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Plaice (Pleuronectes platessa)

Frozen plaice (Pleuronectes platessa), whole fish

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0303 32 00 (Frozen plaice) 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 permitted entry only through 79 designated food-import ports effective 1 March 2023.

What this is
HSN code
0303 32 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 foreign manufacturing facility is registered with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the high-risk-food regime before placing the purchase order. The FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) must be uploaded in e-Sanchit prior to filing the bill of entry; consignments from unregistered facilities will not be granted out-of-charge.
    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) before consignment dispatch. Quote the e-Sanchit IRN of the Sanitary Import Permit on the bill of entry to obtain the AQCS NOC for frozen fish listed under Annexure A (Sl. No. 3) of Circular No. 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 under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Upload the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) and ensure any rectifiable labelling defects are addressed in accordance with FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022 before out-of-charge is granted.
    CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus dated 08-02-2023 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 under F.No.Import/TFM/Apex/2022-FSSAI
A word of counsel

The most frequent error on this tariff line is treating FSSAI clearance and AQCS clearance as sequential rather than concurrent requirements. Both the FSSAI Import Licence and the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit IRN must be present in e-Sanchit before the proper officer will grant out-of-charge; arrival at a designated port with one clearance outstanding results in consignment detention, accumulating demurrage and cold-storage ground rent until the missing document is uploaded.

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Frequently asked
Does HSN 0303 32 00 require BIS certification?
No, frozen plaice falls outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers frozen fish. 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 the 79-designated-port restriction.
Which e-Sanchit document codes are mandatory at the bill of entry for this tariff line?
Four documents must be uploaded before out-of-charge: FSSAI Import Licence (911001), AQCS Sanitary Import Permit (911DF1), Health Certificate (6360AQ), and Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS), as specified in CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus and CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus.
Is the foreign-manufacturer registration with FSSAI mandatory even for established exporters?
Yes. Per CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 10 October 2022, every foreign manufacturing facility exporting fish products to India must be registered with FSSAI regardless of prior trading history; shipments from unregistered facilities are not eligible for import clearance.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: FSSAI / AQCS / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
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