Neither crushed nor ground

Whole vanilla pods, neither crushed nor ground

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 0905 10 00 (Vanilla, neither crushed nor ground) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence and labelling compliance under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, including the FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017. Phytosanitary clearance, a food-grade certificate, and ITC (HS) policy condition 1 of Chapter 09 administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) apply as concurrent requirements. Import is permitted only through designated food-import entry points under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022, and vanilla is ineligible for import under the Duty Free Import Authorisation scheme per DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025.

What this is

HSN code

0905 10 00

Chapter

09 · Coffee, tea, mate and spices

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017)

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Phytosanitary Certificate from exporter
Food Grade Certificate from FSSAI

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

FSSAIFSSAI·Food Safety and Standards Authority of India

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.

Compliance steps

1
Secure a current FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and ensure the consignment label complies with the FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020. Upload the Import Licence, specimen copy of label (document code 0110FS), and food-grade certificate (document code 6570FS) in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry.
CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022
2
Obtain a Phytosanitary Certificate (document code 851000) from the competent authority of the exporting country and upload it in e-Sanchit. Route the consignment exclusively through one of the designated food-import entry points under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022; diversion to a non-designated port triggers detention.
General Note 4(D) of Schedule I, ITC (HS) 2022 · ITC (HS) policy condition 1 of Chapter 09
3
Confirm that the import is not being routed under a Duty Free Import Authorisation. All spices, including vanilla, fall under Appendix 4J and are subject to a pre-import condition, rendering their import under DFIA impermissible irrespective of intended end use.
DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025

A word of counsel

The most frequently encountered error on this tariff line is attempting to import vanilla under a Duty Free Import Authorisation on the basis that it is an input for a manufactured product. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 closes that route categorically: all spices are listed in Appendix 4J with a pre-import condition, and no end-use purpose — including food processing or export manufacture — provides a carve-out. Consignments routed under DFIA are liable to confiscation and retrospective duty recovery at the bill-of-entry stage.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0905 10 00 require BIS certification?

No, whole vanilla pods are not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers spices under Chapter 09. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with ITC (HS) policy condition 1 of Chapter 09 and the designated food-import entry point restriction.

Which documents must be uploaded in e-Sanchit at the bill of entry for this tariff line?

Four documents are mandatory: FSSAI Import Licence (911001), specimen copy of label (0110FS), food-grade certificate (6570FS), and Phytosanitary Certificate (851000); all must be uploaded before customs out-of-charge per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023.

Can labelling deficiencies on vanilla consignments be rectified at the port of import?

Yes, but only within the scope defined by CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022: rectification is limited to specified information such as per-serve RDA contribution and expiry date, must be carried out at a customs bonded warehouse using a single non-detachable sticker, and cannot alter the original label.

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