Proforma Invoice in the LC

proforma invoice

Proforma Invoice (PI) is a must document for Letter of Credit.

This document provides information regarding goods/services quantity, price, delivery, buyer and seller information, and other details.

Proforma Invoice is issued by the seller to the buyer. It should provide sufficient information to the buyer to open the Letter of Credit.

PI is also required if the buyer needs an Import Permit (IP) for opening LC of any specific goods/services.

Bank uses this Proforma Invoice to get the seller (exporter) information and collect the credit report (as regulation of Central bank).

Contents in Proforma Invoice (PI)

As I mentioned earlier, it should provide sufficient information to open the LC. This are the information that should be included in the PI:

  1. Seller information (Company name, address, contact)
  2. Buyer information (company name, address, contact)
  3. Proforma Invoice number
  4. Date (issue)
  5. Goods/service name/description
  6. Goods/service qty.
  7. Unit price
  8. Total price
  9. Delivery period
  10. Payment term
  11. Sales/price term
  12. Bank detail of seller
  13. Validity of PI
  14. HS code
  15. Country of origin
  16. Port of loading
  17. Port of discharge
  18. Tolerance

Additional information may be present. Proforma Invoice is issued on the letterhead of the seller and has their signature on it.

Example of Proforma Invoice

Here’s the one Proforma Invoice.

proforma invoice sample

Proforma Invoice in the LC

In F45A (Description of Goods and/or Services) along with Goods description, Proforma Invoice number and date is mentioned.

45a description of goods

Difference between Commercial Invoice and Proforma Invoice in LC

You already knew about Proforma Invoice. This is issued by the buyer before opening the LC.

Whereas Commercial Invoice is another document that is issued after shipment of goods. It’s a mandatory document for negotiation in the letter of credit. So it’s listed in 46A (Documents required).

Read also:  Field 48 (‘Period for presentation in days') in Letter of Credit (L/C)

Proforma Invoice is based on agreed qty. as per contract. But in actual, the shipment quantity may vary as there’s tolerance allowed in the LC.

In the Commercial Invoice actual shipment qty. and value is mentioned.

Both Proforma Invoice and Commercial Invoice is presented but one cannot alter the other.

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