Other

Dried, salted, brined or smoked fish, other species

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0305 79 00 (other dried, salted, brined or smoked fish) 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, as a high-risk fish product. Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) Sanitary Import Permit clearance applies concurrently, and consignments are permitted only through 79 designated food-import ports with effect from 1 March 2023.

What this is

HSN code

0305 79 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 scheme before shipment. The FSSAI Import Licence 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
Obtain the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit (document code 911DF1) before consignment dispatch and quote the e-Sanchit IRN of that 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. Upload the Specimen Copy of Label and confirm rectifiable-labelling compliance under CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus before out-of-charge.
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 · FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022
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 and re-export; the port restriction applies regardless of whether all FSSAI and AQCS documents are in order.
CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus dated 08-02-2023 · General Note 4(D) of Schedule I, ITC (HS) 2022

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is presenting a current FSSAI Import Licence while the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit IRN has not been uploaded in e-Sanchit — these are independent clearances and customs will not issue out-of-charge until both are verified. Rectifiable labelling defects are separately governed by the FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 and CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus; a labelling defect does not excuse a missing PGA clearance, and consignment detention at the designated port accrues demurrage and ground rent independently of any labelling rectification timeline.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0305 79 00 require BIS certification?

No, dried, salted, brined or smoked fish is 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 and the 79-designated-port restriction operative from 1 March 2023.

Is the foreign-manufacturer registration with FSSAI mandatory for this tariff line?

Yes. Per CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 10 October 2022, any facility exporting fish products — including dried, salted or smoked fish — to India must be registered with FSSAI before the import is permitted.

What happens if the consignment arrives at a port not on the 79-port designated list?

The consignment is subject to detention and re-export; the port restriction under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022 applies absolutely and is not waived by the presence of valid FSSAI or AQCS clearances.

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