Other

Live fish, ornamental and other species (non-salmonid)

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 0301 19 00 (Other live fish) carries a Restricted-import status under the ITC (HS) policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). A Health Certificate is mandatory at the bill of entry and must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before customs out-of-charge.

What this is

HSN code

0301 19 00

Chapter

03 · Fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) Restricted import policy, Chapter 03

Customs documentation

Health Certificate from exporting authority
ITC (HS) policy compliance from DGFT

Compliance steps

1
Confirm that the import is permissible under the ITC (HS) Restricted-import policy for Chapter 03 before placing the purchase order. A Restricted classification means import requires specific compliance with DGFT policy conditions; shipment without meeting those conditions renders the consignment liable to detention and re-export.
ITC (HS) Import Policy, Chapter 03 — Restricted status
2
Ensure the Health Certificate (document code 6360AQ) issued by the competent authority of the exporting country is uploaded in e-Sanchit prior to filing the bill of entry. Customs may not grant out-of-charge until this document is verified in the system.
CCR mandatory-document requirement · document code 6360AQ · e-Sanchit upload obligation

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is conflating the Health Certificate upload obligation with a full PGA-routed NOC clearance. Where a bill of entry is PGA-facilitated but not actually routed through the PGA for a formal NOC, the proper officer is still required to verify that document code 6360AQ has been uploaded in e-Sanchit before out-of-charge; an absent or expired Health Certificate will cause the consignment to be held, accumulating demurrage and ground rent, regardless of the Restricted-policy status.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0301 19 00 require BIS certification?

No. Live fish fall entirely outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers this product family. Import is governed by the ITC (HS) Restricted-import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, with a mandatory Health Certificate at the bill-of-entry stage.

Is the Health Certificate with document code 6360AQ mandatory even for PGA-facilitated bills of entry?

Yes. The e-Sanchit upload of document code 6360AQ is required before out-of-charge on all bills of entry under this tariff line, including those that are PGA-facilitated but not formally routed through the PGA for a NOC.

What happens if the consignment arrives without the required Health Certificate?

Customs will withhold out-of-charge, and the consignment remains in port storage — attracting demurrage and ground rent — until the document is produced and verified; continued non-compliance may result in re-export or confiscation under the Customs Act, 1962.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: DGFT / Indian Customs CUSDATA.