline portal.
6. Respond to BIS queries. If anything is missing or unclear, BIS raises queries by email. Once the application is found complete, it is recorded, and an acknowledgement number is allotted.
7. Factory audit. A BIS officer visits your factory on a mutually agreed date, checks the manufacturing process and testing facilities, and draws and seals product samples.
8. Product testing. Sealed samples go to a BIS-recognised laboratory. You pay the testing charges.
9. Grant of licence. When the audit report and test report are both satisfactory, you pay the licence fee, the minimum marking fee and any outstanding dues, and sign the licence agreement with BIS.
10. Surveillance and renewal. After the licence is granted, BIS keeps checking. More on that below.

Documents you should have ready

The exact checklist comes from BIS, but in practice you should expect to prepare:

1. The prescribed application form (Application Form V) and the AIR nomination form (Form VI)
2. Factory or company registration documents
3. A flow chart of your manufacturing process
4. Details of in-house manufacturing, and any outsourced operations with the related agreements
5. Details of your testing facilities and test equipment, with calibration records
6. Quality control parameters and the records that prove you follow them
7. Product specifications and drawings
8. Trademark authorization, if the brand owner is different from the manufacturer
9. Your acceptance of the Scheme of Testing and Inspection (STI) and the annual marking fee

Choosing your Authorized Indian Representative (AIR)

If you don't have a branch office in India, you must nominate an AIR. Think of the AIR as your person on the ground. They submit and manage the application and answer BIS's questions. The conditions BIS-focused guides list include:

1. The AIR must be a resident of India.
2. The AIR gives consent to take responsibility for compliance with the BIS Act, rules, regulations and the licence terms.
3. An AIR can represent only one foreign manufacturer at a time.
4. The AIR should have no conflict of interest with any third-party laboratory testing your samples.
5. A minimum of a bachelor's degree and working knowledge of the BIS Act and rules.
6. The AIR's name appears on the licence documents.

Why FMCS certification applications get stuck (and how to avoid it)

BIS itself notes that the applicant is responsible for delays caused by incomplete applications, late replies to queries and unpaid dues. In our experience those are exactly where time is lost. Here are the usual culprits and the fix for each.

1. An incomplete application. Missing forms, unsigned pages or documents that don't match the checklist. Fix: check every item against BIS's checklist, and have a second person review before you submit.

2. The wrong standard or the wrong scope. Applying under an IS that doesn't match your product, or trying to combine products or factory locations in one application. Fix: confirm the IS first, and remember it is one application per standard and per location.

3. Slow or vague replies to BIS queries. A reply that takes weeks, or answers a different question than the one asked. Fix: answer quickly, answer exactly what was asked, and attach evidence.

4. Testing and calibration gaps. Your factory is expected to have the equipment and competent people to test the product against the IS. Missing or out-of-date calibration records are a common weak spot. Fix: audit your own lab before BIS does.

5. Quality processes that don't match the Scheme of Testing and Inspection. Fix: read the STI for your product and compare it line by line with what your factory actually does.

6. Marking and labelling problems. The BIS Standard Mark, with the IS number and licence number, has to be used correctly. Fix: get your label artwork checked before printing.

7. Audit readiness. The inspection date is agreed with you, so if you aren't ready, the clock keeps running. Fix: do a mock audit a few weeks earlier.

8. An unresponsive AIR or unpaid dues. Fix: agree response times with your AIR in writing, and keep fee payments on a checklist.

How long does it take?

You will see figures anywhere from about four months to a year quoted by different consultants. The honest answer is that it depends on things you partly control: how complete your application is, how fast you answer queries, when the audit can be scheduled and how long testing takes. A sensible plan is to budget at least six months and add buffer if it is your first BIS application.

What does it cost?

We won't quote a single number here, because BIS fees are published by BIS and can change. Check the BIS FMCS fee page for current amounts. Budget for these categories:

1. Application fee
2. Audit or inspection fee, plus the auditor's travel and stay
3. Laboratory testing charges
4. Licence fee and the annual marking fee
5. Translation and documentation costs, if any
6. Consultant fees, if you use one

After you get the licence

Getting the licence is not the finish line.

1. Surveillance. BIS carries out surveillance inspections from time to time and may draw market samples to check ongoing performance.
2. Complaints. If a complaint is received about your product, it is investigated, and you are expected to resolve it.
3. Renewal. The licence has to be renewed, so track the renewal date from day one.
4. Changes. Keep your quality system intact and tell BIS about changes that affect the licence.

FAQs About FMCS for foreign manufacturers

1. Is FMCS mandatory for every foreign manufacturer? 

No. It is required only when your product is made outside India and falls under a mandatory BIS standard, such as one covered by a QCO.

2. Can my Indian importer apply on my behalf? 

The manufacturer applies. The importer can, however, be nominated as your Authorized Indian Representative if they meet the AIR conditions.

3. Does BIS visit the factory abroad? 

Yes. A BIS officer audits the manufacturing and testing facilities and draws sealed samples.

4. Can one licence cover several products? 

Generally, products under the same Indian Standard can be covered together. Different standards or different factory locations need separate applications.

5. Can the licence be transferred to another company? 

No. It is issued to the specific manufacturer and its nominated AIR.

6. Can I still send a paper application? 

No. Since 1 June 2026, applications must be submitted through the online portal.

Do you need a second opinion regarding FMCS certification?

At Maanak Consultancy, we help foreign manufacturers and their Indian partners prepare clean, complete FMCS applications, get audit-ready and handle BIS queries without losing weeks. If you are not sure which standard applies, or your application is stuck, talk to us before you submit.