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Baggage Rules
Baggage means belongings of a person traveling from one place to
another. The baggage mainly constitutes household articles or personal
effects. It can either be accompanied baggage or unaccompanied baggage.
Types of Baggage
- Accompanied Baggage : These are the goods brought by the
traveler in the same transportation means of his or her arrival.
- Unaccompanied Baggage : These are the goods covered by a
bill of lading. These goods must come from the country or countries
of passenger origin or stay.
Clearance
Baggage can be cleared through the following channels based on the
nature of the goods :
| Green
Channel |
Not having any dutiable goods |
Passenger can walk through this manned by
Customs Officials, thereby declaring the baggage orally. |
| Red
Channel |
Having dutiable goods |
Passengers can walk through this channel. |
Persons Eligible
Baggage is allowed clearance free of duty subject to the limitations /
conditions for the following categories of persons:
| Category |
Purpose |
| Indian citizens / Foreign nationals
residing in India |
Who go abroad on a short trip for business,
recreation, medical treatment, etc. |
| Indian citizens |
Who are engaged in a profession abroad |
| Tourists of Foreign origin or Indian origin
normally residing abroad |
Who come to India for a stay not more than 6
months for business, recreation, medical treatment, etc. |
| Indian citizens / Foreign nationals residing
abroad for more than two years |
For transferring their residence to
India |
Goods Considered As Baggage
Following items are considered as baggage :
- Boats
- Canoes
- Kayaks
- Small sailing boats
- Pedal boats
- Folding craft
- Inflatables or dismountables and similar crafts (without engine)
- Skates
- Bicycles and similar items (without motor)
- Movie and videocameras
- Cameras and binocular
- Notebooks and similar objects
Following items are not considered as baggage :
- Motorcycle
- Lambrettas (with motor)
- Mopeds
- Trailers and other land automotive vehicles
- Airplanes
- Boats
- Jetskis
- Engines
- Goods whose quantity, nature and variety indicate their use for
commercial or industrial purposes.
Exempted Baggage
The following baggages are exempted from custom duty :
- Personal property which is re-imported.
- Free replacement under warranty of private personal goods of
passenger.
- Foodstuffs upto Rs. 50,000.
- Free gifts and donations to Red Cross, CARE or Government of
India for relief and rehabilitation.
- Samples, price lists, prototypes, commercial samples etc.
- Goods brought for display, exhibition, fair etc., subject to
various conditions.
- Agricultural products or goods manufactured or produced in Nepal.
Items not eligible for free allowance
- Firearms and cartridges of firearms exceeding 50.
- Cigarettes exceeding 200 or cigars exceeding 50 or tobacco
exceeding 250 gms;
- Alcoholic liquor & wines in excess of one litter each.
- Any article that does not accompany you (i.e. unaccompanied
baggage).
- Gold in any form other than ornaments.
- Silver in any form other than ornaments.
Rate of duty on items in excess of Free allowance
limit
- Special additional duty of 4% of the total value of the goods is
added to the rates of the following.
- Cigarettes: 150%
- Whiskey:
- (a) not exceeding US $ 25 per case 413.24%
- (b) exceeding US $ 25 per case 339.92%
- Any other items: 61.5%
- Wine:
- (a) not exceeding US $ 25 per case 264%
- (b) exceeding US $ 25 per case 212%
Baggage Rules For :
Passengers returning from countries other than Nepal, Bhutan,
Myanmar or China
| (1) |
Articles allowed free of duty
(2) |
| (a) All passengers of
and above 10 years of age and returning after stay abroad of more
than three days. |
(i) Used personal
effects, excluding jewellery, required for satisfying daily
necessities of life.
(ii) Articles other than those mentioned in Annex. I upto a value
of Rs. 25,000 if these are carried on the person or in the
accompanied baggage of the passenger. |
| (b) All passengers of
and above 10 years of age and returning after stay abroad of three
days or less. |
(i) Used personal effects, excluding
jewellery, required for satisfying daily necessities of life.
(ii) Articles other than those mentioned in Annex. I upto a value
of Rs. 12,000 if these are carried on the person or in the
accompanied baggage of the passenger. |
| (c) All passengers up
to 10 years of age and returning after stay abroad of more than
three days. |
(i) Used personal
effects, excluding jewellery, required for satisfying daily
necessities of life.
(ii) Articles other than those mentioned in Annex. I upto a value
of Rs. 6,000 if these are carried on the person or in the
accompanied baggage of the passenger. |
| (d) All passengers upto
10 years of age and returning after stay abroad of three days or
less. |
(i) Used personal
effects, excluding jewellery, required for satisfying daily
necessities of life.
