Other

Dried, salted, brined or smoked fish, other species

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE · +1 OTHER PGAS

HSN 0305 69 90 (dried, salted, brined or smoked fish — other species) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence and foreign-manufacturer registration under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, as a high-risk fish product. Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) Sanitary Import Permit clearance and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) CITES certification apply as concurrent overlays, and consignments are permitted only through 79 designated food-import ports effective 1 March 2023.

What this is

HSN code

0305 69 90

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
CITES Certificate from WCCB

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

FSSAIFSSAI·Food Safety and Standards Authority of India

AQCSAQCS·Animal Quarantine and Certification Services

WCCBWCCB·Wildlife Crime Control Bureau

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-food (fish products) regime before dispatch. Upload the FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) in e-Sanchit before 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 consignment dispatch. Quote the e-Sanchit IRN of the Sanitary Import Permit on the bill of entry for CTIs listed in Annexure A (Sl. No. 3) of CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus to obtain the AQCS NOC.
CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023
3
Where the species is listed under CITES, upload the CITES Certificate (document code 626000) issued by WCCB in e-Sanchit before out-of-charge. 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.
CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus dated 08-02-2023 · General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of ITC (HS) 2022

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is failing to account for the WCCB CITES overlay on top of the FSSAI and AQCS clearances — importers who secure the food-safety and sanitary documents but neglect to verify CITES listing status of the subject species face consignment detention at the designated port until the CITES Certificate (document code 626000) is uploaded in e-Sanchit. CITES applicability must be verified against the species at the purchase-order stage, not at port; a corrective approach after vessel departure cannot prevent detention, demurrage, and ground rent accrual.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0305 69 90 require BIS certification?

No, dried, salted, brined or smoked fish falls 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 concurrent Animal Quarantine and Certification Services and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau clearances and a 79-designated-port restriction.

Is the WCCB CITES Certificate required for all fish under this HSN?

The CITES Certificate (document code 626000) is required where the species is listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species; importers must verify the CITES listing status of the specific species before placing the purchase order, as the document must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before out-of-charge.

What happens if the foreign manufacturing facility is not registered with FSSAI at the time of import?

Import of fish products from an unregistered foreign facility is not permitted under the FSSAI high-risk-food regime; the consignment is liable to detention at the designated port, with demurrage and ground rent accruing until either registration is confirmed or the consignment is re-exported.

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