How Much Gold Can A Traveller Carry Into India?

By Staff

Updated: Monday, October 21, 2019, 13:43 [IST]

Gold, has been a precious yellow metal, since ages. You, me and everyone wants to save our resources and hence we invest in gold. And not just in India bit abroad too, this trend is fast emerging.

These days we hear, a lot about, gold being seized at the airports. This often leave a question over compliance? So, let us have a look on meeting gold import requirements into the country. As a foreign return, how much gold are you allowed to bring? If not in the form of jewellery, then in terms of coins or Biscuits? How much duty free and duty to be paid? Many such questions lingers in our mind. As we know, gold is the favorite of the ladies, in terms of jewellery. The customs too favour a woman than men in terms of bringing gold. Check gold rates in your city here

Indians are very much obsessed with the yellow gold and most of the expatriates love to purchase gold during their stay abroad owing to its lower prices and high quality. However, due to severe restrictions followed by customs duty imposed by the government of India on gold imports are disheartening people from taking gold to India.

Rs 50,000 for male and Rs. 1 lakh for female passenger

An Indian male passenger is allowed to bring duty free jewellery worth Rs. 50,000 and in case of female passenger the limit is Rs. 1 lakh. The passenger has to reside abroad for a period of more than a year. Gold jewellery carried over this limit is subject to customs duty.

Weight limit capped at 1Kg/person

You can import gold bars and coins up to the limit of 1 Kg per passenger after you pay the customs duty. Any passenger of Indian origin or a passenger having valid passport can import gold as baggage. The visit from abroad can be made after six months but duration of staying in India should be more than 30 days.

Value of Gold

Whenever people bring gold to India, the value of gold will be calculated based on the price notified by the government of India. This particular value is subject to change from time to time as per the market conditions. The prices will be arrived at as per the value on the date of travel and one has to show the purchase receipt at the time of paying customs duty.

Gold bars should have certain mandatory inscriptions

Another important point to remember here is that when you bring gold bars, it should have inscribed the serial number, weight and the name of the manufacturer.

Other than that, you would be charged a percentage of duty tax depending on the gold bar you have purchased.

It does not just end there, when in India, you would have to declare your gold and pay the duty tax again. And in-case, you are carrying gold in excess than the specified limit, you may face certain charges too.

Pay custom duty for importing gold

If you bring gold bars or coins you have to pay customs duty at six percent ad valorem tax plus three percent as cess. If you bring tola bars and ornaments then the customs duty needs to be paid at 10 per cent ad valorem tax plus 3 per cent as cess. Ornaments studed with gold and pearls are excluded.

If a passenger who is arriving in India has not completed his or her six months of stay abroad then a duty of 36.05% may be charged on all the gold of the passenger when he/she arrives with.

Walk the Right Channel

You have to declare the gold on arrival in India and pay the duty. In case, you are bringing home gold jewelery in excess of your duty free limit then you must not use the green channel meant for passengers not having any dutiable products. Instead walk through the red channel as you have dutiable goods. Quantities carried in excess of this limit are seized and the person is prosecuted under Customs Act 1962.

All the gold jewellery products which are purchased in India are exempt from duty if the passenger who is exiting the home country duly declares the same and secures an export certificate at the airport customs desk.

Always declare gold?

It is important at all times that you declare gold, just in case you are carrying excess then the stipulated amount.

Also, make sure that you are updated with the latest norms of imports and changes in regulations.

Do check daily updated gold rates here

Can children carry gold in flight?

If you are planning to return India from aboard your children can carry gold in flight but they have to stay abroad for one year or more than one year.

Can I bring Gold Coins or Gold Biscuit within the Allowance Limit?

We can carry gold in form of jewellery but not in a form of coins and biscuits and what if you stay in abroad less than 1 year? In that case the customs duty charged wiil be 10.3 Percent. If you stay for 6 months and if you stay less than 6 months, you would be charged 36.05 per cent duty.