Seer without head

Dried, salted or smoked seer fish without head

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0305 59 20 (Seer without head) 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

0305 59 20

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 high-risk fish-product regime before shipment. The FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and a Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) must both 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
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 24/2022-Cus.
CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 under F.No.Import/TFM/Apex/2022-FSSAI
3
Route the consignment exclusively through one of the 79 designated food-import ports under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Verify label compliance under the FSSAI rectifiable-labelling regime before out-of-charge; non-rectifiable defects render the consignment liable to detention.
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 arriving at a non-designated port in the belief that dried or salted fish is subject to a lighter regime than fresh fish. Dried and salted seer fish remains classified as a high-risk fish product under the FSSAI-AQCS dual-clearance framework, and the 79-port restriction applies with equal force — a consignment diverted to an undesignated port is detained regardless of the currency of the FSSAI licence or AQCS permit. Secure both PGA clearances and confirm the port of discharge before vessel departure.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0305 59 20 require BIS certification?

No, dried and salted seer fish falls 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 Animal Quarantine and Certification Services Sanitary Import Permit requirement and a 79-designated-port restriction.

Which documents must be uploaded in e-Sanchit for this tariff line?

Four documents are mandatory: FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001), Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS), AQCS Sanitary Import Permit (document code 911DF1), and Health Certificate (document code 6360AQ) — all must be uploaded before customs out-of-charge.

Is the foreign-manufacturer registration with FSSAI mandatory for seer fish imports?

Yes. Per CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 10 October 2022, the overseas facility processing fish products for export to India must be registered with FSSAI; consignments from unregistered facilities are not permitted clearance.

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