Other

Frozen fish, other species (excluding fillets)

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0303 59 90 (frozen fish, other 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, as a high-risk food product. 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 90

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
Confirm that the foreign manufacturing facility is registered with FSSAI under the mandatory high-risk-food registration 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
Obtain the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit (document code 911DF1) before dispatch. Quote the e-Sanchit IRN of the Sanitary Import Permit on the bill of entry to obtain 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
Route the consignment only through one of the 79 designated food-import ports per General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Confirm that any labelling deficiencies fall within the rectifiable-labelling regime before out-of-charge; a missing PGA clearance is not rectifiable and will result in detention.
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 frequent error on this tariff line is arriving at a non-designated port on the assumption that frozen fish occupies a lower-risk category than fresh fish — the 79-port restriction applies with equal force to frozen fish products under CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus. A consignment discharged at an unlisted port cannot be redirected post-arrival under the rectifiable-labelling concession; it faces detention, demurrage, and potential re-export at the importer's cost.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0303 59 90 require BIS certification?

No, frozen fish products are 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 AQCS Sanitary Import Permit requirement and the 79-designated-port restriction operative from 1 March 2023.

Which documents must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before out-of-charge for this tariff line?

The FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001), the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS), and the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit (document code 911DF1) must all be uploaded in e-Sanchit; the IRN of the Sanitary Import Permit must be quoted on the bill of entry per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus.

Is foreign-manufacturer registration with FSSAI mandatory for frozen fish exported to India?

Yes. Per CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 10 October 2022, the overseas manufacturing facility must be registered with FSSAI before imports of fish and fish products are permitted into India.

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