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Catfish (Pangasius spp., Silurus spp., Clarias spp., Ictalurus spp.)

Fresh, chilled or frozen catfish fillets (Pangasius, Silurus, Clarias, Ictalurus)

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0304 62 00 (Catfish 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 as a concurrent overlay, and consignments are restricted to 79 designated food-import ports operative from 1 March 2023.

What this is
HSN code
0304 62 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 placement of the purchase order. Imports of fish products from unregistered facilities are not permitted; the FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) must be uploaded in e-Sanchit at the bill of entry stage.
    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 the 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 only through one of the 79 designated food-import ports under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Upload the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) and ensure compliance with the FSSAI rectifiable-labelling regime before out-of-charge.
    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 a current FSSAI Import Licence as full clearance and overlooking the independent AQCS Sanitary Import Permit. The AQCS NOC is a separate animal-origin overlay — a consignment arriving with a valid FSSAI licence but without the Sanitary Import Permit IRN uploaded in e-Sanchit will be detained at the designated port, attracting demurrage and ground rent until the document is regularised, which AQCS does not facilitate retrospectively from non-designated ports.

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Frequently asked
Does HSN 0304 62 00 require BIS certification?
No, no BIS Quality Control Order covers catfish fillets or fish meat under this tariff line. 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 documents are mandatory: FSSAI Import Licence (911001), Sanitary Import Permit from AQCS (911DF1), Health Certificate (6360AQ), and Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS); all must be uploaded before customs out-of-charge per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023.
Is foreign-manufacturer registration with FSSAI mandatory for catfish fillets exported to India?
Yes. Per CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 10 October 2022, the manufacturing facility exporting fish products — including catfish fillets — must be registered with FSSAI before import is permitted, and the exporting country must have provided the facility details in the prescribed format.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: FSSAI / AQCS / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
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