Octopus

Prepared or preserved octopus, molluscs aquatic invertebrates

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 1605 55 00 (Octopus, prepared or preserved) 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 fish and aquatic-product category. Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) Sanitary Import Permit clearance applies concurrently, and consignments are permitted only through 79 designated food-import ports with effect from 1 March 2023.

What this is

HSN code

1605 55 00

Chapter

16 · Preparations of meat, fish or crustaceans, molluscs or 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 (document code 911001) must be uploaded in e-Sanchit at the bill of entry; consignments from unregistered facilities will not receive 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) and Health Certificate (document code 6360AQ) before dispatch. Quote the e-Sanchit IRN of the Sanitary Import Permit on the bill of entry to obtain the AQCS NOC for CTIs listed in Annexure A (Sl. No. 3) of Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022.
CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022
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. Upload the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) and ensure compliance with the 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 presenting a current FSSAI Import Licence without a corresponding AQCS Sanitary Import Permit IRN quoted at the bill of entry. These are independent clearances: FSSAI covers food-safety compliance while AQCS governs the animal-origin overlay, and customs out-of-charge requires both document codes — 911001 and 911DF1 — to be uploaded in e-Sanchit before the proper officer can act. A missing Sanitary Import Permit IRN results in consignment detention at the designated port regardless of FSSAI status.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 1605 55 00 require BIS certification?

No, prepared or preserved octopus falls outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers this product family. 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.

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

Four documents are mandatory: FSSAI Import Licence (911001), AQCS Sanitary Import Permit (911DF1), Health Certificate (6360AQ), and Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS), all per the PGA-facilitated-bills verification requirement in the CCR.

Is the foreign-manufacturer registration with FSSAI mandatory for prepared octopus, and what happens if the facility is not yet registered?

Yes — fish and aquatic-product preparations are within the mandatory foreign-manufacturer registration categories per CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 10 October 2022; import from an unregistered facility is not permitted and the consignment is liable to detention or re-export.

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