How much gold can you carry from Dubai to India?

Published 10 Nov 2026 · GoldLive team

From Dubai in the UAE to India, a passenger who has lived abroad for more than one year can bring gold jewellery duty-free up to 40 grams if female and 20 grams otherwise, under India's Baggage Rules, 2026. Anyone else, and any gold above that limit, pays customs duty, and bars and coins get no duty-free allowance at all.

We checked these rules against CBIC and the Gazette of India on 10 November 2026. The Baggage Rules took effect on 2 February 2026 and the duty rate changed in May 2026, so check again shortly before you fly. CBIC's own guide says only the Gazette notifications are legally binding.

Gold carry from Dubai to India limit

Who is flying	Duty-free gold	Rule
Female resident of India or tourist of Indian origin, abroad more than one year	Jewellery up to 40 g	Rule 6
Other resident of India or tourist of Indian origin, abroad more than one year	Jewellery up to 20 g	Rule 6
Anyone abroad for one year or less	No special jewellery allowance	Rule 6
Tourist of foreign origin	No special jewellery allowance	Rule 6
Gold bars, biscuits, coins, any passenger	None, excluded from free allowances	Annexure I, item 5

Some details matter at the counter.

The allowance is by weight only. The old rupee value caps were removed in 2026.
"Jewellery" means articles of adornment ordinarily worn by a person, including studded pieces, so it does not stretch to bars or coins.
The goods must be in bona fide baggage. The rules define personal effects as excluding anything brought in for commercial purposes.
The free allowance is per passenger and cannot be pooled, so a family cannot add its limits together for one person.
CBIC says used personal jewellery you reasonably need for daily use on the trip is allowed duty-free.

Gold value per gram changes daily, so check the 22K rate in AED before working out what your jewellery is worth.

Tourist carry gold from Dubai to India

The word "tourist" trips up many travellers, because the Baggage Rules use it in a specific way. A tourist is someone not ordinarily resident in India who enters for not more than six months in any twelve months, for non-immigrant purposes.

Your position depends on which group you fall into.

Indian resident back from a short Dubai trip. Rule 6 does not apply, because you have not lived abroad for more than a year.
Tourist of Indian origin who has lived abroad for more than a year. Rule 6 applies, with the 40 g and 20 g limits.
Foreign tourist. There is no jewellery allowance. The general allowance is ₹25,000 for goods other than those listed in Annexure I.

Residents, tourists of Indian origin and foreigners on a non-tourist visa have a general free allowance of ₹75,000, also for goods outside Annexure I. Annexure I excludes only "gold or silver in any form other than ornaments". On that wording, new jewellery is not excluded from the general allowance, but we could not find a CBIC statement on how officers apply it to newly bought gold. Treat this as a question for customs, and declare the jewellery rather than assume.

Above the allowance: the 1 kg concession

Passengers who do not fit the duty-free limits, or who carry more, may bring gold on payment of duty under Notification No. 45/2025-Customs, S. No. 194. CBIC's conditions are:

You are of Indian origin or hold a valid Indian passport
You have stayed abroad for at least six months (short visits totalling up to 30 days may be ignored if you did not use this concession during them)
Duty is paid in convertible foreign currency
The gold does not exceed 1 kg per eligible passenger

The notification covers two groups. Item (i) is metric bars with a refiner's serial number, and coins of at least 99.5% purity. Item (ii) is other gold, including tola bars and ornaments, but not ornaments studded with stones or pearls.

The basic customs duty on both groups was raised from 5% to 10% by Notification No. 15/2026-Customs of 12 May 2026. Gulf News, citing Mumbai Customs guidance updated in October 2026, gives the total as 15%, made up of that 10% and a 5% Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess. On an assessed value of ₹1,00,000 that is ₹15,000. Duty is charged on the value customs assesses, which may differ from your invoice. We could not confirm the current rate for gold that falls outside this concession, so ask customs before you fly.

Declare the gold

Under the Customs Baggage (Declaration and Processing) Regulations, 2026, a passenger carrying dutiable goods must declare them in Form CBD-I before reaching the Green Channel, using the Atithi app or website. You can file up to three days before arrival. Keep the invoice with you. CBIC says undeclared items are dealt with under the Customs Act, 1962.

On the UAE side, passengers carrying more than AED 60,000 in precious metals or valuable stones, or cash and similar instruments of that value, must declare to customs. Dubai Customs and the federal portal both state this limit.

Buy gold in Dubai and sell in India: does it work?

This is a question of arithmetic and legality, and we do not advise on buying or selling. A few facts decide most cases.

The baggage concessions are for bona fide personal baggage. Gold brought for trade is outside personal effects, and Gulf News, citing customs guidance, says commercial quantities cannot clear as passenger baggage even if duty is paid.
Gold above your allowance pays duty, which removes much of the rate gap that made Dubai look cheaper.
An Indian buyer sets their own price, usually based on purity and their own margin. Ask before you commit.
Tax on a resale in India depends on your circumstances. Ask an Indian tax adviser.

Before you compare, add up the whole Dubai bill, including making charges and VAT and any VAT refund you can claim as a visitor. The gold calculator gives the Dubai side, and the Dubai gold rate page shows the value in rupees. Yesterday's values are in the previous days table.

Sources

Common questions

How much gold can you carry from Dubai to India duty-free?

Up to 40 g of jewellery for a female passenger or 20 g for others, only if you are a resident or tourist of Indian origin who has lived abroad for more than one year. Check what your piece is worth with the gold calculator.

Tourist carry gold from Dubai to India, what is allowed?

A foreign tourist has no jewellery allowance under the Baggage Rules, 2026, only a general allowance of ₹25,000 for goods outside Annexure I. An Indian resident on a short trip does not get the 40 g or 20 g limit either, so check with customs and declare the jewellery.

Can I bring gold coins or bars from Dubai to India?

Yes, but not duty-free, because bars and coins are excluded from free allowances. Under Notification 45/2025-Customs an eligible passenger can bring up to 1 kg on payment of duty in foreign currency, after at least six months abroad.

Is there customs duty on gold from Dubai to India above the limit?

Yes. The basic customs duty for eligible passengers rose to 10% in May 2026, and Gulf News, citing Mumbai Customs, gives a total of 15%. Confirm the current rate with Indian customs before travel, and see the Dubai rate page for the value in rupees.

Can I buy gold in Dubai and sell in India?

Not as a trade, because gold brought for trade falls outside passenger baggage, and duty above your allowance removes much of the price gap. Ask an Indian tax adviser about selling personal pieces, and compare the full cost including making charges.