Bleached

Bleached woven fabrics of artificial staple fibres

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5516 41 20 (Bleached woven fabrics of artificial staple fibres) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). Import of textile and textile articles requires a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate confirming absence of prohibited azo dyes, with a country-specific testing exemption applying under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy.

What this is

HSN code

5516 41 20

Chapter

55 · Man-made staple fibres

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, Chapter 55 (General Note 10 — azo dyes)

Customs documentation

Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from exporter
Azo-dye test report from accredited laboratory
ITC (HS) policy declaration from DGFT

Compliance steps

1
Obtain a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country, or a valid test report from a Textile Committee or CSRTI laboratory, certifying the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes. This requirement applies to all origins except the exempted countries listed under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
2
If the consignment originates from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, or the United Kingdom, the azo-dye testing requirement is waived; document the origin clearly on the bill of entry to invoke the exemption under General Note 10.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is assuming the azo-dye testing exemption applies universally once any exempted-country supplier is involved. The exemption is strictly origin-specific: if the fabric is manufactured in a non-exempted country and merely transshipped through an exempted country, the test certificate remains mandatory. Presenting a certificate of origin from an exempted country without a matching Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from a non-exempted manufacturing origin will result in consignment detention at the port of import.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5516 41 20 require BIS certification?

No, bleached woven fabrics of artificial staple fibres fall outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the ITC (HS) policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, with a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement for azo-dye absence under General Note 10.

Which countries are exempt from azo-dye testing for this tariff line?

Per DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023, the azo-dye testing exemption applies to imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom only; all other origins must furnish a valid test certificate.

What happens if a consignment arrives without the required azo-dye test certificate?

Absence of the mandatory Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate or accredited test report renders the consignment non-compliant under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy, exposing it to detention at the port of import and potential re-export or confiscation under Customs Act, 1962 enforcement.

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