Whole squids

Frozen whole squids, molluscs

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0307 43 20 (Frozen whole squids) 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. Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) Sanitary Import Permit clearance applies as a concurrent overlay, and consignments are permitted only through 79 designated food-import ports operative from 1 March 2023.

What this is

HSN code

0307 43 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 regime before shipment. The FSSAI Import Licence must be uploaded in e-Sanchit at the bill of entry; imports of fish and mollusc products from unregistered facilities are not permitted.
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 quote its e-Sanchit IRN on the bill of entry to secure the AQCS NOC. The Sanitary Import Permit is listed under Annexure A (Sl. No. 3) of Circular 24/2022-Cus and is independent of the FSSAI food-safety clearance.
CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023
3
Route the consignment only through one of the 79 designated food-import ports per General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022, and ensure the Specimen Copy of Label satisfies FSSAI rectifiable-labelling requirements before out-of-charge.
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 sufficient while overlooking the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit — a separate clearance tied to the animal-origin status of the product. A consignment arriving at a designated port with a current FSSAI licence but no AQCS NOC is detained until the 911DF1 IRN is uploaded, attracting demurrage and ground rent at the port. The rectifiable-labelling concession applies only to labelling deficiencies, not to a missing PGA clearance.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0307 43 20 require BIS certification?

No, frozen whole squids fall 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 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 permitted for importing frozen whole squids under this tariff line?

Import is restricted to the 79 designated food-import ports listed in the Annexure to CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus, in compliance with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022; consignments arriving at non-designated ports are liable to detention and re-export.

Is foreign-manufacturer registration with FSSAI mandatory even for a one-time import of frozen squids?

Yes. Per CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 10 October 2022, every manufacturing facility exporting fish and mollusc products to India must be registered with FSSAI before the import is permitted, with no exemption for one-time or low-volume shipments.

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