Frozen
Frozen molluscs, whether in shell or not
HSN 0307 52 00 (Frozen molluscs) 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 product. Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) Sanitary Import Permit clearance applies concurrently, and consignments are permitted only through the 79 designated food-import ports with effect from 1 March 2023.
- Import Licence from FSSAI
- Sanitary Import Permit from AQCS
- Health Certificate from AQCS
Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.
- 1Confirm the foreign manufacturing facility is registered with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the high-risk food regime covering fish and fish products. The FSSAI Import Licence must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before the bill of entry is filed; imports from unregistered facilities will not be permitted out-of-charge.CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus dated 14-11-2022 · FSSAI order dated 10-10-2022
- 2Obtain the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit (document code 911DF1) prior to consignment dispatch. Quote the e-Sanchit IRN of the Sanitary Import Permit on the bill of entry for CTIs listed in Annexure A (Sl. No. 3) of CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus to secure the AQCS NOC.CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023
- 3Route 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 the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) is uploaded in e-Sanchit and that any rectifiable labelling defects are addressed under the FSSAI rectifiable-labelling regime 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
The single most common error on this tariff line is presenting a current FSSAI Import Licence without a valid AQCS Sanitary Import Permit — the two clearances are independent, and the absence of the AQCS NOC alone is sufficient grounds for port detention regardless of FSSAI status. Additionally, the 79-port restriction is a hard entry-point rule: a consignment arriving at an undesignated port cannot be redirected post-arrival without attracting demurrage and potential confiscation under the ITC (HS) policy condition.