Rays and skates (Rajidae)

Fresh, chilled or frozen rays and skates fillets (Rajidae)

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE · +1 OTHER PGAS

HSN 0304 48 00 (Rays and skates, Rajidae) 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 and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) CITES certification apply as concurrent regulatory overlays. Consignments are permitted only through 79 designated food-import ports with effect from 1 March 2023.

What this is

HSN code

0304 48 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
CITES Certificate from WCCB

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

FSSAIFSSAI·Food Safety and Standards Authority of India

AQCSAQCS·Animal Quarantine and Certification Services

WCCBWCCB·Wildlife Crime Control Bureau

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 foreign-manufacturer registration regime. The FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and a Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) must both be uploaded in e-Sanchit before the bill of entry is filed.
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 consignment dispatch. Quote the e-Sanchit IRN of the Sanitary Import Permit on the bill of entry to secure 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 · FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022
3
Upload the CITES Certificate (document code 626000) in e-Sanchit and ensure the consignment is routed through one of the 79 designated food-import ports per General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Confirm rectifiable-labelling compliance before customs out-of-charge; missing PGA clearances — including a deficient CITES Certificate — are not rectifiable under the labelling remedy regime.
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 CITES Certificate requirement is the overlay most commonly overlooked on this tariff line. Rajidae (rays and skates) may be subject to CITES Appendix listings, and a consignment cleared by FSSAI and AQCS but lacking the CITES Certificate (document code 626000) will be detained at the designated port pending WCCB verification — a gap that cannot be remedied post-arrival under the rectifiable-labelling mechanism. Confirm CITES listing status for the specific species in the consignment before placing the purchase order.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0304 48 00 require BIS certification?

No, fish fillets of rays and skates 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 concurrent AQCS Sanitary Import Permit and WCCB CITES Certificate requirements.

Which ports are designated for importing fish products under this tariff line?

Import is restricted to the 79 designated food-import ports listed in the Annexure to CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus, applicable to high-risk food including fish products from 1 March 2023, per General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022.

Is foreign-manufacturer registration with FSSAI mandatory even when the exporting country has a bilateral food-safety arrangement with India?

Yes. Per CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 10 October 2022, registration of the foreign manufacturing facility with FSSAI is mandatory for all fish-product imports regardless of the exporting country's bilateral status.

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