(ii) Articles other than those mentioned in Annex. I upto a value
of Rs. 3000 if these are carried on the person or in the accompanied
baggage of the passenger. |
Passengers returning from Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar or China
| (1) |
(2) |
| (i) Passengers of and
above 10 years of age and returning after stay abroad of more than
three days. |
(i) Used personal
effects, excluding jewellery, required for satisfying daily
necessities of life.
(ii) Articles other than those mentioned in Annex. I upto a value
of Rs. 6,000 if these are carried on the person or in the
accompanied baggage of the passenger. |
| (ii) Passengers upto 10
years of age and returning after stay abroad of more than three
days. |
(i) Used personal effects, excluding
jewellery, required for satisfying daily necessities of life.
(ii) Articles other than those mentioned in Annex. I upto a value
of Rs. 1500 if these are carried on the person or in the accompanied
baggage of the passenger. |
Professionals returning to India
| (1) |
Articles allowed free of duty
(2) |
| (a) Indian passenger
returning after at least 3 months. |
(i) Used household
articles upto an aggregate value of Rs. 12,000
(ii) Professional equipment upto a value of Rs. 20,000. |
| (b) Indian passenger
returning after at least 6 months. |
(i) Used household articles upto an
aggregate value of Rs.12,000.
(ii) Professional equipment upto a value of Rs. 40,000. |
| (c) Indian passenger
returning after a stay of minimum 365 days during the preceding 2
years on termination of his work, and who has not availed this
concession in the preceding three years. |
(i) Used household articles and
personal effects, (which have been in the possession and use abroad
of the passenger or his family for at least six months), and which
are not mentioned in Annex I, Annex II or Annex. III upto an
aggregate value of Rs.75,000. |
Jewellery
| (1) |
Jewellery
(2) |
| Indian passenger who
has been residing abroad for over one year. |
(i) Jewellery upto an
aggregate value of Rs. 10,000 by a gentleman passenger, or
(ii) Upto aggregate value of Rs. 20,000 by a lady passenger. |
Tourists
| (1) |
Articles allowed free of duty
(2) |
| (a) Tourists of Indian
origin coming to India other than tourists of Indian origin coming
by land routes as specified in Annexure IV |
(i) used personal
effects and travel souvenirs, if-
(a) these goods are for personal use of the tourist, and
(b) these goods, other than those consumed during the stay in
India, are re-exported when the tourist leaves India for a foreign
destination.
(ii) articles as allowed to be cleared under rule 3 or rule 4.
|
| (b) Tourists of foreign
origin other than those of Nepalese origin coming from Nepal or of
Bhutanese origin coming Bhutan or of Pakistani origin coming from
Pakistan. |
(i) used personal
effects and travel souvenirs, if-
(a) these goods are for personal use of the tourist, and
(b) these goods, other than those consumed during the stay in
India, are re-exported when the tourist leaves India for a foreign
destination.
(ii) articles upto a value of Rs.8000 for making gifts. |
| (c) Tourists of
Nepalese origin coming from Nepal or of Bhutanese origin coming from
Bhutan. |
No free allowance. |
(d) Tourists – (i)
of Pakistani origin coming from Pakistan other than by land routes;
(ii) of Pakistani origin or foreign tourists coming by land routes
as specified in Annexure IV;
(iii) of Indian origin coming by land routes as specified in
Annexure IV |
(i) used personal
effects and travel souvenirs, if
(a) these goods are for personal use of the tourist, and
(b) these goods, other than those consumed during the stay in
India, are re-exported when the tourist leaves India for a foreign
destination.
(ii) articles upto a value of Rs.6000 for making gifts. |
Transfer of residence
| Articles
allowed free of duty |
Conditions |
Relaxation that
may be considered |
| (a)
Used personal and household articles, other than those listed at
Annex. I or Annex. II, but including jewellery upto ten
thousand rupees by a gentleman passenger or rupees twenty thousand
by a lady passenger. |
(1)
Minimum stay of two years abroad, immediately preceding the date of
his arrival on TR,
(2) total stay in India on short visit during the 2 preceding years
should not exceed 6 months, and
(3) passenger has not availed this concession in the preceding
three years. |
(a) For condition (1) Shortfall of upto 2 months in stay abroad
can be condoned by Assistant Commissioner of Customs or Deputy
Commissioner of Customs if the early return is on account of :
(i) terminal leave or vacation being availed of by the passenger;
or
(ii) any other special circumstances.
(b) For condition (2)
Commissioner of Customs may condone short visits in excess of 6
months in deserving cases.
(c) For condition (3)
No relaxation |
| (b) Jewellery taken out
earlier by the passenger or by a member of his family from India. |
Satisfaction
of the Asstt. Commissioner of Customs regarding the jewellery having
been taken out earlier from India |
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