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Hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha)

Fresh, chilled or frozen Hilsa fish fillets (Tenualosa ilisha)

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0304 59 10 (Hilsa fish 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. 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 59 10
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 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. 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 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. Confirm compliance with the FSSAI rectifiable-labelling regime under CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus and FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022 before out-of-charge.
    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 and arriving at port without the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit IRN quoted on the bill of entry. The AQCS NOC is a parallel and independent requirement; a consignment presenting a current FSSAI licence but lacking the uploaded 911DF1 document code in e-Sanchit will be detained at the designated port, accumulating demurrage until the Sanitary Import Permit IRN is furnished.

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Frequently asked
Does HSN 0304 59 10 require BIS certification?
No, fish fillets including Hilsa 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 restriction to 79 designated food-import ports.
Which document codes must be uploaded in e-Sanchit for Hilsa fish fillets at the bill of entry?
Four documents are mandatory: FSSAI Import Licence (911001), Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS), AQCS Health Certificate (6360AQ), and AQCS Sanitary Import Permit (911DF1); out-of-charge will not be granted until all four are uploaded per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus.
Is foreign-manufacturer registration with FSSAI mandatory for all fish-product exporters to India?
Yes. Per CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 10 October 2022, any foreign facility manufacturing fish products for export to India must be registered with FSSAI before the import is permitted, regardless of the exporting country.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: FSSAI / AQCS / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
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ChapterChapter 03 · Fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebratesHSNFISH FILLETS AND OTHER FISH MEAT (WHETHER OR NOT MINCED), FRESH, CHILLED OR FROZENHSNOther: