Other

Aquatic invertebrates other than jellyfish, fit for human consumption

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0308 30 90 (Other aquatic invertebrates under the Jellyfish subheading) 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 concurrently, and consignments are permitted only through 79 designated food-import ports effective 1 March 2023.

What this is

HSN code

0308 30 90

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 mandatory high-risk-food regime before shipment. The FSSAI Import Licence must be uploaded in e-Sanchit at the bill of entry; 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 consignment dispatch and quote the e-Sanchit IRN of that permit on the bill of entry to secure the AQCS NOC, as required 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
Route the consignment exclusively through one of the 79 designated food-import ports under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Ensure the Specimen Copy of Label is uploaded in e-Sanchit and that any rectifiable labelling deficiencies are addressed per CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus 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 assuming that FSSAI Import Licence clearance alone is sufficient for out-of-charge. The AQCS Sanitary Import Permit (document code 911DF1) is an independent concurrent requirement — its e-Sanchit IRN must be quoted on the bill of entry before the AQCS NOC is issued; a missing IRN detains the consignment regardless of a current FSSAI licence. Rectifiable labelling deficiencies are curable under the FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022, but a missing PGA clearance is not.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0308 30 90 require BIS certification?

No, aquatic invertebrates under this tariff line 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 and the 79-designated-port restriction operative from 1 March 2023.

Which ports are designated for import of this product and when did the restriction take effect?

Import is permitted only through the 79 designated food-import ports listed in the Annexure to CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus, effective 1 March 2023, in compliance with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022.

Is foreign-manufacturer registration with FSSAI mandatory for this HSN?

Yes. Per CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 10 October 2022, manufacturing facilities exporting fish and aquatic-invertebrate products to India must be registered with FSSAI before import is permitted; consignments from unregistered facilities are liable to detention and re-export.

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