Other

Other synthetic organic colouring matter, dye mixtures

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 3204 19 89 (Other synthetic organic colouring matter) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence controls and designated food-import port restrictions under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, where the colouring matter falls within a food-use category. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) administers the ITC (HS) policy overlay, and Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) Circular 23/2023-Cus mandates additional Chapter 32 qualifiers in import declarations with effect from 15 October 2023.

What this is

HSN code

3204 19 89

Chapter

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

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Specimen copy of label from FSSAI
Chapter 32 qualifiers from CBIC

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
Upload the FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and a Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry. Customs out-of-charge will not be granted until both documents are verified as present in e-Sanchit for PGA-facilitated bills.
CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 under F.No.Import/TFM/Apex/2022-FSSAI
2
Include mandatory additional qualifiers in the import declaration for this Chapter 32 commodity as stipulated in Paragraphs 4.1 and 4.2 of CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus. This requirement applies to all import declarations filed on or after 15 October 2023 and non-compliance renders the bill of entry deficient.
CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus dated 30-09-2023
3
Route the consignment through a designated food-import entry point and confirm compliance with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Any rectifiable labelling deficiency must be remedied at a customs bonded warehouse by affixing a single non-detachable sticker next to the principal display panel before authorised-officer inspection.
General Note 4(D) of ITC (HS) Schedule I · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating HSN 3204 19 89 as a purely industrial chemical entry and omitting the FSSAI Import Licence on the ground that the colouring matter is not a finished food product. Where the substance is imported for food-contact or food-colouring use, FSSAI jurisdiction attaches at the point of import — not at the point of sale — and consignments without a current FSSAI licence and a compliant label specimen are detained pending rectification, accruing demurrage and ground rent during that period.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 3204 19 89 require BIS certification?

No, synthetic organic colouring matter under this tariff line is not covered by any BIS Quality Control Order. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, alongside the Chapter 32 mandatory qualifier requirement under CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus.

Which document codes must be uploaded in e-Sanchit for this HSN?

The FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) are mandatory; both must be present in e-Sanchit before out-of-charge is granted, as confirmed by CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023.

Can labelling deficiencies be corrected after arrival in India?

Yes, but only for the specific categories of rectifiable labelling information listed under CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus and the FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022 — correction must be carried out at a customs bonded warehouse before inspection, using a single non-detachable sticker that does not alter the original label.

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