Gold Allowance for Travellers to and from Saudi Arabia (2026)
Saudi Arabia exempts travellers' personal luggage and gifts from customs duty up to SAR 3,000 in total, provided they are for personal use and not commercial; above that, new jewellery is charged 5% customs duty plus 15% VAT. Under rules announced in June 2026, every traveller entering or leaving the Kingdom must declare cash, gold bullion, precious metals, gemstones and jewellery worth SAR 40,000 or more in total (down from SAR 60,000), and show purchase invoices for gold and jewellery. These are the rules as of October 2026; check with ZATCA before you travel.
Reviewed October 2026 from official sources (listed below). Rules change — check with customs before you travel.
Estimate
Estimate only: customs values goods from your receipts or its own valuation, and charges 5% duty plus 15% VAT on the value above the SAR 3,000 allowance. An estimate, not a customs assessment.
Duty-Free Gold Allowance in Saudi Arabia
| Traveller | Duty-free allowance | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Any traveller: gifts and personal purchases | Up to SAR 3,000 in total | Personal use, non-commercial quantities, receipts if available. Not for frequent travellers or regular importers. |
| Any traveller: jewellery you own and wear | Treated as personal belongings | Declare it if, with your cash and other valuables, it is worth SAR 40,000 or more. |
| Gold bars and coins | Declare at SAR 40,000 or more | Sales of investment gold of 99% purity or more are zero-rated for VAT; check with ZATCA how duty and VAT apply to bars you import. Invoices and proof of lawful source may be requested. |
| Saudis returning to live, or foreigners arriving to reside | Used personal effects and household goods exempt | Conditions apply, including proof of residence abroad or first arrival. |
| Commercial quantities | No exemption | Goods for sale are cleared as imports, with duty and VAT. |
Duty on gold brought into Saudi Arabia
Under ZATCA's rules, personal luggage and gifts carried by travellers are exempt from customs duty if they have no commercial character and their value does not exceed SAR 3,000. They must be for personal use, in non-commercial quantities, and not restricted goods. Travellers who visit customs often or regularly import goods do not qualify. Keep your receipts.
Above the allowance, customs duty is 5% and VAT is 15%, and a small fee may be added. Gold jewellery is standard-rated for VAT. Sales of investment gold of at least 99% purity are zero-rated for VAT in Saudi Arabia; we could not confirm the customs duty or import VAT on bars and coins carried by travellers, so check with ZATCA.
Declaring gold: the SAR 40,000 rule
Amended Anti-Money Laundering regulations, published in the Umm Al-Qura gazette and reported in June 2026, require every traveller entering or leaving Saudi Arabia by air, land or sea to declare cash, bearer negotiable instruments, gold bullion, precious metals, gemstones and jewellery worth SAR 40,000 or more in total, or the equivalent in other currencies. The threshold was previously SAR 60,000. If you carry gold, precious metals, gemstones or jewellery worth SAR 40,000 or more, you must show the purchase invoices so customs can check the value. ZATCA's earlier guidance said jewellery counts whether new, used or worn, and that you may be asked to prove the gold's lawful source.
Declare in writing to customs, or through ZATCA's electronic declaration on its app or website, before you pass through customs. For a first offence with no suspected money laundering, failing to declare or declaring wrongly brings a fine of 10% to 25% of the value of the seized assets, and up to 50% for a repeat offence. ZATCA can hold undeclared assets for up to 72 hours, even below the threshold, if it suspects a crime, and suspected money laundering is referred to the Public Prosecution.
Taking gold out of Saudi Arabia
The SAR 40,000 declaration applies on departure too, and jewellery counts towards it. Declare before you pass through customs, and carry the invoices for your gold. Keep the invoices from the Saudi jeweller showing weight, karat and price, because your destination's customs will value the gold from them.
Saudi Arabia to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal
Many workers and Hajj and Umrah pilgrims bring gold home from Saudi Arabia. On the Saudi side, declare if your gold, jewellery and cash reach SAR 40,000. On arrival, the destination's baggage rules decide what is duty-free. India gives eligible passengers a jewellery allowance by weight and value and charges duty on more, and on bars and coins. Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka each limit duty-free jewellery and charge duty on more. See the destination page for the current figures.
Practical tips
Buy from licensed jewellers and keep your invoices. Carry jewellery in your hand luggage. Never carry gold for another person or in commercial quantities, because it can be seized and fined at both ends. If you are near SAR 40,000, declare, because the penalty for not declaring can be up to a quarter of the value seized, or half for a repeat offence. Rules change, so check with ZATCA and your destination's customs before you travel.
Gold price in Saudi Arabia today
Live rates →| 24K (999) | SAR 484.67 / gram | SAR 5,653 / tola |
|---|---|---|
| 22K (916) | SAR 444.41 / gram | SAR 5,183 / tola |
| 18K (750) | SAR 363.87 / gram | SAR 4,244 / tola |
Bringing Gold to Saudi Arabia: FAQ
How much is 1 tola of 22K gold worth in Saudi Arabia today?
About SAR 5,183 at the international price converted to SAR (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 take from Saudi Arabia to India?
Saudi Arabia sets no limit on personal gold, but you must declare gold, jewellery and cash worth SAR 40,000 or more in total when you leave, and carry your invoices. India gives eligible passengers a duty-free jewellery allowance by weight and value and charges customs duty on more, and on bars and coins. See our India page for the current figures.
Do I have to declare the gold jewellery I am wearing?
Yes, if it is worth SAR 40,000 or more on its own or with your cash and other valuables. The declaration rules cover jewellery, and ZATCA's guidance says this applies whether it is new, used or worn, on arrival and on departure.
What is the penalty for not declaring gold in Saudi Arabia?
For a first offence with no suspected money laundering, a fine of 10% to 25% of the value seized, and up to 50% for a repeat. Undeclared assets can be held for up to 72 hours, and suspected money laundering is referred to the Public Prosecution.
Is there customs duty on gold brought into Saudi Arabia?
Personal luggage and gifts are duty-free up to SAR 3,000 in total. Above that, new jewellery is charged 5% customs duty and 15% VAT. Sales of investment gold of 99% purity or more are zero-rated for VAT; check with ZATCA for bars and coins you import.
How much gold can I take from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan?
On the Saudi side, declare gold, jewellery and cash worth SAR 40,000 or more in total. Pakistan allows only a limited amount of gold jewellery duty-free and charges duty and taxes on more. See our Pakistan page for the current limits.
Gold Travel Allowance in Other Countries
Sources: ZATCA: personal luggage exemption (SAR 3,000) · Gulf Business: declaration threshold cut to SAR 40,000, fines and seizure (June 2026) · APP: AML executive regulation amended, threshold lowered to SAR 40,000 (June 2026) · ZATCA: how to declare; jewellery new, used or worn (2023, before the threshold change). Information, not legal advice: customs officers decide on the spot, and rules change. See also: gold price in Saudi Arabia · jewellery price calculator · gold price by weight.