Bringing gold jewellery, bars, coins from Dubai to India? Know how much a passenger can bring duty-free

Gold prices in the United Arab Emirates are generally lower than in India. A gram 24k gold is priced around Rs 12,532 and a gram of 22k gold costs around Rs 11,607 in Dubai on Thursday (November 5, 2026). In India, 1g of 24k gold costs around Rs 14,617 in Delhi, while 22k gold is priced at Rs 13,400.

It is because of these competitive rates, many Indians think of bringing gold from Dubai to India. But before you fly home this festive season or ask a close one to get gold from the UAE, there are baggage and customs rules you must understand, so you don’t land in trouble.

Indian customs law distinguishes between gold jewellery carried as personal baggage and gold in other forms, such as bars, biscuits and coins, K. Sai Teja, Advocate, Supreme Court of India, told ET Wealth Online.

Gold from Dubai to India: Rules for jewellery, bars, coins

Indian Customs rules allow flyers to bring duty-free gold up to a certain limit from Dubai to India. These guidelines apply to Indian residents, NRIs, tourists, and workers returning from Dubai. However, the treatment depends on the form of gold, along with the traveller’s eligibility, duration of stay abroad, and whether the gold is declared.

However, keep in mind that the duty-free limit covers only jewellery. Gold bars, biscuits and coins get no duty-free allowance at all, said Raheel Patel, Partner, Gandhi Law Associates. This means you would need to pay customs duty for gold coins, bars at the prevailing rate.

“A passenger who has been abroad for at least 6 months can bring up to 1 kg of gold, including bars, coins and ornaments, by paying a concessional duty in foreign currency. Ornaments studded with stones or pearls don't qualify for that concession,” he added. Duty applies to jewellery above the limit, to every bar or coin, and to gold brought by anyone who doesn't meet the residence condition.

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

Here, the Baggage Rules, 2026, come into play, which came into effect on February 2, 2026. These rules explain how much duty-free gold can a returning resident or tourist of Indian origin who has resided abroad for more than one year may bring:

PASSENGER	DUTY-FREE GOLD LIMIT	ELIGIBILITY
Female	40 grams	More than one year abroad
Others	20 grams	More than one year abroad

The allowance is based on weight, with no monetary ceiling. Gold bars, biscuits and coins do not qualify for this exemption and are subject to customs duty, according to Advocate Sai Teja.

The old rupee value caps have gone, so only the weight counts now. “Someone abroad for less than a year gets no duty-free gold, and family members cannot pool their limits,” Patel explained further.

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How much jewellery can you bring as baggage?

According to the Customs guidelines, an Indian passenger who has been residing abroad for over one year is allowed to bring jewellery, free of duty in his bonafide baggage up to an aggregate value of Rs 50,000 if the passenger is a male or Rs 1,00,000 in the case of a lady passenger.

Customs duty on gold items brought to India from Dubai

From May 13, 2026, eligible passengers pay about 15%, and others pay more.

Patel highlighted that passengers bringing gold from Dubai to India must carry their passport, the purchase invoice and the purity certificate. “If you are taking your own jewellery abroad, get an export certificate from Customs before you leave so it can come back duty-free,” he underlined.

If you are over the duty-free limit, declare it on the ATITHI app up to three days before landing, or at the airport, and take the Red Channel.

Customs will weigh the gold, assess the duty and give you a receipt, which you should keep. Walking through the Green Channel with undeclared gold can mean confiscation, a penalty and prosecution under the Customs Act, 1962.

For the uninitiated, a two-channel system has been adopted for Customs clearance of arriving passengers: Green Channel is for passengers not having any dutiable goods, while the Red Channel is for those with dutiable goods.

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Bringing gold from Dubai to India? How to declare it at airport

If you are carrying duty-free goods, you can use the Green Channel. Keep in mind that if your bringing gold in any form other than jewellery, like bars, coins etc., it is excluded from free allowances and must be declared.

-Choose the Channel (Red of Green) depending on whether the gold is duty-free or dutiable.

-Submit the required declaration with the type, total weight, value, and purchase details.

-Present the gold and documents for inspection and valuation.

-Pay the assessed duty and retain the official receipt.

Remember that the applicable customs treatment depends on the form of gold, the passenger's eligibility, the duration of stay abroad and compliance with the prescribed declaration requirements. Teja advised travellers to always consult the latest customs rules and notifications before travelling, as duty rates, exemptions and eligibility conditions may be revised from time to time.