Saree
Woven cotton sarees, plain weave over 100 g/m2
HSN 5208 22 20 (Saree) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), which requires a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate certifying the absence of prohibited azo dyes for imports from most origins. Testing for azo-dye absence is exempted only for imports from EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy.
- Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from exporter
- Azo-dye test report from accredited laboratory
- ITC (HS) policy compliance from DGFT
- 1For imports from all origins except the nine exempted countries, obtain a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country certifying the absence of prohibited azo dyes. Ensure the certificate accompanies the bill of entry at the port of import.General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
- 2If importing from EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, or the United Kingdom, confirm the origin in the bill of entry to invoke the azo-dye testing exemption. Documentary proof of origin remains mandatory to substantiate the exemption claim at the bill-of-entry stage.General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
The most common error on this tariff line is assuming that any certificate of origin from an adjacent or neighbouring country qualifies for the azo-dye exemption. The exempted list is closed and exhaustive: only the nine named countries qualify, and a consignment transshipped through an exempted country from a non-exempted origin does not inherit the exemption. Absence of a valid Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from a non-exempted origin will result in consignment detention pending testing.