Live, fresh or chilled

Live, fresh or chilled oysters (molluscs in shell)

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0307 11 00 (Live, fresh or chilled oysters) 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 food category. Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) Sanitary Import Permit clearance applies as a concurrent regulatory overlay, and consignments are permitted only through 79 designated food-import ports effective 1 March 2023.

What this is

HSN code

0307 11 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 high-risk-food regime before the shipment is dispatched. 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 dispatch and quote its e-Sanchit IRN on the bill of entry to obtain the AQCS NOC. The Sanitary Import Permit is issued and uploaded by AQCS for molluscs 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
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, with effect from 1 March 2023. Ensure labels comply with the FSSAI rectifiable-labelling regime before out-of-charge; non-rectifiable defects trigger consignment 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 treating FSSAI Import Licence compliance as the complete clearance and overlooking that the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit is an independent, concurrent obligation — not a subordinate step. A consignment arriving at a designated port with a current FSSAI licence but without the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit IRN quoted on the bill of entry will be detained pending NOC, accruing demurrage and ground rent; the rectifiable-labelling window does not extend to a missing animal-quarantine clearance.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0307 11 00 require BIS certification?

No, live and fresh molluscs are 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 requirement and a 79-designated-port restriction operative from 1 March 2023.

Which ports are authorised for import of live and fresh oysters under this tariff line?

Import is permitted only through the 79 designated food-import ports listed in the Annexure to CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus dated 08-02-2023, consistent with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022; arrival at any non-designated port renders the consignment liable to detention.

Is foreign-manufacturer registration with FSSAI mandatory for mollusc exporters?

Yes. Per CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 10 October 2022, facilities exporting fish and aquatic products — including live or fresh molluscs — to India must be registered with FSSAI before the import is permitted.

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