MT700 Field 31D: Field Contradicts Other Fields

Introduction

Field 31D in the SWIFT MT700 (Issue of a Documentary Credit) records the expiry date and the place for presentation of documents. The field is mandatory and uses format Option D — 6!n29x, meaning six numeric characters for the date (YYMMDD) followed by up to 29 alphanumeric characters for the place. Because 31D sets the outer boundary for every other timing and location element of the credit, a conflict between 31D and a neighbouring field produces an immediate, document-level discrepancy that banks must resolve before the credit can operate cleanly.

This guide examines the ways 31D can contradict other MT700 fields, the reasons those contradictions surface, and the steps a confirming or issuing bank and the applicant can take to clear them.

Failure Modes

1. Expiry date earlier than the latest shipment date. If 31D carries a date that precedes the date in field 44C (Latest Date of Shipment), the beneficiary has no valid window in which to present complying documents. This is the most common 31D contradiction.
2. Negative presentation period. When field 48 (Period for Presentation) is added to the 44C shipment date and the result falls after the 31D expiry, the arithmetic yields an impossible or negative number of presentation days.
3. Place of expiry inconsistent with availability. Field 41a (Available With … By …) names the bank and method. If 31D states a place of presentation that differs from the location of the 41a bank, the credit is internally inconsistent about where documents are accepted.
4. Malformed date component. The 6!n rule requires exactly six digits. A date written in any other shape (e.g. DDMMYY or with separators) fails the field format and contradicts the network-validated expectation.
5. Omitted place portion. Because the field is mandatory and the definition requires a presentation place, leaving the 29x portion blank contradicts both the format rule and Article 6's place requirement.

Resolution

1. Re-read the credit application and the underlying sale contract to confirm the intended expiry date and place.
2. Compare 31D directly against 44C and 48; confirm that 44C plus the presentation period ends on or before the 31D date.
3. Confirm the 31D place matches the 41a availability bank's location; if the credit is available with any bank, state "ANY BANK IN …" consistently.
4. Validate the date uses strict YYMMDD numeric format with no separators or spaces.
5. Ensure the place portion is present and names a country or city, not a bank branch code alone where the rule expects a place.
6. Issue an MT707 amendment correcting 31D, and obtain beneficiary advice where required by local practice.
7. Where the applicant's instruction was the source of the error, return the instruction and request a corrected expiry that preserves a usable presentation window.
8. Document the discrepancy in the credit review file so the same conflict does not recur in a follow-on shipment credit.

Conclusion

Field 31D is the anchor for the timing and geography of the entire credit. A contradiction here is not cosmetic — it can render the credit unusable or expose the issuing bank to a late-presentation refusal risk. Systematic comparison of 31D against 44C, 48, and 41a, backed by the Article 6 requirement, prevents the most frequent defects.

FAQ

1. Is 31D mandatory in every MT700? Yes. The SWIFT specification lists it as Mandatory, and UCP 600 Article 6 requires an expiry date and place.
2. What date format must 31D use? Six numeric characters in YYMMDD order, followed by the place in up to 29 characters (Option D, 6!n29x).
3. Can 31D name "ANY BANK" as the place? The place should be a location; when the credit is available with any bank, the place portion states the country or jurisdiction where any bank may take up the documents.
4. What happens if 31D is earlier than 44C? The credit is defective because no shipment can both occur and be presented in time; an amendment is required.
5. Does Article 6 require the expiry to be at the applicant's country? No. Article 6 allows the expiry place to be the location of the bank with which the credit is available, which is frequently the beneficiary's country.

Source Notes

Context only. Field structure, format (6!n29x), presence (Mandatory), and definition drawn from SWIFT MT700 field 31D specification, SWIFT SR2018 Category 7 (Documentary Credits and Guarantees). UCP 600 relationship identified as Article 6 (Expiry date and place for presentation). UCP 600 official text excerpts available in the provided dossier; article numbers cited, long passages not reproduced.