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Other aquatic invertebrates, live, fresh, chilled or processed

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0308 90 00 (Other aquatic invertebrates) 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 restricted to 79 designated food-import ports effective 1 March 2023.

What this is
HSN code
0308 90 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. 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; consignments from unregistered facilities are not permitted entry.
    CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus dated 14-11-2022 · FSSAI order dated 10-10-2022
  2. 2
    Obtain the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit (document code 911DF1) before dispatch and quote its e-Sanchit IRN on the bill of entry to secure the AQCS NOC for the CTIs listed in Annexure A (Sl. No. 3) of CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus. The accompanying Health Certificate must also be uploaded in e-Sanchit.
    CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023
  3. 3
    Route the consignment through one of the 79 designated food-import ports per General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Upload the Specimen Copy of Label in e-Sanchit and ensure compliance with 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
A word of counsel

The single most common failure on this tariff line is treating the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit as a formality subordinate to the FSSAI licence — it is an independent clearance and the IRN must be quoted separately on the bill of entry. A consignment that arrives with a current FSSAI licence but without the 911DF1 IRN uploaded in e-Sanchit will be detained at the designated port; rectifiable-labelling relief under the FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022 does not cure a missing AQCS clearance.

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Frequently asked
Does HSN 0308 90 00 require BIS certification?
No, aquatic invertebrates other than crustaceans and 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 restriction to 79 designated food-import ports.
Which ports are permitted for importing goods under this tariff line?
Only the 79 designated food-import ports listed in the Annexure to CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus are permitted, effective 1 March 2023, per General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022.
Is foreign-manufacturer registration with FSSAI mandatory for aquatic invertebrate products?
Yes. Per CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 10 October 2022, the overseas facility producing fish and aquatic-product categories for export 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.
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