Access IndiaPLATFORM
Home›HSN›Chapter 03›HSN 0304 55 00

Tooth fish (Dissostichus spp.)

Fresh, chilled or frozen toothfish fillets (Dissostichus spp.)

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0304 55 00 (Toothfish fillets, Dissostichus spp.) 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. Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) Sanitary Import Permit clearance applies as a concurrent overlay, and consignments are permitted only through 79 designated food-import ports with effect from 1 March 2023.

What this is
HSN code
0304 55 00
Chapter
03 · Fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates
Primary regulator
FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (high-risk fish product 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 that the foreign manufacturing facility processing the toothfish fillets is registered with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the mandatory high-risk-food registration scheme. The FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) 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) before consignment 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 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, and upload the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) in e-Sanchit. Rectifiable labelling deficiencies must be addressed per FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022 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 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 failing to secure the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit independently. These are parallel obligations issued by separate PGAs; an AQCS NOC cannot be obtained without the 911DF1 IRN quoted on the bill of entry, and a consignment arriving at a designated port without that IRN will be detained — accumulating demurrage — until the Sanitary Import Permit is uploaded and verified 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 55 00 require BIS certification?
No, fish fillets and fish meat of this tariff line 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 a concurrent AQCS Sanitary Import Permit requirement and a 79-designated-port restriction operative from 1 March 2023.
Is the foreign-manufacturer registration with FSSAI mandatory for toothfish fillet imports?
Yes. Per CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 10 October 2022, the facility processing fish products for export to India must be registered with FSSAI; consignments from unregistered facilities are not eligible for import clearance.
What happens if the consignment arrives at a non-designated port?
Arrival at a port not listed in the CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus Annexure constitutes a breach of General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022, exposing the consignment to detention, re-export, or confiscation under the Customs Act, 1962.
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.)