Seer

Frozen seer fish, whole or gutted

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0303 89 40 (Seer) 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

0303 89 40

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
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 a Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) must 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) and Health Certificate (document code 6360AQ) before the consignment is dispatched. Quote the e-Sanchit IRN of the Sanitary Import Permit on the bill of entry to obtain the AQCS NOC for fish products listed in Annexure A (Sl. No. 3) of Circular 24/2022-Cus.
CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 under F.No. Import/TFM/Apex/2022-FSSAI
3
Route the consignment exclusively through one of the 79 designated food-import ports in compliance with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Ensure all labelling meets FSSAI requirements; rectifiable labelling defects must be addressed per the procedure in CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus 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 Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022

A word of counsel

The most frequent error on this tariff line is treating the FSSAI Import Licence as the sole clearance document and failing to upload the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit IRN independently. Both clearances are mandatory and operationally distinct: a consignment presenting a valid FSSAI licence but lacking the AQCS NOC will be detained at the designated port, attracting demurrage and ground rent, and the detention cannot be resolved by rectifying the labelling — it requires a fresh AQCS Sanitary Import Permit upload.

Need a regulatory steer on this product?

Speak to a regulatory counsel about your specific HSN, IS, and supplier situation.

Speak to an Expert

Frequently asked

Does HSN 0303 89 40 require BIS certification?

No, frozen seer fish 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 overlay and a 79-designated-port restriction operative from 1 March 2023.

Which ports are permitted for import of frozen seer fish under this tariff line?

Import is restricted to the 79 designated food-import ports listed in the Annexure to CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus dated 08-02-2023, in compliance with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022; consignments arriving at non-designated ports are liable to detention and re-export.

Is 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 facility exporting fish products to India — including established exporters — must be registered with FSSAI; shipments from unregistered facilities will not receive out-of-charge regardless of other documentation being in order.

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