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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsA delayed GST refund is not one single process to chase. First identify whether the claim is for IGST paid on exported goods or for eligible accumulated input tax credit (ITC) on exports made under a letter of undertaking (LUT) or bond. The first route is linked to shipping-bill and customs processing; the second is generally filed on the GST Portal in FORM GST RFD-01 and scrutinized by a GST proper officer. The right next step depends on the route and the exact status recorded for your claim.
Identify which export-refund route applies
India has distinct refund workflows for exports. They differ in tax treatment, filing route, evidence and the authority or system that may need to act. Do not assume that a delay in one queue will appear in the other.
| Route | How the refund is pursued | Records to check |
|---|---|---|
| IGST paid on exported goods | The refund is linked to the customs shipping-bill process. CBIC says the shipping bill functions as the refund application when the required valid return and export-manifest or export-report conditions are met. | Shipping-bill number and date, export invoice details, return information, manifest or report, and customs/ICEGATE status. |
| Export under LUT/bond without payment of IGST | An eligible refund of accumulated ITC is claimed through FORM GST RFD-01 on the GST Portal. The claim proceeds through acknowledgement, scrutiny and, where applicable, officer action. | ARN, claim period and category, invoices and applicable statements, RFD-02 acknowledgement or RFD-03 deficiency memo, and any order or payment advice. |
Exporting goods or services does not by itself establish eligibility for a particular refund. CBIC’s Sectoral FAQ describes conditions and exceptions, including restrictions relevant to export-duty situations and certain other refund or drawback claims. Check the rules applicable to your claim category rather than assuming that export alone guarantees payment.
Common causes to check against your claim record
These are possible explanations, not a ranking of how often delays occur. Official materials reviewed for this guide do not publish a current exporter-wide breakdown of delay causes.
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| Possible cause | What to verify | Useful next action |
|---|---|---|
| Manifest or export report is missing or unmatched | For goods, confirm that the export manifest or export report covering the shipping bill was delivered and that the relevant identifiers match. CBIC’s refund rules and FAQ make this part of the export-linked process. | Ask the customs broker or carrier to confirm filing and matching. Compare shipping-bill identifiers and dates with the export record. |
| Return or shipping-bill information does not align | Check that the applicable valid return was furnished and that exporter identifiers and export details correspond across the return and shipping bill. Customs processing uses return information received from the Common Portal. | Reconcile the source records. If an error is confirmed, correct it through the prescribed route and then monitor the relevant status; do not assume a mismatch without a recorded indication. |
| RFD-01 claim or evidence is incomplete | Check the category, period, invoices and supporting statement required for that claim. CBIC guidance identifies shipping-bill and invoice details for export goods, invoice and BRC/FIRC details for export services, and invoice information for unutilized-ITC claims. | Read the RFD-02 acknowledgement or RFD-03 deficiency memo and address the stated issue through the portal procedure. |
| A previous filing blocks another application | Review the filing history for the same month and refund category. GST Portal guidance describes errors involving a refund already applied for, as well as limited reapplication scenarios after a deficiency memo or inadvertent NIL filing. | Check the official portal guidance for the precise error before submitting another application. |
| A risk-related hold or missing IGST scroll | CBIC Instruction 04/2022-GST describes cases in which an IGST scroll was not generated following a DGARM alert and certain claims were transmitted through ICEGATE/GSTN for jurisdictional officer processing. | Check customs/ICEGATE status and whether a corresponding system-generated claim is available to the jurisdictional officer. This is a documented possible pathway, not a default explanation for every delay. |
| Officer scrutiny or verification is pending | For RFD-01 claims, check whether the file is awaiting acknowledgement, a deficiency communication, verification or an order. | Use the ARN and official communication to ask which document, verification or decision remains pending. A generic pending status alone does not establish the reason. |
| Bank validation or payment has failed | Check the bank account recorded in registration and the application, payment advice, portal payment status, and any validation or failed-payment message. CBIC’s refund circular describes account selection, validation constraints and portal status communication. | Correct bank details only through the prescribed registration process, then follow the payment-status instructions for the claim. |
Resolve the delay in a clear sequence
- Classify the claim. Establish whether it is an IGST-paid export of goods, an LUT/bond unutilized-ITC refund, an export-of-services claim or another refund category. The category determines which process and evidence apply.
- Gather the identifiers and notices. For an RFD-01 claim, note the ARN, period and category. For goods, note the shipping-bill number and date. Also collect export invoice references, return filing acknowledgement, and any RFD-02, RFD-03, order, payment advice or customs communication relevant to the file.
- Read the exact status in the relevant system. Determine whether the application is awaiting acknowledgement, deficient, under scrutiny, sanctioned but unpaid, affected by bank validation, or absent from the customs-linked workflow. Use the status and official communication to identify the handoff that needs attention.
- Reconcile underlying records. For goods, compare shipping bills, invoices, return data and the manifest or report. For service exports, check the applicable invoices and BRC/FIRC details. Correct only discrepancies you can establish from the records.
- Respond through the prescribed channel. Follow the portal procedure for a deficiency or other recorded defect. Check prior filings before trying again, because a duplicate or blocked period/category filing can generate a separate problem.
- Escalate with a traceable, specific request. Provide the ARN or shipping-bill references, claim category and period, relevant status, and the communication or error shown. Ask what exact action, document or decision is pending rather than reporting only that the refund is late. CBIC Instruction No. 2/1/2020-GST says the prescribed process does not warrant physical document submission and directs official email communication; it states, “For facilitation of taxpayers, all communication must be done using official email IDs.” That statement is from the instruction dated April 9, 2020.
- Keep a dated record. Retain filing receipts, notices, corrected submissions and correspondence. If the applicable statutory period appears to have passed, use those dates to ask the department how the clock applies and whether interest is due.
How to interpret refund timelines and interest
CBIC Instruction No. 2/1/2020-GST (2020) states a 15-day period for acknowledgement or a deficiency memo and a 60-day period for disposal. Those are procedural periods; the claim’s completeness, acknowledgement and any deficiency handling affect how they apply. Do not count from the export date alone. Establish the relevant application and communication dates from the claim record.
Section 56 of the CGST Act provides for interest on covered tax refunds if the refund is not made within 60 days from receipt of the application, at the rate notified under the Act. CBIC Circular 125/44/2019-GST describes a 6% rate for the circumstances addressed by that circular; the Act also provides a separate higher ceiling for certain refunds arising from final orders. The 6% figure is therefore not a universal rate for every exporter claim. Confirm the currently applicable notification and whether the facts of the claim qualify before calculating or asserting an amount.
CBIC’s exporter FAQ describes provisional payment of 90% within seven days for specified eligible claims, subject to exceptions and eligibility. It is a facilitation provision, not an unconditional guarantee for every export refund; check the current rules and the claim category.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What a delay status cannot tell you by itself
A pending label, risk alert or general portal error does not prove the cause of a particular delay. That diagnosis requires the claim route, ARN or shipping-bill details, relevant return and export records, and official communications. The cited official materials explain procedural pathways, but do not establish a current statistic for the number of delayed exporter refunds or the share attributable to each possible cause.
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