Sea urchins

Prepared or preserved sea urchins, aquatic invertebrates

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 1605 62 00 (Sea urchins, 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 aquatic invertebrate product. Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) Sanitary Import Permit clearance applies concurrently, and consignments are admitted only through 79 designated food-import ports with effect from 1 March 2023.

What this is

HSN code

1605 62 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 that the foreign manufacturing facility is registered with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the high-risk-food foreign-manufacturer registration scheme before placing the purchase order. The FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) must be current and uploaded in e-Sanchit prior to filing the bill of entry.
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 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; also upload the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS).
CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 under F.No.Import/TFM/Apex/2022-FSSAI
3
Route the consignment exclusively through one of the 79 designated food-import ports notified under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Ensure label compliance with the FSSAI rectifiable-labelling regime before out-of-charge; non-rectifiable labelling defects are grounds for detention.
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 error most frequently encountered on this tariff line is arriving at a non-designated port with all FSSAI and AQCS documents in order — a procedural breach that cannot be remedied post-arrival and results in consignment detention, accruing demurrage and ground rent, until re-export or confiscation proceedings commence. Confirm the port of discharge against the 79-port Annexure of CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus before the vessel departs the country of origin; port corrections after loading are not permitted under the designated-port regime.

Need a regulatory steer on this product?

Speak to a regulatory counsel about your specific HSN, IS, and supplier situation.

Speak to an Expert

Frequently asked

Does HSN 1605 62 00 require BIS certification?

No. Prepared or preserved sea urchins fall 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 AQCS Sanitary Import Permit requirement and the 79-designated-port restriction.

Is the foreign-manufacturer registration with FSSAI mandatory, and which document code is used at the bill of entry?

Yes. Per CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 10 October 2022, the exporting facility must be registered with FSSAI before the shipment departs; the FSSAI Import Licence is uploaded in e-Sanchit under document code 911001.

What happens if the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit IRN is not quoted on the bill of entry?

Customs will withhold out-of-charge; the consignment is held at the designated port until the 911DF1 IRN generated in e-Sanchit by AQCS is quoted, and continued detention attracts demurrage and ground-rent liability for the importer.

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