Printed

Printed woven fabrics of artificial staple fibres

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5516 44 00 (Printed woven fabrics of artificial staple fibres) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), which mandates a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate (PSIC) from an accredited laboratory certifying the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy.

What this is

HSN code

5516 44 00

Chapter

55 · Man-made staple fibres

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, General Note 10 — hazardous azo-dye compliance, Chapter 55

Customs documentation

Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from accredited lab
Test report from Textile Committee or CSRTI
Azo-dye exemption 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 (TC) or Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute (CSRTI) laboratory, confirming the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes before the bill of entry is filed.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
2
If the consignment originates from EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, or the United Kingdom, the azo-dye testing requirement is exempted for that specific parameter only; all other PSIC requirements under General Note 10 remain in force and the certificate must still accompany the consignment.
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 exemption for listed countries waives the PSIC requirement entirely. The exemption applies only to azo-dye testing; the PSIC for other prohibited hazardous dye parameters is still mandatory for all origins, including the nine exempt countries. Consignments arriving without a valid PSIC or test report are detained at the port of import pending compliance, attracting demurrage and ground rent.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5516 44 00 require BIS certification?

No, printed woven fabrics of artificial staple fibres are not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the ITC (HS) policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, principally through the Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement under General Note 10.

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

Imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom are exempt from azo-dye testing only; the PSIC for other hazardous dye parameters remains mandatory for all origins per DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023.

Is a test report from a Textile Committee laboratory an acceptable substitute for a PSIC from an accredited foreign lab?

Yes. A valid test report from a Textile Committee (TC) or CSRTI laboratory is accepted as an alternative to a PSIC from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy.

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