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Herrings (Clupea harengus, Clupea pallasii)

Fresh or chilled herrings (Clupea harengus, Clupea pallasii)

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0302 41 00 (Herrings) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence and mandatory foreign-manufacturer registration under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, as a high-risk fish product. Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) Sanitary Import Permit clearance applies concurrently, and consignments are permitted only through 79 designated food-import ports with effect from 1 March 2023.

What this is
HSN code
0302 41 00
Chapter
03 · Fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates
Primary regulator
FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (high-risk food regime)
Customs documentation
  • Import Licence from FSSAI
  • Sanitary Import Permit from AQCS
  • Health Certificate from AQCS
Applicable Partner Government Agencies
FSSAIFSSAI·Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
AQCSAQCS·Animal Quarantine and Certification Services

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.

Compliance steps
  1. 1
    Confirm the overseas herring-processing facility is registered with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the mandatory foreign-manufacturer registration scheme for fish and fish products. The FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before the bill of entry is filed.
    CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus dated 14-11-2022 · FSSAI order dated 10-10-2022
  2. 2
    Obtain the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit (document code 911DF1) and Health Certificate (document code 6360AQ) prior to shipment. Quote the e-Sanchit IRN of the Sanitary Import Permit on the bill of entry when seeking the AQCS NOC for CTIs listed in Annexure A (Sl. No. 3) of CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus.
    CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023
  3. 3
    Route the consignment only through one of the 79 designated food-import ports under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022, and upload the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS). Labelling defects that are rectifiable under the FSSAI rectifiable-labelling regime must be addressed before out-of-charge.
    CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus dated 08-02-2023 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022
A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is arriving at a non-designated port on the assumption that a current FSSAI Import Licence provides a standalone clearance. The 79-port restriction under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022 is independent of the FSSAI licence status — a consignment landed at an unnotified port is liable to detention and re-export regardless of whether every other document is in order. Confirm the port of discharge against the CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus Annexure before vessel booking.

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Frequently asked
Does HSN 0302 41 00 require BIS certification?
No. Fresh or chilled herrings fall outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers this product family. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with a concurrent AQCS Sanitary Import Permit requirement and a 79-designated-port restriction.
Which document codes must be uploaded in e-Sanchit for herring imports at the bill of entry?
Four documents are mandatory: FSSAI Import Licence (911001), Sanitary Import Permit (911DF1), Health Certificate (6360AQ), and Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS); all must be uploaded before customs out-of-charge per CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus and CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus.
Is foreign-manufacturer registration with FSSAI a pre-shipment requirement or can it be regularised after arrival?
It is a pre-shipment requirement. Per CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 10 October 2022, fish products from unregistered foreign facilities cannot be imported, and no post-arrival regularisation pathway exists for this category.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: FSSAI / AQCS / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
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