Gold Allowance for Travellers to India (2026)
Under the Baggage Rules 2026, in force since 2 February 2026, an Indian resident or tourist of Indian origin who has lived abroad for more than one year can bring gold jewellery duty-free up to 40 g (women) or 20 g (other passengers), with no rupee value cap; bars and coins get no duty-free allowance. Above that, a passenger with an Indian passport or of Indian origin who has been abroad for at least six months can bring up to 1 kg of gold at a concessional rate of about 15% since 13 May 2026 (10% basic customs duty plus Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess), paid in convertible foreign currency. Other passengers pay the 38.5% baggage rate, and all gold above the allowance must be declared, online through the ATITHI app or ICEGATE or at the red channel.
Reviewed October 2026 from official sources (listed below). Rules change — check with customs before you travel.
Estimate
Values your gold at today's international price. Customs value gold at the tariff value CBIC fixes every fortnight, so the duty you pay can differ. This is an estimate only. An estimate, not a customs assessment.
Duty-Free Gold Allowance in India
| Traveller | Duty-free allowance | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Woman (resident or tourist of Indian origin) abroad more than 1 year | 40 g of jewellery | Rule 6, Baggage Rules 2026. The limit is by weight only: the ₹1,00,000 value cap of the 2016 rules was removed. Jewellery must be in bona fide baggage. |
| Man or any other passenger, abroad more than 1 year | 20 g of jewellery | Rule 6, Baggage Rules 2026. The ₹50,000 value cap of the 2016 rules was removed. |
| Children abroad more than 1 year | No separate limit | Rule 6 sets no minimum age. Each passenger's allowance is their own and cannot be pooled with a parent's. A parent or guardian files the declaration for a child under 18. |
| Abroad less than 1 year (short trips) | No jewellery allowance | Used personal jewellery needed on the trip is duty-free. Other jewellery is not duty-free and is cleared on payment of duty (CBIC Circular 04/2026). |
| Indian passport holder or person of Indian origin abroad 6 months or more ("eligible passenger") | No extra free gold. Up to 1 kg at about 15% | Covers bars, coins and jewellery above the free allowance, up to 1 kg in total including ornaments. Duty is paid in convertible foreign currency. Short visits to India totalling up to 30 days do not break the six months. |
| Foreign tourist | Used personal jewellery only | A ₹25,000 general allowance applies to other goods. Jewellery brought for an event and taken back can be cleared on a temporary baggage import certificate. Foreign nationals who are not of Indian origin cannot use the 1 kg gold concession. |
Duty on gold above the allowance
There are two rates. An eligible passenger pays the concessional rate on gold up to 1 kg in total, including ornaments. An eligible passenger is someone of Indian origin or holding a valid Indian passport who arrives after at least six months abroad. Since 13 May 2026, Notifications 15/2026 and 16/2026-Customs have raised that rate to 10% basic customs duty plus Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess (AIDC) of 5% on gold, an effective 15%, up from about 6%. Ornaments may be charged a slightly lower cess (4.35%), so ask customs for the exact figure. The duty must be paid in convertible foreign currency. Gold bars must carry the refiner's engraved serial number and weight in metric units, and coins must be at least 99.5% gold.
Everyone else pays the baggage rate of 38.5% on dutiable jewellery: 35% basic customs duty plus a 10% social welfare surcharge on the duty. Customs value the gold at the tariff value that CBIC notifies every fortnight, not at your shop invoice. Only the part above your free allowance is dutiable.
Declaring gold: ATITHI app and the red channel
Under the Customs Baggage (Declaration and Processing) Regulations 2026, a passenger carrying dutiable goods must declare them electronically on Form CBD-I. Use the ATITHI mobile app or the ICEGATE portal. You can file up to three days before arrival and update the declaration until you land. A parent or guardian files for a passenger under 18, unless the child is travelling alone. Then go to the red channel, where officers verify the gold and collect the duty.
Walking through the green channel with gold above your allowance, or with any bars or coins, is a non-declaration. The gold can be confiscated and a penalty imposed, and serious cases can be prosecuted under the Customs Act. Cash has separate limits: declare foreign currency notes over US$5,000, or foreign exchange over US$10,000 in total, on the Currency Declaration Form.
