What is Form COS-1 and COS-2?

Form COS-1 and COS-2 both are major application forms that play a crucial role in the grant of import licenses for the import of cosmetic products in India. Form COS -1 includes the registration form for import license through the regulatory authority of India CDSCO, whereas Form COS -2 involves the grant of import license certificate issued by the CDSCO under the Drug and Cosmetic Act, 1940, and Rules 1945 for importing cosmetic products in India.

Definition of Form COS-1 and COS-2

Before diving deep, let’s understand the definition of the form COS-1 and COS-2.

COS – 1 Form

The COS-1 Form is an application form for obtaining a License for the Import of Cosmetics in India by the Central Licensing Authority CDSCO as per the Drug and Cosmetic Rule, 2020.

COS – 2 Form

COS-2 is the cosmetics Import License Registration Certificate issued by the Central Licensing Authority. It is issued after the Review and Verification of all the documents and the COS-1 application form submitted.

Who Can Apply for Form COS-1 and COS-2?

You must understand who can simply apply with Form COS-1 and COS-2:

• Manufacturer or Importer who wants to import cosmetics from different countries in India.
• Any authorized person appointed by the Manufacturer or Importer can also apply on their behalf.
• Any person who wants to start an import business can also apply directly.

Documents Required for Filling Application Form COS-1

Below are the mandatory documents required to be attached along with the Application Form COS -1: –

• A cover letter with detailed information on all the documents is required.
• Manufacturing authorization certificate from the manufacturer.
• The applicant must fill out information in part 1 of Schedule D of the Drug and Cosmetic Act before filing forms COS-1 and COS-2.
• List of ingredients along with their weight and quantity used in the product.
• Testing methods and limits of specifications with complete details of cosmetic products must be presented.
• Applicant must have a manufacturing license, if the applicant doesn’t have the manufacturing license, then the applicant shall take an undertaking from the country from where he wants to import the Cosmetic products.
• A free sale certificate must be taken from the Manufacturer of the cosmetic product.
• Non-Animal Testing Declaration shall be submitted to ensure no animal is involved in the testing of the cosmetics.
• Declaration for No Hexachlorophene presence in the cosmetics shall be uploaded.
• The fee receipt for registration must also be uploaded.

How To Get a COS-1 Registration Certificate?

As per CDSCO Regulatory Guidelines the process for getting a COS-1 application by the Manufacturer, or Importer is as follows:

1. Visit the SUGAM Portal and fill out the COS-1 application form
2. COS-1 consists of details about manufacturing premises, product details, Manufacturing details, labelling and packing details and other information as required by regulatory body

How To Get a COS 2 Registration Certificate?

As per Cosmetic Rule 2020, in India the various steps to be followed for getting a COS-2 Import Registration Certificate are given below:

1. After verification and review of the COS-1 application form and all the documents COS-2 certificate is issued
2. The approval process takes 180 days
3. The validity of the COS-2 Certificate is five years from the date of issuance

Procedure  of Filling COS 1 Application Form for Import License Registration of Cosmetics

According to CDSCO the procedure for the registration of cosmetics involves:

• Visit the SUGAM portal and register for an import license under COS -1.
• Fill out the form by uploading all the required documents. In case a Manufacturer is applying for an Import License all the details should be filled starting from the manufacturing facilities to the complete packaging information everything must be Submitted.
• After filling and submission of Form COS -1 along with the applicable fees or challan, the competent authority will review, and if all the information complies with the regulatory requirements the import license will be granted under Form COS-2 Import License certificate for the successful import of cosmetics in India.

Timeline for Issuance of COS-2 Import Registration Certificate

As per the Drug and Cosmetic Rule, 2020 the timeline for getting an Import Registration Certificate is 180 days from the date of registration. In between this period, all the documents are verified and reviewed and if everything is correct then an Import Registration Certificate is issued if not then the Authority will ask for additional documents.  

Charges for Import Registration Certificate COS-2

A/c to the Third Schedule of Cosmetic Rule 2020 fee of 1000 US dollars or its equivalent in Indian Rupees is paid for registration or retention per product category of cosmetics, a fee of 50 US dollars for registration of each variant, and a fee of 1000 US dollars for grant or retention of registration certificate for an additional category of cosmetic is paid along with COS -1 application form.

Validity

The validity of the import license certificate issued under Form COS- 2 is Five years from the date of issue.

Conclusion

The complete registration process along with all the documents required, fees as well as the validity of the license has been covered in the above description. Therefore, we have concluded that Form COS 1 is filed for registration of an import license and Form COS 2 involves the issue of import license from the regulatory authority of India for successful import and sale of cosmetics in India.

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