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By Vipul Jain | 27 Jan, 2025
For Indians, gold is an emotion. It symbolizes the tradition, culture, and heritage of the country. It is well known to everyone that, compared to India, gold is cheap in Dubai. Considering this, many people, while traveling from India to Dubai, buy gold. However, there are some restrictions. For instance, how much gold is allowed from Dubai to India that you need to know before purchasing it.
Are you also planning to buy gold from Dubai and have the same question? Then do not go anywhere, as in this comprehensive guide, you will get your answers. So, read on and get all your queries solved.
According to the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), an individual can bring up to 1 kg of gold from Dubai. However, for this, they need to stay more than six months there. Also, according to the reports of the Economic Times, this is only applicable if they pay customs duty. Here, customs duty means the imposed import taxes on gold brought into the country from another nation.
The gold you are bringing from Dubai can be in the form of bars, jewelry, or coins. Additionally, you should have proper documentation by your side. It includes a purchase invoice of gold, which gives clear details of the price, date of purchase, and purity. These documents are needed for clarification at the Indian airports during the customs check. These further help in ensuring the complete process goes stress-free. Moreover, Indians can bring gold from Dubai in the form of jewelry, bars, and coins.
This was all about the gold carrying limits from Dubai to India. Moving ahead, let's know the current Indian customs rules for gold import in India.
Well, it is not illegal to bring gold from Dubai to India. However, if you do not follow some rules and regulations, it can be. As stated above, Indian customs allow residents to bring specific gold from abroad. Certain things determine the amount of gold that you can carry. These are as follows:
Here is what the Indian customs law states:
As of 2025, these are the current Indian customs rules for gold import. Moving further, let's know how much gold is duty-free to carry in India.
It is vital to know how much gold is allowed from Dubai to India without duty. As stated above, Indian customs have a specific limit on the gold one can bring duty-free without extra charges. Let's know about them.
Men coming back to India from Dubai can carry up to 20 grams of gold with a value of up to INR 50,000 duty-free. If this limit is exceeded, they are liable to pay the customs charges.
| Quantity of Gold | Customs Duty Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to 20 grams (maximum INR 50,000) | Duty-free |
| 20 grams to 50 grams | 3% |
| 50 grams to 100 grams | 6% |
| Over 100 grams | 10% |
Women can bring up to 40 grams of gold, with a maximum value of INR 1,00,000 duty-free. The gold they are bringing can be in the form of coins, bars, or jewelry for personal use. In case the gold limit is exceeded, they are liable to pay the customs duty charges.
| Quantity of Gold | Customs Duty Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to 40 grams (value up to INR 1,00,000) | Duty-free |
| 40 grams to 100 grams | 3% |
| 100 grams to 200 grams | 6% |
| Over 200 grams | 10% |
Children can also carry up to 40 grams of gold to India from Dubai. However, the gold they are carrying should be for personal use or a gift. Considering this, they need to provide the relationship proof with proper invoices.
| Quantity of Gold | Customs Duty Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to 40 grams | Duty-free |
| 40 grams to 100 grams | 3% |
| 100 grams to 200 grams | 6% |
| Over 200 grams | 10% |
The above-mentioned gold limits are only for jewelry. Gold bars, coins, and biscuits are not duty-free to carry from Dubai to India. On them, tax is charged even if they are under the mentioned gold quantity limits. Now, moving ahead, let's the customs duty and applicable charges on gold in India from Dubai.
The Indian government imposes import taxes on gold you bring into the country from another nation. Apart from gender, this tax rate depends on your stay duration in Dubai. Here, the following table gives you a clear idea of this.
| Stay Duration in Dubai | Duty-Free Allowance | Payable Customs Duty |
|---|---|---|
| Less than one year | No allowance | 38.50% |
| 6 months to 1 year | No allowance | 13.7% up to 1 kg |
| More than 1 year | Maximum of INR 50,000 for a male and INR 1,00,000 for a female | 13.7% up to 1 kg |
Furthermore, people residing in Dubai for more than six months can apply for a 12% duty remission plus a 1.25% social welfare surcharge on the gold they carry into India.
This was all about customs duty and applicable charges on gold. Moving further, let's know the customs duty charges on gold bars.
The customs duty charges on gold bars are determined as on the imported quantity of gold. This is as follows:
| Quantity of Gold | Custom Duty Rate |
|---|---|
| Less than 20 grams | - |
| 20 grams to 100 grams | 3% |
| Up to 100 grams | 10% |
These are the customs duty charges on gold bars. Moving ahead, let's know the customs duty charge on gold coins.
Like the gold bars, the customs duty charges on gold coins are also imposed on the gold quantity. This is as follows:
| Quantity of Gold | Custom Duty Rate |
|---|---|
| Less than 20 grams | - |
| 20 grams to 100 grams | 10% |
| Up to 100 grams | 10% |
This was all about the customs duty charges on gold coins. Moving further, let's know what happens if you exceed the gold limit.
In case you are carrying more gold than the specific limit, you should honestly declare it at the airport. The green channel is for travelers bringing non-dutiable luggage or goods, and the red channel is for dutiable goods. Therefore, if you are bringing more than the permitted limit, you should enter the red channel. It states that you have a dutiable gold amount from Dubai.