Taking gold out of India and bringing it back
If you take valuable jewellery abroad and plan to bring it back, declare it before you leave and ask customs for an export certificate (Form CBD-III), which records the items you are taking out. The certificate is valid until your first return to India or for six months, whichever is earlier, and cannot be extended. Without it, jewellery you bring back can be treated as new jewellery bought abroad.
Visitors who bring jewellery into India only for a wedding or other event can get a temporary baggage import certificate on arrival. They must show it to customs and take the jewellery out on their first departure or within six months, whichever is earlier.
From Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman
The rules are the same whichever Gulf airport you fly from. The duty-free part is your jewellery allowance: 40 g for a woman or 20 g for a man, if you have lived abroad for more than a year. Each family member has their own allowance, and allowances cannot be combined. Above that, if you have been abroad for six months or more, you can bring up to 1 kg in total at about 15%, declared and paid in foreign currency. Bars and coins are dutiable from the first gram. Check the departure country's own rules on declaring cash and valuables before you fly.
Practical tips
- Keep the purchase invoices showing weight, karat and price, and keep proof of how long you have lived abroad (passport stamps, residence visa).
- The allowance is for jewellery in bona fide baggage. Many identical new pieces, or gold carried for someone else, can be treated as commercial and seized.
- Concessional duty must be paid in convertible foreign currency, so carry enough of it.
- Get an export certificate before taking valuable jewellery abroad.
- Rates change by notification, as they did in May 2026. Check CBIC or ask customs before you travel.
Gold price in India today
Live rates →| 24K (999) | ₹12,226 / gram | ₹1,42,600 / tola |
|---|---|---|
| 22K (916) | ₹11,210 / gram | ₹1,30,753 / tola |
| 18K (750) | ₹9,178.60 / gram | ₹1,07,057 / tola |
Bringing Gold to India: FAQ
How much is 1 tola of 22K gold worth in India today?
About ₹1,30,753 at the international price converted to INR (Oct 22, 2026, 21:00 UTC). Customs use their own notified or assessed value, and shops charge more, so treat this as an estimate.
How much gold can I bring from Dubai to India?
If you have lived abroad for more than a year, 40 g of gold jewellery duty-free for a woman and 20 g for a man, with no value cap since February 2026. Above that, a passenger with an Indian passport or of Indian origin who has been abroad six months or more can bring up to 1 kg in total at about 15% duty, paid in foreign currency. Declare it on the ATITHI app or at the red channel.
Is the ₹50,000 / ₹1,00,000 value cap still applied?
No. The Baggage Rules 2026, in force from 2 February 2026, replaced the 2016 rules and removed the value caps. The allowance is now by weight only: 40 g for women and 20 g for other passengers who have lived abroad for more than a year.
Is there duty on gold coins and bars?
Yes. Gold in any form other than ornaments is excluded from the free allowances, so bars and coins are dutiable from the first gram. An eligible passenger, abroad six months or more, pays about 15% on up to 1 kg in total. Bars must carry an engraved serial number and metric weight. Others pay the 38.5% baggage rate.
Can a child bring gold jewellery to India?
Rule 6 sets no minimum age, so it gives each passenger who has lived abroad for more than a year their own weight limit: 40 g for a female passenger, 20 g for others. Allowances cannot be pooled, and the jewellery must be the child's own bona fide baggage. A parent or guardian files the declaration for a child under 18.
How do I declare gold when I land in India?
File Form CBD-I through the ATITHI app or ICEGATE up to three days before arrival, or declare at the airport. Then use the red channel, where customs check the gold and collect the duty. The concessional duty of about 15% must be paid in convertible foreign currency.
Can I take my gold jewellery abroad and bring it back duty-free?
Yes. Declare it before departure and get an export certificate (Form CBD-III) recording the items. The certificate is valid until your first return or six months, whichever is earlier.
Gold Travel Allowance in Other Countries
Sources: PIB: Government notifies Baggage Rules, 2026 (2 Feb 2026) · Bengaluru Customs: Public Notice 03/2026 on Baggage Rules and Regulations 2026 · CBIC: Customs clearance of passengers at a glance (eligible-passenger conditions; its jewellery value caps predate 2026) · TaxGuru: text of Notification 15/2026-Customs (12 May 2026) · Referencer: FAQ on Baggage Rules 2026. Information, not legal advice: customs officers decide on the spot, and rules change. See also: gold price in India · jewellery price calculator · gold price by weight.