Access IndiaPLATFORM
Home›HSN›Chapter 03›HSN 0304 89 10

Hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha)

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

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0304 89 10 (Hilsa fish fillets and meat, Tenualosa ilisha) 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 restricted to 79 designated food-import ports with effect from 1 March 2023.

What this is
HSN code
0304 89 10
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 the foreign manufacturing facility is registered with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the high-risk-food regime before dispatch. The FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) must be uploaded in e-Sanchit at the bill of entry; consignments from unregistered facilities are not permitted 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 shipment. 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 through one of the 79 designated food-import ports per General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Upload the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) in e-Sanchit and ensure label 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 frequent error on this tariff line is treating the FSSAI Import Licence as the sole clearance and overlooking the independently issued AQCS Sanitary Import Permit — the two are parallel requirements from separate regulators, and neither substitutes for the other. A consignment arriving at a designated port with a current FSSAI licence but no AQCS NOC will be detained until the Sanitary Import Permit IRN is verified in e-Sanchit, accruing demurrage and ground rent throughout. The rectifiable-labelling concession under FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 applies only to specified label defects and does not cure a missing PGA clearance.

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 89 10 require BIS certification?
No, Hilsa fish fillets and fish meat fall outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers this product family. 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.
Which document codes must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before out-of-charge 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 to be uploaded in e-Sanchit before the customs officer grants out-of-charge.
Is the foreign-manufacturer registration with FSSAI mandatory even for small-volume Hilsa shipments?
Yes. Per CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 10 October 2022, registration of the foreign manufacturing facility with FSSAI is mandatory for all fish and fish product imports regardless of shipment volume, with no de minimis exemption specified.
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 FROZENHSNOther: