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Sword fish (Xiphias gladius)

Fresh, chilled or frozen swordfish fillets (Xiphias gladius)

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0304 54 00 (Swordfish 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 operative from 1 March 2023.

What this is
HSN code
0304 54 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 foreign-manufacturer registration scheme. The FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and a Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) must 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. 2
    Obtain the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit (document code 911DF1) and Health Certificate (document code 6360AQ) prior to consignment dispatch. At the bill of entry, quote the e-Sanchit IRN of the Sanitary Import Permit 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. 3
    Route the consignment through one of the 79 designated food-import ports per General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Ensure labelling complies with the FSSAI rectifiable-labelling regime; rectifiable defects may be corrected before out-of-charge, but missing PGA clearances are not treated as rectifiable.
    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 treating the FSSAI Import Licence as the sole clearance and arriving at port without a current AQCS Sanitary Import Permit IRN quoted on the bill of entry. The AQCS clearance is independent of the food-safety licence and cannot be retrospectively substituted; a consignment detained for absence of the Sanitary Import Permit IRN accrues demurrage and ground rent at the designated port while AQCS processing runs its course. Verify both clearances — and the registered status of the foreign facility — before vessel departure.

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Frequently asked
Does HSN 0304 54 00 require BIS certification?
No, swordfish fillets are not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers fish meat or fish fillets. 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.
Which document codes must be uploaded in e-Sanchit for this tariff line?
Four documents are mandatory: FSSAI Import Licence (911001), Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS), AQCS Health Certificate (6360AQ), and AQCS Sanitary Import Permit (911DF1); all must be uploaded before customs out-of-charge per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023.
Is the foreign-manufacturer registration with FSSAI required for every exporting facility?
Yes. Per CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 10 October 2022, every facility exporting fish products — including swordfish fillets — to India must be registered with FSSAI before the import is permitted; 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.
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