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Nile Perch (Lates niloticus)

Fresh, chilled or frozen Nile Perch fillets (Lates niloticus)

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0304 63 00 (Nile Perch 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 permitted only through 79 designated food-import ports with effect from 1 March 2023.

What this is
HSN code
0304 63 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 that the foreign manufacturing facility is registered with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the high-risk-food regime covering fish and fish products. The FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before the bill of entry is filed; consignments from unregistered facilities will not receive out-of-charge.
    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 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 ITC (HS) 2022. Upload the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) and ensure label compliance with the FSSAI rectifiable-labelling regime before claiming 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 the FSSAI Import Licence as the sole clearance document and overlooking the independent AQCS Sanitary Import Permit. A current FSSAI licence does not substitute for the AQCS NOC; consignments arriving at a designated port without a valid 911DF1 IRN quoted on the bill of entry are detained, attracting demurrage and ground rent until the AQCS clearance is regularised. The rectifiable-labelling pathway applies to label defects only and cannot cure a missing PGA clearance.

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Frequently asked
Does HSN 0304 63 00 require BIS certification?
No, Nile Perch fillets 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 requirement and the 79-designated-port restriction operative from 1 March 2023.
Which document codes must be uploaded in e-Sanchit at the bill of entry for this tariff line?
Four documents are mandatory: FSSAI Import Licence (911001), Sanitary Import Permit (911DF1), Health Certificate (6360AQ), and Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS); all must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before the proper officer grants out-of-charge.
Is foreign-manufacturer registration with FSSAI mandatory for Nile Perch fillet exporters?
Yes. Per CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 10 October 2022, every overseas facility manufacturing fish products for export to India must be registered with FSSAI; imports from unregistered facilities are not permitted at any of the 79 designated ports.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: FSSAI / AQCS / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
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