Gin

Imported gin and Geneva spirituous beverages

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 2208 50 11 (Gin) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence requirements under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, including compliance with FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017 and FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020. State-government mandatory requirements under General Note 12 of the ITC (HS) Schedule and designated food-import port restrictions under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022 apply as additional clearance conditions administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).

What this is

HSN code

2208 50 11

Chapter

22 · Beverages, spirits and vinegar

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (food-import and labelling regime)

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Specimen copy of label from FSSAI
Compliance documentation from State government

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
Obtain a current FSSAI Import Licence and ensure the Specimen Copy of Label is prepared in accordance with FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020. Both documents — Import Licence (document code 911001) and Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) — must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before the bill of entry is filed and out-of-charge granted.
FSSAI Import Licence · document codes 911001 and 0110FS · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023
2
Verify that state-government mandatory requirements applicable to alcoholic beverages under General Note 12 of the ITC (HS) Schedule are met before filing the bill of entry. Route the consignment only through a designated food-import entry point under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022; diversion to an undesignated port results in consignment detention.
General Note 12 of the ITC (HS) Schedule · General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of ITC (HS) 2022
3
Confirm the validity status of the FSSAI NOC covering alcoholic beverages bottled in origin and in bulk, in accordance with the extended-validity provisions notified under CBIC Instruction 19/2025-Cus dated 20-06-2025 and FSSAI Order F.No.TIC-b05/1/2021-Imports-FSSAI dated 13-06-2025. An expired NOC renders the consignment ineligible for out-of-charge, irrespective of other documentation being current.
CBIC Instruction 19/2025-Cus dated 20-06-2025 · FSSAI Order F.No.TIC-b05/1/2021-Imports-FSSAI dated 13-06-2025

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating FSSAI clearance as the only gate and overlooking the parallel state-government compliance requirement under General Note 12 — a consignment may clear FSSAI and CBIC scrutiny and yet be detained or refused sale in the destination state for non-compliance with local excise laws or labelling mandates. Additionally, the NOC validity extension for alcoholic beverages bottled in origin and in bulk operates under a separate FSSAI order; importers whose NOCs were issued under the prior regime should verify extension eligibility under FSSAI Order dated 13-06-2025 before dispatch.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 2208 50 11 require BIS certification?

No, gin and Geneva spirituous beverages are not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers alcoholic spirits. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with state-government compliance requirements under General Note 12 of the ITC (HS) Schedule.

Which document codes must be uploaded in e-Sanchit for gin imports at the bill of entry?

The FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) are both mandatory uploads in e-Sanchit before customs out-of-charge, per CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs and CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus.

What is the current position on FSSAI NOC validity for alcoholic beverages bottled in origin?

CBIC Instruction 19/2025-Cus dated 20-06-2025, read with FSSAI Order F.No.TIC-b05/1/2021-Imports-FSSAI dated 13-06-2025, provides for an extension of NOC validity for alcoholic beverages bottled in origin and in bulk; importers should confirm eligibility under that order before shipment.

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