New Delhi, Feb 3 (IANS): The government has further facilitated e-commerce with the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) operationalising online filing and processing of applications and issue of codes in digital format.

Exporters and importers can now apply online for new Importer Exporter Code (IEC) number as the, the commerce ministry said in a release here Tuesday.

The required documents for getting the IEC can be uploaded by the applicants online and the fee can be paid through net banking, the statement said.

"Even the “rocessing of such applications by regional authority of DGFT would be done online and the digitally signed e-IEC would be issued/emailed to the applicants within two working days," it added.

I”complete, or otherwise ineligible, applications would be rejected and an auto generated rejection email (with reasons for rejection) would be sent to the applicant within two working days.

The DGFT is also working on enabling payment of fees through debit and credit cards.

According to the ministry, the online system once implemented, would be made mandatory.

Till that happens, the existing manual system has also been allowed side by side, in order to facilitate those applicants who do not have net banking facility, the release added.