Fish of the families Bregmacerotidae, Euclichthyidae, Gadidae, Macrouridae, Mel anonidae, Merl ucciidae, Mori dae and Muraenolepididae, other than cod ( Gadus morhua, Gadus ogac, Gadus macrocephalus)

Dried, salted or smoked fish of cod-family relatives

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0305 53 00 covers dried, salted or smoked fish of the families Bregmacerotidae, Euclichthyidae, Gadidae, Macrouridae, Melanonidae, Merlucciidae, Moridae and Muraenolepididae (excluding cod) and 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 operative from 1 March 2023.

What this is

HSN code

0305 53 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
Confirm the foreign manufacturing facility is registered with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the mandatory high-risk-food registration 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
Obtain the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit (document code 911DF1) and Health Certificate (document code 6360AQ) before 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 No. 24/2022-Cus. Also upload the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) confirming compliance with the FSSAI rectifiable-labelling regime.
CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022
3
Route the consignment exclusively through one of the 79 designated food-import ports notified under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Arrival at a non-designated port renders the consignment liable to detention; the designated-port list is annexed to CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus.
CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus dated 08-02-2023 · General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is uploading the FSSAI Import Licence (911001) while omitting the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit IRN (911DF1) — the two clearances are independent obligations and customs will not issue out-of-charge until both are present in e-Sanchit. A labelling defect that qualifies as rectifiable will not cure a missing PGA clearance; detention accrues demurrage and ground rent until the Sanitary Import Permit IRN is quoted on the bill of entry.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0305 53 00 require BIS certification?

No, dried or salted fish of these cod-family relatives falls entirely 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.

Which document codes must be uploaded in e-Sanchit at the bill of entry?

The mandatory uploads are the FSSAI Import Licence (911001), AQCS Sanitary Import Permit (911DF1), Health Certificate (6360AQ) and Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS); the Proper Officer verifies all four before granting out-of-charge per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus.

Is foreign-manufacturer registration with FSSAI required even for small-volume shipments?

Yes. The FSSAI mandatory-registration order dated 10 October 2022 and CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus apply without a minimum-volume threshold; fish products from any unregistered facility are not permitted entry regardless of shipment size.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: FSSAI / AQCS / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.