Here, on your excess gold amount, you need to pay customs duty. It is generally charged as a percentage of the value of gold, based on the present rates stated by Indian customs. Further, if you fail to do so, you may face penalties and seizure. Also, you are answerable to customs officials.
So, to avoid this situation, carry proper evidence of purchase and bills. Additionally, honestly fill out the customs declaration form. With this, let's know how customs duty on gold is calculated.
The customs duty on gold imported to India is calculated based on the gold item type and its quantity. For calculating the customs duty, it is vital to know the gold value, add the duty rate, and apply taxes on the duty amount.
It is based on the 24k gold price internationally on the import day. According to this assessed value, the officials determine the applicable duty slabs, ranging from nil to 10%.
Furthermore, to calculate the exact gold value, proper documents are needed. It includes invoices for the purchase of gold and certificates showing the purity and quality of gold. In case you fail to provide these documents, you may face penalties and, in some situations, confiscation. Hence, to avoid problems, it is vital to have proper documentation and clear communication while importing gold from Dubai.
This is how customs duty on gold is calculated. Moving ahead, let's know how to get gold duty-free from Dubai to India.
For personal use, Indian passport holders can carry a small amount of gold duty-free from Dubai to India. For customer verification, you need to provide documents mentioning the details of the duty-free gold. The papers should include an invoice of the purchase of gold with details like purity, date, and price. Furthermore, failure in doing so results in increased confiscation or penalties or both.
Additionally, to Indian passengers, the UAE government offers a concession. It allows Indian residents to claim 5% of the VAT paid on the gold purchased. However, this is not available for NRIs. For insured shipments of gold, under a CIF (Cost, Insurance, and Freight) contract, IGST is exempt.
This was all about how to get gold duty-free from Dubai to India. Moving further, let's know tips to avoid paying penalties to customs.
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Chat NowNow, you know how much gold is allowed from Dubai to India without duty. Here are a few tips that can help you avoid paying customs penalties. These are as follows:
These are the tips you can consider while bringing gold from Dubai to India and avoid paying unnecessary penalties.
Now that you have all the information about how much gold is allowed from Dubai to India, plan your gold purchase accordingly. However, carrying gold from Dubai to India is not a simple process like packing your luggage. It comes with proper documentation, rules, and limits. Also know that, if you bring it more than the specific limit, you need to pay customs duty and take your things home without facing any legal issues. So, take care of all the things and plan according to that.
Yes, you can buy gold in dubai duty-free if you fulfill specific conditions. It includes buying gold within the permitted limit, staying in Dubai for more than six months, and claiming almost 85% of the total vat back by using the tax refund tourist scheme at places like Dubai international airport.
Yes, you can bring gold in your luggage from Dubai to India. However, there are some set limits and customs fees to keep in mind. A male passenger can bring up to 20 grams of gold, with the maximum value of gold being rs. 50,000. On the other hand, a female and children can carry up to 40 grams of gold; the maximum gold value must be rs. 1,00,000.
Yes, you have to declare gold at customs in India if you are carrying it beyond the duty-free limit. If you don’t declare the excess gold you are carrying, you may face penalties or confiscation of your baggage.
The male passengers can carry up to 20 grams of gold to india from dubai. However, a female passenger can carry up to 40 grams of gold. The duty-free limit applies only to gold jewelry and not gold coins, bars, biscuits, or jewelry with stones or pearls.
To check if your gold is real or not, you can search for a hallmark, which is a stamp that confirms the quality of gold. Go for a purity test, which is a quick and reliable way to certify the quality of the gold, and many stores in dubai provide free gold purity tests. Or else, use a karatmeter, which is a device that measures the purity of the gold and tells the gold’s karat or fineness level.
The customs duty on gold from dubai to india is calculated based on the type of gold, quantity, and duration of your stay. For gold bars between 20-50 grams, the customs duty is 3%. For gold bars weighing 1kg, the customs charge is 10%, and for gold bars that are less than 20 grams, there are no customs charges.
No, you do not need to declare gold at Indian airports if it's within the stated duty-free limits for Indian residents. However, if the gold limit exceeds or if you do not qualify for the tax exemption, traveling through the green channel with unstated gold can result in penalties, prosecution, and confiscation.
Yes, you can bring gold coins or bars from Dubai to India. However, to do so, you need to declare it to customs, have stayed overseas for a minimum of six months continuously, and pay the applicable customs duty on an amount more than the duty-free allowance.
Yes, you can carry gold from Dubai to India as a tourist. However, like Indian residents, you also need to follow duty regulations and weight limits. If you are a male passenger, you can carry 20 grams of duty-free gold, and if you are a female passenger, then you can carry up to 40 grams of gold and stay at least six months overseas. Also paid the applicable customs duty.
Yes, NRIs can carry more gold than tourists to India. It is because of the specific baggage rules. However, the conditions and limits differ for them. They need to stay overseas for over a year and are allowed to bring 20 grams of gold valued up to INR 50,000 for men and 40 grams of gold worth INR 1,00,000 for women as plain gold jewellery.
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