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+{{htmlmetatags>metatag-description=(How much gold can you bring to India from abroad? Duty-free jewellery limits for men and women, the 1 kg passenger cap, and the 6-month and 1-year stay rules.)&metatag-keywords=(gold customs India, duty free gold allowance, bringing gold to India, 1 kg gold passenger limit)&metatag-robots=(index,follow)&metatag-og:title=(Bringing Gold To India: Customs Rules And Passenger Limits)&metatag-og:description=(How much gold can you bring to India from abroad? Duty-free jewellery limits for men and women, the 1 kg passenger cap, and the 6-month and 1-year stay rules.)&metatag-og:type=(article)}}
+====== Bringing Gold To India: Customs Rules And Passenger Limits ======
+{{ :social:auto:bringing-gold-to-india-customs-rules-passenger-limit.png?direct&1200 |Bringing Gold To India: Customs Rules And Passenger Limits — RTI Wiki}}
+<WRAP center round info 95%>
+**Quick Reply:** How much gold can you bring to India from abroad? Duty-free jewellery limits for men and women, the 1 kg passenger cap, and the 6-month and 1-year stay rules.
+</WRAP>
+A returning passenger can bring up to **1 kg of gold** into India in baggage after staying abroad for at least **6 months**, but duty must be paid on it in foreign currency. Only the small **jewellery allowance** is duty-free, and that needs a longer **1-year** stay abroad. These are two separate rules, and mixing them up is the most common mistake.
+If you are short on time, read the "Two rules, not one" table below. It tells you which rule applies to you and whether you pay duty.
+===== Two rules, not one: eligibility at a glance =====
+Gold for passengers is governed by two distinct rules. They have different stay requirements and different duty treatment. Read this table first.
+^ Rule ^ Who and how much ^ Stay abroad ^ Duty ^ Form of gold ^
+| **Duty-free jewellery allowance** | Gentleman: up to **20 grams**; Lady: up to **40 grams** | More than **1 year** | **No duty** | Worn or bona fide personal **jewellery / ornaments** only |
+| **Gold import up to 1 kg** | Up to **1 kg** per eligible passenger | At least **6 months** | **Duty payable** in convertible foreign currency | Includes **bars, coins and ornaments** |
+The jewellery allowance and the 1 kg import are not added together as a single "1 kg duty-free" figure. Only the 20 g or 40 g of jewellery is free of duty. Everything beyond that is dutiable.
+===== Who is eligible =====
+Both rules apply to a passenger of **Indian origin** or a passenger holding a **valid Indian passport**. A tourist who is not of Indian origin does not get the special jewellery allowance. Plain **ornaments** can qualify for the duty-free allowance; gold **bars, coins and biscuits** never do and are always dutiable.
+===== The duty-free jewellery allowance (1-year rule) =====
+A passenger who has stayed abroad for **more than one year** can clear bona fide personal jewellery free of duty, within these weight limits under the Baggage Rules:
+  * **Gentleman passenger:** up to **20 grams**.
+  * **Lady passenger:** up to **40 grams**.
+Under the Baggage Rules 2016, these weight limits were paired with value caps of **₹50,000** for a gentleman and **₹1,00,000** for a lady. News reports indicate the Baggage Rules were revised with effect from **2 February 2026** and that the value caps were changed. Because we could not confirm the exact revised text against a CBIC notification this session, treat the value caps as **uncertain** and confirm the current position with customs or on [[https://www.cbic.gov.in|cbic.gov.in]] before you travel.
+What is certain: the **weight limits of 20 g and 40 g** apply under both the old and the revised rules, and the jewellery allowance needs a stay of **more than one year**.
+===== The 1 kg gold import (6-month rule) =====
+Separately, an eligible passenger who has stayed abroad for **at least 6 months** can import gold in baggage up to a cap of **1 kg per passenger**. This is not duty-free. The conditions, under **Notification No. 45/2025-Customs dated 24 October 2025**, are:
+  - The passenger has stayed abroad for a period of **not less than 6 months**.
+  - The quantity does not exceed **1 kg** per eligible passenger.
+  - **Duty is paid in convertible foreign currency.**
+This route is what lets a returning worker bring a meaningful quantity of gold, including bars and coins, as long as the duty is paid.
+===== How customs duty applies on the excess =====
+Gold beyond the duty-free jewellery allowance is **dutiable**. As per the rates in Notification No. 45/2025-Customs dated 24 October 2025, the concessional duty for an **eligible passenger** meeting the 6-month condition is **6%**, while gold brought by **other passengers** attracts **36%**.
