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Kuwait requires all travellers to declare gold and precious items when departing or arriving
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Gold purchases must be made through bank cards, not cash
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Failure to declare can lead to confiscation or legal action
India has introduced updated gold customs rules under the Baggage Rules 2026, effective from 2 February 2026. The changes bring clearer limits for passengers arriving from abroad, especially Non-Resident Indians (NRIs).
Under the new rules, passengers who have lived abroad for more than one year can bring gold jewellery duty-free within set weight limits. Women can carry up to 40 grams of gold jewellery without paying duty, while men can bring up to 20 grams. Children are allowed the same gender-based limits, provided they have also stayed abroad for over a year. Notably, there is no monetary cap on jewellery, as the rules are now based purely on weight.
However, gold in other forms such as bars, coins and biscuits does not qualify for any duty-free allowance. Travellers must declare these items on arrival in India, and customs duty applies from the first gram.
Those who have stayed abroad for at least six months can bring up to one kilogram of gold in total, including all forms, by paying the applicable duty
For travellers residing abroad for six months or more, the customs duty is around six per cent. If the stay is shorter than six months, the duty rises sharply to about 38.5 per cent.
India has also increased the general duty-free goods allowance to ₹75,000, up from ₹50,000. One laptop or notebook is allowed duty-free in addition to this limit.
Passengers should use the Red Channel at airports if carrying gold beyond duty-free limits. Digital declarations can be filed through the Atithi App. Carrying original invoices, purity certificates and export certificates for jewellery taken out of India can help avoid disputes.
