Can an L/C beneficiary with an expired letter of credit request an amendment to extend the expiry date?

The situation regarding a letter of credit (L/C) and its expiration is governed by the terms specified within the credit itself and applicable banking practices. Once a letter of credit has expired, the beneficiary no longer has the entitlement to request an amendment to extend the expiry date. This is because an expired letter of credit is considered no longer valid for obligations or responsibilities.

For an amendment to be made to an L/C, it must be agreed upon by all parties involved—including the issuing bank, the applicant, and the beneficiary—while the letter of credit is still in effect. Once the expiry date has passed, the instrument cannot simply be amended; rather, a new letter of credit would need to be issued to effectively replace it and permit transactions to continue.

This underscores the importance for beneficiaries to act within the time frame established in the original letter of credit to ensure they can still request amendments or fulfill conditions set forth before expiration. Therefore, it is accurate to say that an expired letter of credit cannot have its expiration date extended through amendment processes.