letter of credit

This query is : Resolved

Report Abuse Follow Query Ask a Query

Deepak

Deepak (Querist)
Follow

27 December 2008 what is the meaning of letter of credit & how many parties are involved in this.

CA RAMESH KUMAR AHUJA

CA RAMESH KUMAR AHUJA (Expert)
Follow

27 December 2008 A Letter of Credit is a payment term generally used for international sales transactions. It is basically a mechanism, which allows importers/buyers to offer secure terms of payment to exporters/sellers in which a bank (or more than one bank) gets involved. The technical term for Letter of credit is 'Documentary Credit'. At the very outset one must understand is that Letters of credit deal in documents, not goods. The idea in an international trade transaction is to shift the risk. Thus a LC (as it is commonly referred to) is a payment undertaking given by a bank to the seller and is issued on behalf of the applicant i.e. the buyer.

The Buyer is the Applicant and the Seller is the Beneficiary. The Bank that issues the LC is referred to as the Issuing Bank which is generally in the country of the Buyer. The Bank that Advises the LC to the Seller is called the Advising Bank which is generally in the country of the Seller.