| 1 | 
TV |
How much customs duty on importing a TV?
* Customs Duty of 35% + Education cess of 3% is charged which means that the effective rate is 36.05%.
* For transfer of residence cases, concessional Customs Duty of 15% + Educational Cess of 3% is applicable. |
| 2 | 
Laptop
|
How many laptops are allowed duty free? How much duty on extra laptops?
* One laptop/notebook computer is also allowed duty free if imported by a passenger of age 18 years & above
* If you already carried one office/personal laptop while departing from India, then duty will be charged if you get a
second laptop while arriving back to India.
* Customs duty on second laptop is 35% + 3% Education cess which means that the effective rate is 36.05%. |
| 3 | 
Jewellery
|
How much customs duty on jewellery?
Q) While departing from India, how much jewellery can I carry?
* Indians can carry jewellery free of duty and there is no limit on quantum of jewellery one can carry but you have
to declare the jewellery at the customs & get it evaluated.
* While leaving India, passengers should carry an export certificate from the Custom Authorities for the jewellery.
Q) While arriving to India, how much foreign jewellery can I carry?
* A male passenger can bring jewellery worth Rs. 50,000 and the upper limit for women is Rs. 1 lakh.
* Indian residents or foreigners residing in India can bring back jewellery free of duty which they had declared at
the Indian customs at the time of departure from India.
1. Gold Custom Duty Rates:
* In 2012, duty hiked to '2% of gold value'. Earlier it was 'Rs. 300 per 10 gms + 3% Education Cess'.
2. Silver Custom Duty Rates:
* In 2012, duty hiked to '6% of silver value'. Earlier it was 'Rs. 1500 per Kg + 3% Education Cess'. |
| 4 | 
Alcohol / Cigarettes |
How much customs duty on importing alcohol/cigarettes?
1. Duty Free Allowance:
* Alcohol: Passengers can bring upto 2 litres of alcohol/ wines.
* Cigarettes: 200 Cigarettes or 50 Cigars.
2. Customs Duty on Excess Alcohol/ Cigarette Products:
* Whisky: Basic Customs Duty of 150% + Additional Customs Duty of 4% + 3% Education cess.
* Wines and Beer: Basic Customs Duty of 100% + 3% Education cess.
* Cigarettes: Basic Customs Duty of 100%+ 3% Education cess. |
| 5 | 
Medicines |
How much customs duty on medicines?
* Most life saving drugs and medicines are free of any custom duty.
* No difficulty in custom clearance in case the passenger has required prescriptions & Doctors certificate.
* Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic substances are prohibited & anyone found carrying these is liable to
prosecution/penalty. |
| 6 | 
Cash |
How much cash can one carry when travelling into or outside India?
Q) While departing from India, how much cash can I carry?
* Rupees: Indian residents when going abroad can carry cash not exceeding Rs. 7500. For details: Click here
* Foreign Currency: Indian residents when going abroad can carry foreign currency without any limit.
* Tourists are allowed to carry currency equivalent to US $ 10,000 or less without any declaration.
Q) Coming back to India, how much foreign currency can I bring back?
* Passenger can bring into India foreign currency without any limit. But declaration of the foreign currency is
required to the Indian Custom Authorities on Currency Declaration Form (CDF) in the following cases:
a) If currency notes exceed US $ 5000.
b) If total value of foreign exchange (currency notes, bank notes, traveler cheques) exceeds US $ 10,000. |
| 7 | 
Customs Duty Rates |
What are the customs duty rates when entering into India?
* General rate of customs duty for items imported in excess of the permissible free allowance is 35% + Education
Cess of 3% (Effective rate 36.05%) is charged.
* Incase the value of 1 item exceeds duty free allowance, duty is calculated only on the excess of such amount.
* Gold/Silver have a different customs duty structure (see Jewellery section on this page)
* Alcohol/cigarettes have a different higher duty structure (see below).
* For people returning after 365 days abroad or for Transfer of Residence cases, concessional customs duty
rates of 15% + Educational cess of 3% is charged.
