Blue 16 (victoria Blue B)

Basic dye Victoria Blue B (Blue 16) synthetic organic

CBIC CLEARANCE

HSN 3204 13 52 (Blue 16, Victoria Blue B) is subject to mandatory additional qualifiers in import declarations administered by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) under CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus dated 30-09-2023, operative from 15 October 2023. The qualifier requirements apply to all commodities under Chapter 32 at the bill-of-entry stage and must be satisfied before out-of-charge.

What this is

HSN code

3204 13 52

Chapter

32 · Tanning or dyeing extracts; tannins and their derivatives; dyes, pigments, paints and varnishes

Primary regulator

CBIC · CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus dated 30-09-2023 (Chapter 32 mandatory qualifiers)

Customs documentation

Chapter 32 qualifiers from CBIC
Import declaration from CBIC

Compliance steps

1
Ensure the import declaration for this consignment includes all mandatory additional qualifiers for Chapter 32 commodities as stipulated in paragraphs 4.1 and 4.2 of CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus. Non-compliance with qualifier requirements results in consignment detention and delays in out-of-charge.
CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus dated 30-09-2023, Para 4.1 and 4.2, effective 15-10-2023
2
Confirm that the bill of entry accurately describes the chemical identity of Blue 16 (Victoria Blue B) in line with the Chapter 32 qualifier framework. Declarations covering Chapter 28, 29, 32, 39 and CTH 3808 commodities are subject to enhanced verification under the same circular.
CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus dated 30-09-2023

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is filing the bill of entry with a generic product description and omitting the chemical-identity qualifiers mandated under paragraphs 4.1 and 4.2 of CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus. Because the qualifier requirement spans Chapters 28, 29, 32, 39 and CTH 3808, importers familiar with those adjacent chapters sometimes assume compliance carries over — it does not; each bill of entry must independently satisfy the Chapter 32 qualifier fields or face detention at the port of import.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 3204 13 52 require BIS certification?

No, Victoria Blue B (Blue 16) is not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the mandatory additional qualifier requirements under CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus dated 30-09-2023, applicable to Chapter 32 commodities at the bill-of-entry stage.

From which date are the Chapter 32 qualifier requirements mandatory for this HSN?

The mandatory additional qualifiers under CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus are operative with effect from 15 October 2023 and apply to all import declarations for commodities under Chapter 32, including HSN 3204 13 52.

Do the CBIC qualifier requirements apply only to Chapter 32 or to other chapters as well?

CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus extends the mandatory qualifier obligation to commodities under Chapters 28, 29, 32 and 39 and CTH 3808; an importer of Victoria Blue B must satisfy the Chapter 32 qualifier fields specifically, as the other chapters' qualifier sets do not substitute for Chapter 32 compliance.

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