+Customs duty rates move with the budget cycle. Before you travel, confirm the **current rate** for your situation on [[https://www.cbic.gov.in|cbic.gov.in]] or at the airport customs counter. Do not rely on a figure quoted by a jeweller or a blog.
+Declare any gold above the free allowance at the **Red Channel** on arrival. Using the Green Channel with undeclared dutiable gold is a customs offence and can lead to seizure.
+For how your residency abroad is recorded, see [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/ecr-ecnr-passport-status-india|ECR and ECNR passport status in India]]. If you are also moving money home, see [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/lrs-outward-remittance-bank-refusal-form-a2|LRS outward remittance and Form A2]]. For filing RTIs to get official records, read [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/book|The RTI Playbook]].
+===== A worked example: returning after 8 months =====
+Kashvi Pathak returns to India after working in the Gulf for **8 months**. She carries **35 grams** of gold jewellery and one **50-gram** gold bar.
+Her stay is more than 6 months but **less than 1 year**. So she does **not** qualify for the duty-free jewellery allowance, which needs over a year abroad. She is, however, an eligible passenger for the **1 kg import** route.
+Her total is **85 grams**, well within the 1 kg cap. She declares all of it at the Red Channel and pays the applicable duty in foreign currency. Had she stayed **more than a year**, all **35 grams** of her jewellery would have been duty-free, within the 40-gram lady limit, leaving only the **50-gram bar** dutiable.
+The lesson: the **6-month** clock and the **1-year** clock are different. Count your days abroad carefully before you pack.
+===== What to do before you fly =====
+  * Confirm whether your stay abroad crosses **6 months** or **1 year**.
+  * Check the **current duty rate** on [[https://www.cbic.gov.in|cbic.gov.in]] for your category.
+  * Keep purchase invoices and weight slips ready, and use the **Red Channel** for any dutiable gold.
+==== How much gold can I bring to India from abroad without paying customs? ====
+Only the duty-free jewellery allowance is free of duty: up to **20 grams** for a gentleman and **40 grams** for a lady, and only if you have stayed abroad for **more than one year**. Gold beyond that, including bars and coins, is dutiable. An eligible passenger who has stayed abroad for at least 6 months can import up to **1 kg** total, but must pay duty on it in convertible foreign currency.
+==== Is the 1 kg gold limit duty-free? ====
+No. The **1 kg** cap is a maximum quantity, not a duty-free amount. An eligible passenger who has stayed abroad for at least **6 months** can import up to 1 kg, but **duty is payable** in convertible foreign currency under Notification No. 45/2025-Customs. Only the separate 20 g or 40 g jewellery allowance is free of duty.
+==== What is the customs duty rate on gold for passengers? ====
+As per Notification No. 45/2025-Customs dated 24 October 2025, gold brought by an **eligible passenger** attracts a concessional duty of **6%**, while gold brought by **other passengers** attracts **36%**. Rates change with the budget cycle, so confirm the current figure on cbic.gov.in or at the airport customs counter before you travel.
+==== Can I bring gold bars and coins into India? ====
+Yes, but never duty-free. Gold **bars and coins** do not qualify for the duty-free jewellery allowance, which covers ornaments only. An eligible passenger who has stayed abroad for at least 6 months can bring bars and coins within the **1 kg** cap on payment of duty in foreign currency. Always declare them at the Red Channel.
+==== Do men and women have different gold limits? ====
+Yes, for the duty-free jewellery allowance. A **gentleman** passenger can bring up to **20 grams** of jewellery duty-free, and a **lady** passenger up to **40 grams**, in both cases only after staying abroad for more than one year. The 1 kg import cap is the same for all eligible passengers regardless of gender.
+===== Sources =====
+  * Notification No. 45/2025-Customs dated 24 October 2025, CBIC (consolidated customs duty notification effective 1 November 2025) - [[https://www.cbic.gov.in|cbic.gov.in]].
+  * Import Guidelines for Gold and Valuables, Mumbai Customs Zone III - [[https://mumbaicustomszone3.gov.in/import-guidelines-for-gold-valuable|mumbaicustomszone3.gov.in]].
+  * Baggage Rules 2016 and the Indian Customs Declaration Form, CBIC.
+===== Related articles =====
+  * [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/ecr-ecnr-passport-status-india|ECR and ECNR passport status in India]]
+  * [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/lrs-outward-remittance-bank-refusal-form-a2|LRS outward remittance and bank refusal of Form A2]]
+  * [[https://righttoinformation.wiki/gold-jewellery-duty-free-baggage-rules-2026|Gold jewellery duty-free limit under Baggage Rules 2026]]
+{{tag>bringing gold customs rules passenger limits}}