Indians flying back from Dubai are allowed to carry only a small amount of gold without paying customs duty. Anything above that has to be declared, and you may have to pay tax or face penalties at the airport.
Under current Indian customs rules, the duty-free allowance for gold jewellery depends on who is bringing it in. An adult male passenger can bring up to 20 grams of gold jewellery, with a total value not exceeding ₹50,000, without paying any customs duty. An adult female passenger can bring up to 40 grams, worth up to ₹1 lakh, duty free.
These limits are only for jewellery meant for personal use. They do not apply to gold bars, coins, biscuits or other forms of bullion. Those are treated as investment gold and must be declared, even if the quantity is small. If you try to walk through the green channel with undeclared bullion, customs officers are within their rights to seize it and start penalty proceedings.
If you are carrying more jewellery than the duty-free limit, you are expected to go through the red channel and declare it. Duty is then charged on the excess quantity and value at the rate notified by the government at that time. The rate itself can move around, so frequent travellers often check it just before flying, especially if they are planning to buy gold in Dubai mainly for saving or resale.
There is also a separate cap on the total quantity of gold a passenger can bring in. As a broad rule, individuals are allowed to import up to 1 kilogram of gold, including both jewellery and other forms, on payment of duty. Bringing in more than that can lead to seizure and stronger action under customs law.
To keep things simple, travellers should carry original purchase bills from Dubai that show the weight, purity and price of the jewellery. This helps customs officers verify the details quickly and calculate duty, if any. Not having bills does not automatically mean your gold will be taken away, but it increases the chance of disputes and closer checks.
These limits apply to most Indian passport holders returning from abroad, including Dubai. The idea is to let people bring back reasonable quantities for personal use, while still keeping a check on large imports and smuggling. Knowing the rules before you shop can save you arguments, delays and surprise costs when you land in India.
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