Squid

Live, fresh or chilled squid (molluscs)

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0307 42 20 (Squid) 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 and 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

0307 42 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-food foreign-manufacturer registration scheme before shipment. Upload the FSSAI Import Licence in e-Sanchit at the bill of entry stage; consignments from unregistered facilities will not be granted out-of-charge.
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) prior to dispatch and upload it in e-Sanchit. Quote the corresponding IRN on the bill of entry to obtain the AQCS NOC; this CTI is 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 per General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Ensure import labels comply with the FSSAI rectifiable-labelling regime; non-rectifiable labelling defects are grounds for detention and do not benefit from the rectifiable-defect relaxation.
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 frequent error on this tariff line is treating FSSAI clearance as the sole PGA gate and filing the bill of entry without the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit IRN. The AQCS clearance is independent of the FSSAI food-safety licence — both must be uploaded in e-Sanchit and both IRNs quoted — and a consignment arriving at a designated port with one clearance absent will be detained pending the missing document, accumulating demurrage for the full duration of the delay.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0307 42 20 require BIS certification?

No, live, fresh and chilled squid 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 requirement and the 79-designated-port restriction operative from 1 March 2023.

Which ports are authorised for import of this tariff line?

Import is restricted to the 79 designated food-import ports listed in the Annexure to CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus dated 08-02-2023, as mandated under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022; arrival at any non-designated port triggers detention.

Is foreign-manufacturer registration with FSSAI mandatory even for a single trial shipment?

Yes. The FSSAI order dated 10 October 2022 and CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus apply without a trial-shipment exemption; the exporting facility must appear on the registered-manufacturer list before any consignment of fish and seafood products — including squid — can be granted out-of-charge.

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