Access IndiaPLATFORM
Home›HSN›Chapter 03›HSN 0304 33 00

Nile Perch (Lates niloticus)

Fresh, chilled or frozen Nile Perch fillets (Lates niloticus)

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0304 33 00 (Nile Perch fillets) 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
0304 33 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 shipment. The FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and a 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) and Health Certificate (document code 6360AQ) before consignment dispatch. At the bill of entry, quote the e-Sanchit IRN of the Sanitary Import Permit to obtain the AQCS NOC for fish product 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 the ITC (HS) 2022. Labelling defects must be rectified in accordance with CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus and FSSAI 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 clarification order dated 18-11-2022 under F.No.Import/TFM/Apex/2022-FSSAI
A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating the FSSAI Import Licence as the sole clearance requirement and neglecting the independent AQCS Sanitary Import Permit. A consignment arriving at a designated port with a current FSSAI licence but without the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit IRN quoted on the bill of entry will be detained pending upload — accruing demurrage and ground rent — because the two PGA clearances are not interchangeable and customs out-of-charge requires all four document codes (911001, 0110FS, 6360AQ, 911DF1) to be present in e-Sanchit.

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 0304 33 00 require BIS certification?
No, fish fillets including Nile Perch 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 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?
Four mandatory document codes apply: FSSAI Import Licence (911001), Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS), Health Certificate (6360AQ), and AQCS Sanitary Import Permit (911DF1); customs out-of-charge will not be granted if any of these is absent, per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023.
Is the foreign-manufacturer registration with FSSAI mandatory for Nile Perch fillets?
Yes. Per CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 10 October 2022, the overseas facility producing fish products for export to India must be registered with FSSAI before the import is permitted, and shipments from unregistered facilities are liable to detention and re-export.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: FSSAI / AQCS / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
Related
ChapterChapter 03 · Fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebratesHSNFISH FILLETS AND OTHER FISH MEAT (WHETHER OR NOT MINCED), FRESH, CHILLED OR FROZENHSN0304 31 00 · Fresh, chilled or frozen tilapia fillets (Oreochromis spp.)