How Much Gold Can I Carry From USA To India? – Custom Rules

Particulars	Allowances
Duty-Free Allowances	Male passengers can bring up to 20 grams of gold jewelry into India duty-free, valued at a maximum of Rs. 50,000. Female passengers have a higher allowance of 40 grams, up to Rs. 100,000.
Eligibility Criteria for Allowance	To qualify for these limits, you must have resided abroad for more than a year. The same regulations apply to children who meet this residency requirement.
Only Jewelry Allowed	Keep in mind that the duty-free allowance pertains solely to gold jewelry, excluding gold coins, bars, or biscuits.
Plain Gold Jewelry Only	The allowance is just for plain gold jewelry. It doesn’t include jewelry with gems, diamonds, or other fancy gold types.
Declare Extra Gold	If you go beyond the usual duty-free limits or have gold in any other form, make sure to declare it. This helps avoid confiscation, fines, and penalties. Hiding or not declaring gold can cause problems.
Duty Charges	If a passenger who is bringing gold hasn’t been abroad for more than 6 months, they will be charged a duty of 38.5% on all the gold they bring with them.

Customs Duty For Exceeding Gold Allowance

For gold ornaments exceeding the permitted limits, the following customs duties apply:

• Gold bars and coins: 10% ad valorem + 3% cess
• Gold bars and jewelry: 12.5% ad valorem + 2.5% cess
• If you’ve traveled abroad for less than a year, the customs duty: 13.75%.
• For trips under six months, the customs duty: 38.5%.

To pay a lower duty rate, it’s better to bring foreign currency or U.S. Dollars. If you pay customs duty in Indian Rupees, you’ll be charged the standard 15.00% rate.

Other Important Custom Rules On Carrying Gold To India 

Here are some other custom rules you must remember while traveling to India from USA with Gold. Must keep in mind all of them before heading to the airport.

Declare Your Jewelry To The Custom Officials

When completing the customs declaration form, it’s crucial to declare all the gold jewelry you have on or with you. If you’re carrying more than the duty-free allowance, think about declaring these items to customs officials when you arrive in India and have them recorded in your passport. To make things easier, Indian customs has introduced a 10% charge, which can be refunded when you leave.

A jewelry appraiser will evaluate the value of your gold jewelry. NRIs and US citizens bringing jewelry to India from places like the USA, Australia, and Canada might be asked questions by customs officials when they return. So, the next you book a flight to India from USA (such as Chicago to Delhi flights and back), keep these rules in mind. 

Carry A Fair Amount Of Gold Jewelry

In India, customs officers mostly look out for stopping illegal gold coming in. Usually, they don’t check NRIs or US citizens who visit for a short time and bring a fair amount of jewelry for themselves. The trouble with customs comes mostly when there’s a lot of solid gold or way too much jewelry, like carrying 50 gold bracelets, which isn’t seen as reasonable for personal use. 

So, it’s smart to stick to sensible limits to avoid making customs officers suspicious and going through extra checks.

Get Your Jewelry Valued In The USA

To prevent problems with customs in both India and your home country regarding the jewelry you bring to India, think about getting it valued in the USA (or your home country). The valuation will have a photo and information like how much gold it has and how heavy it is. Take this valuation with you; it can show Indian customs that you intend to take your jewelry back home. 

Also, having this valuation can be useful when you go back, as you can get a card from customs officers in your home country, making things easier.

Making Old Jewelry Anew

When you remake old gold jewelry, many countries see it as brand new and charge customs duties as they would for new stuff. For instance, if you take old gold ornaments from the USA to India to make them new again, you’ll get taxed based on the full appraised price, even if the gold was originally from the USA.

Jewelry With Gems & Diamonds

If your jewelry has precious stones or diamonds in it, it won’t get a duty-free pass. You’ll have to pay duty based on how much you bring. The duty-free allowance is only for jewelry made of pure gold, as said in Indian customs rules.

Limit On Gold Jewelry Per Passenger

Every passenger can bring up to 1 kilogram of gold jewelry, but only if they’ve been outside their home country for a year or longer. Even if you’re okay with paying customs duty, Indian customs won’t let you bring more than 1 kilogram of gold jewelry.

Tip – Want to carry chocolate on a plane? First, know all the rules and regulations on carrying chocolate on an airplane and travel hassle-free. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I carry gold coins or bars from USA to India?

A: If you want to bring gold coins or bars from the USA to India, you can bring those weighing less than 1 kilogram by paying the necessary customs duty taxes. But remember, this rule is only for Indian citizens traveling with a valid Indian government-issued passport.

Q: How much extra gold can you bring besides the free allowance?

A: An Indian passport holder who has stayed outside India for at least one year without a break can bring up to 1 kilogram of extra gold, including gold jewelry, gold scrap, gold coins, or gold biscuits, by paying the necessary duty fee.

Q: What happens if I carry more than 1 kg of gold bars?

A: If your gold bars weigh more than 1 kilogram, you must inform customs and make all the required declarations. Customs will charge a tax based on the gold’s value if it goes over 1 kilogram. To avoid high taxes, it’s best to keep the weight under 1 kilogram unless it’s really necessary.

Q: Who can bring gold as Baggage?

A: Any Indian traveler with a valid Indian passport coming back to India after staying overseas for at least six months can bring gold in their baggage. Customs duty needs to be paid for this import.

Q: What’s an export certificate for gold?

A: An export certificate, given by customs, shows who the traveler is, their passport number, and info about the item, like how heavy it is and what it looks like, especially for gold jewelry. This certificate stays good for three years.

Q: Can I bring fake jewelry in my checked bag on a flight to another country?

A: Yes. You can bring fake jewelry in your checked bag on an international flight. But sometimes, they might want to know if it’s gold or something valuable. They might even ask you to open your bags. So, it’s better to carry your jewelry in your carry-on bag. Also, it’s a good idea to check the rules of your airline and where you’re going before you travel.

Now that you know the rules about how much gold you can bring on your flight to India, you can travel with confidence, knowing you have the right amount of gold. If you have any more questions, you can contact us by phone at +1-585-910-2929 or chat with us live. Our team will help you as soon as we can.

Looking for help booking your flight to India from USA? MyTicketsToIndia is here for you all day, every day. We’re a trusted agency that helps you find cheap flights from USA to India (and back) and flights from Australia to India (and back). Whether you’re booking last-minute or planning ahead, we always have lots of flight options for you to choose from!