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Crabs

Crabs, live, fresh, chilled, frozen or processed

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0306 33 00 (Crabs) 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 seafood 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
0306 33 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. 1
    Confirm the foreign manufacturing facility is registered with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the mandatory foreign-manufacturer registration programme for high-risk food categories including fish and crustacean products. The FSSAI Import Licence must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before the bill of entry is filed.
    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) before consignment 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 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 exclusively through one of the 79 designated food-import ports per General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Ensure label compliance per the rectifiable-labelling regime before out-of-charge; labelling defects that are non-rectifiable will not be resolved post-clearance.
    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 treating the FSSAI Import Licence as the sole clearance requirement and overlooking the independent AQCS Sanitary Import Permit. A consignment arriving with a current FSSAI licence but without the AQCS NOC — confirmed via the 911DF1 IRN quoted at the bill of entry — will be detained at the designated port, accumulating demurrage and ground rent until the Sanitary Import Permit IRN is uploaded and verified in e-Sanchit.

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Frequently asked
Does HSN 0306 33 00 require BIS certification?
No, crabs and crustacean products are not within 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 and the 79-designated-port restriction.
Is the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit document code 911DF1 mandatory at the bill of entry for crabs?
Yes. The importer must quote the e-Sanchit IRN of the Sanitary Import Permit (document code 911DF1) issued and uploaded by AQCS on the bill of entry to obtain the NOC, per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023.
Are all ports permitted for import of crabs under HSN 0306 33 00?
No. Import of high-risk seafood products is restricted to the 79 designated food-import ports listed in the CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus Annexure, operative from 1 March 2023 under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: FSSAI / AQCS / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
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