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Indian mackerels (Rastrelliger spp.)

Frozen Indian mackerels (Rastrelliger spp.)

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0303 59 10 (Indian mackerels, Rastrelliger spp.) 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 only through 79 designated food-import ports operative from 1 March 2023.

What this is
HSN code
0303 59 10
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
  • Specimen copy of label from FSSAI
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 shipment. The FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) must both be uploaded in e-Sanchit prior to filing the bill of entry.
    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) before consignment dispatch and quote the e-Sanchit IRN of the Sanitary Import Permit on the bill of entry to secure the AQCS NOC. This permit is listed under 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 notified under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Verify label compliance with the FSSAI rectifiable-labelling regime under CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus 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 most common error on this tariff line is arriving at a non-designated port or filing the bill of entry with the FSSAI Import Licence uploaded but the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit IRN absent. These are independent clearances: a current FSSAI licence does not substitute for the AQCS NOC, and customs out-of-charge is withheld until both document codes — 911001 and 911DF1 — are verified in e-Sanchit. Rectifiable-labelling provisions apply only to label defects, not to missing PGA clearances.

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Frequently asked
Does HSN 0303 59 10 require BIS certification?
No, frozen Indian mackerels fall outside 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 and the 79-designated-port restriction operative from 1 March 2023.
Which document codes must be uploaded in e-Sanchit for this tariff line?
The FSSAI Import Licence (911001), the Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS), and the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit (911DF1) must all be uploaded in e-Sanchit; customs out-of-charge is conditional on verification of each document code per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus.
Is the foreign-manufacturer registration with FSSAI mandatory for frozen fish imports?
Yes. Per CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 10 October 2022, the overseas manufacturing facility exporting fish and fish products to India must be registered with FSSAI before import is permitted; consignments from unregistered facilities are liable to detention.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: FSSAI / AQCS / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
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