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Other

Fresh or chilled fish, other species not elsewhere specified

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0302 79 00 (fresh or chilled fish, residual species) 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. Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) Sanitary Import Permit clearance applies concurrently, and consignments are restricted to 79 designated food-import ports effective 1 March 2023.

What this is
HSN code
0302 79 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 exporting foreign manufacturing facility is registered with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the high-risk-food regime before shipment. The FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) must be uploaded in e-Sanchit; customs out-of-charge will not be granted without it.
    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 dispatch. At the bill of entry, quote the e-Sanchit IRN of the Sanitary Import Permit to secure the AQCS NOC for the 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 exclusively through one of the 79 designated food-import ports per General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of ITC (HS) 2022, and upload the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) in e-Sanchit. Label defects that are rectifiable must be addressed per the FSSAI rectifiable-labelling regime 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 residual 'Other' classification under heading 0302 79 covers a wide range of species, but the high-risk-food overlay — foreign-manufacturer registration, designated-port restriction, and the dual FSSAI-AQCS clearance requirement — applies to every consignment regardless of species. The most common error is treating the FSSAI Import Licence as the sole clearance and overlooking the independent AQCS Sanitary Import Permit; a consignment with a current FSSAI licence but no AQCS NOC will be detained at the designated port, accruing demurrage and ground rent until the 911DF1 IRN is uploaded in e-Sanchit.

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Frequently asked
Does HSN 0302 79 00 require BIS certification?
No, fresh or chilled fish falling under this residual tariff line is not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with a concurrent Animal Quarantine and Certification Services Sanitary Import Permit requirement and a restriction to 79 designated food-import ports.
Which document codes must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before customs out-of-charge?
Four documents are mandatory: FSSAI Import Licence (911001), Sanitary Import Permit (911DF1), Health Certificate (6360AQ), and Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS), per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 and CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022.
Is the 79-designated-port restriction permanent, and what happens if the consignment arrives at a non-designated port?
The restriction has been in force since 1 March 2023 under CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus; a consignment arriving at a non-designated port is liable to detention and may face re-export or confiscation for non-compliance with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: FSSAI / AQCS / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
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