To verify/ view details: Click here |
| 8 | 
Duty Free Allowances
(Coming into India) |
What are the duty free allowances for passengers coming into India?
For all passengers coming from any country (except Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar or China), duty free allowance is:
* Rs. 12,000, if stay abroad is for upto 3 days.
* Rs. 25,000, if stay abroad is for more than 3 days.
For passengers coming from Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar or China by air, duty free allowance is:
* Nil, if stay abroad is for upto 3 days.
* Rs. 6,000, if stay abroad is for more than 3 days.
Free allowance is not applicable to the following:
* Fire arms/cartridges.
* Cigarettes exceeding 200 or cigars exceeding 50 or tobacco exceeding 250 gms.
* Alcoholic liquor or wines in excess of 2 litres.
* Gold or silver, in any form, other than ornaments.
One laptop/notebook computer over and above the said free allowances mentioned above is also allowed duty
free if imported by any adult passenger.
To verify/ view details: Click here
|
| 9 | 
Transfer of Residence |
What is the duty free allowance for 'transfer of residence' cases:
1. Duty Free Allowance for transfer of residence is:
* Rs. 75,000 per person if person was working abroad and is returning to India on termination of such work after
staying abroad for at least 365 days during the two years immediately preceding the date of arrival in India.
* Rs. 5 Lakhs if person was residing abroad for a minimum period of 2 years immediately preceding the transfer
of residence and has not availed this concession in the preceding 3 years.
2. Concessional Customs Duty rates of 15% + 3% educational cess on the following items:
* Colour TV, Digital Video Disc Player, Video Home Theatre System/ Music System.
* Dish Washer, Air-Conditioner, Deep Freezer, Microwave Oven, Video camera/ products.
* Domestic refrigerators of capacity above 300 litres or its equivalent.
* Gold or Silver, in any form, other than ornaments.
3. No customs duty on following items:
* VCR, Washing Machine, Electrical Gas Cooking Range.
* Personal/Laptop Computer.
* Domestic Refrigerators upto 300 litres. |
| 10 | 
Green and Red Channels |
Green and Red channel details:
For passengers arriving at international airports in India, customs have 2 channels through which they can exit:
1. GREEN Channel:
* Passengers who have nothing to declare, carrying duty free goods OR dutiable goods within the prescribed
free allowance can walk through Green Channel.
* While passing through Green Channel, passengers are not obliged to pay custom duties on goods.
* Passengers passing through green channel may be randomly asked to stop for spot checks of their luggage.
* If passengers passing through green channel are found to have goods exceeding the custom limits or carrying
prohibited items, then they are liable to prosecution /penalty or confiscation of goods.
* Passengers can pass through on the basis of their Declaration on their Disembarkation/Arrival Card.
2. RED Channel:
* Passengers with goods above permitted limits &/or carrying prohibited items should choose Red Channel.
* Custom duty is charged based mostly on the price list that is already with the customs authorities. On payment
of duty the baggage is cleared.
* Passengers should choose Red Channel if they are not sure about declaring any goods. |
| 11 | 
Baggage Allowance (Domestic) |
Check airline website for free baggage allowance on domestic travel:
* AIR INDIA : Click here
* INDIGO AIRLINES : Click here
* JET AIRWAYS : Click here
* KINGFISHER AIRLINES : Click here
* SPICEJET AIRLINES : Click here |
| 12 | 
Baggage Allowance (International) |
Check airline website for free baggage allowance on international travel:
* AIR INDIA : Click here
* AIR CANADA : Click here
* AIR CHINA : Click here
* AIR FRANCE : Click here
* BRITISH AIRWAYS : Click here
* CATHAY PACIFIC : Click here
* EMIRATES : Click here
* JET AIRWAYS : Click here
* KINGFISHER AIRLINES : Click here
* LUFTHANSA : Click here
* MALAYSIA AIRLINES : Click here
* QANTAS : Click here
* QATAR AIRWAYS : Click here
* SINGAPORE AIRLINES : Click here
* THAI AIRWAYS : Click here
* VIRGIN ATLANTIC : Click here |
