How to Travel to USA/India with Gold Jewelry and Other Gold Items without Paying Customs Duty?

Gold is next to God for Indians, no matter where they are. Most Indians immigrating to the United States do carry their gold items, such as wedding jewelry, inherited ornaments, coins, etc. They travel back to India with the same for personal use at family functions or gifting to dear ones. Understandably, international transportation of this precious yellow metal in any form is subject to several regulations and restrictions. Hence, travelers end up searching the web for answers to questions: “How much gold can you carry from USA to India”, “What is the maximum amount of gold you can take to USA from India without paying taxes”, “What is India’s duty-free gold allowance”, “Do you need to declare gold to the airport officials” and likes.

To begin with, there is no limit to the amount of gold jewelry you can bring into the USA. However, anything over $10k in value (currency or gold coins) requires a FinCen105 form (Report of International Transportation of Currency or Monetary Instruments) to be filed with the US Customs and Border Protection. It must be noted that gold jewelry, gold bars, bullions and other articles of precious metals are not categorized as ‘monetary instruments’. Nevertheless, they need to be declared to a CBP officer upon entering the USA.

Is there any customs duty on importing gold to USA from India?  

No, the US doesn’t impose any customs duty on gold coins, jewelry, medals and bullions. It only requires travelers to declare these valuables to CBP officers or file FinCen105 form, depending on whether you are carrying gold items valued over $10k.

I bought some gold jewelry/bars in India. Do I need to declare that while leaving India for the USA?   

If not declared at the time of departure from India, it will be a problem to bring them back home (India). There are few GOV-appointed valuators. You need to book one’s visit. They come with quality and weight check instruments. They check gold articles for purity, weight, etc. and give a report on the estimated value. They also take photos of the items and give you 2 copies; one for your reference and the other for customs clearance at Indian airports. This is how you can declare your gold export out of India. You will get an export certificate from the customs. You can also show the export certificate while declaring your gold items in the US.

The gold export certificate is valid for 3 years from the date of your flight from India to USA. On your return to India anytime within 3 years, you can show the export certificate and the gold valuation report done before. Thus, you can avoid paying customs duty on the value of gold, which you bring back home from USA, on arrival at an entry airport in India.

Will I be held back by a US immigration officer while traveling back to USA with the gold jewelry purchased in the US itself? 

It is not mandatory to declare on return to the US if the value does not exceed $10k. If you are held back, you may be asked to show the purchase receipt or provide a verbal estimation of the value. If you declared it while flying out of the USA, you can show that receipt to the immigration officer when you travel back.

How to declare gold jewelry at US CBP & get ‘Certificate of Registration’ before traveling abroad?

You need to present a dated copy of your jewelry appraisal (you can get this document from a certified gemologist and appraiser), jewelry insurance policy or receipt to prove legal ownership of your jewelry before leaving the US. A photo of yours with your jewelry may also be accepted for issuing the ‘Certificate of Registration’.

What happens if I don’t declare jewelry to CBP officers at US airports?

Not declaring your jewelry is never a good idea. CBP may confiscate your gold jewelry and charge you with a penalty equivalent to the value of jewelry you are importing to the USA.

What’s Indian Government’s duty-free gold allowance for NRIs from USA and other countries?

Indian government’s standard duty-free allowance for gold jewelry varies depending on the gender of NRIs traveling to India from USA and other countries. For male travelers, the duty-free limit is 20 grams of gold jewelry and the value should not exceed INR 50,000. The duty-free allowance for women should not exceed 40 grams of gold jewelry with the value up to INR 100,000.

The same gender-wise duty-free gold allowance applies to NRI children traveling to India after a certain period of stay abroad. NRIs’ import of gold bars or coins is not eligible for the customs-duty-free allowance even though the gold amount/value is within the specified limit mentioned above.

I am traveling to India for a family function. Will it be a problem if I carry to India my gold or diamond jewelry purchased in the US?

Make sure to carry the purchase receipt. Try to convince the Indian customs officer at the arrival airport that your jewelry is not an import for commercial purposes and that you are carrying the jewelry for your personal use at a family function. If you have the return flight ticket and any proof of the family function, you can show those to convince the officer.

Can I bring back to India the gold jewelry that I had taken to USA, without paying taxes to Indian Customs?

If your gold jewelry was purchased in India and if you obtained an export certificate for your jewelry from the Indian Customs before traveling to the USA, then your gold jewelry is exempt from India’s customs duty. An export certificate facilitates your travel to India with gold jewelry exceeding Indian Government’s duty-free allowance, irrespective of your period of stay abroad.

How to obtain an export certificate for your gold jewelry or gold items before flying out of India? you need to produce your gold jewelry, purchase invoice or payment receipt and the valuation certificate (attesting to the claimed value of gold) issued by an authorized valuer to the customs authorities at the Indian airport you are departing from.

Can I carry gold coins or bars other than jewelry to India? If yes, what customs duty do I have to pay?

Bringing gold to India in raw form, like bar or coin, is allowed. The government of India allows Indian nationals holding valid passports to bring gold coins or bars from abroad. However, it must be noted that Indian government’s duty-free allowance doesn’t apply to gold coins, bars – precisely, gold in raw form. You are required to pay customs duty of 15% on importing gold coins or bars. The same percentage applies if you carry gold jewelry exceeding the standard duty-free allowance and without a previously obtained export certificate. And for those who have stayed for less than 6 months abroad, 38.5% tax is levied on importing gold to India.

How much gold can I carry to India in my cabin/hand baggage?  

Not everyone is allowed to import gold to India as part of cabin baggage. Only Indian-origin travelers and Indian nationals can import gold as baggage, provided they stayed abroad for minimum six months. You can import up to 1 kg of gold in your carry-on bag on international flights to India from USA.

Is the value of gold, that I will carry to USA, calculated based on the actual price paid during the purchase?

While estimating the value of the gold to determine if it falls under duty-free allowance or not, the value of the gold is calculated based on the current price as notified by the government of India. It means the value of the gold you carry is determined by the gold rate at the time of your travel and not at the time of your purchase. Regardless of this, you need to produce the purchase invoice to ascertain your ownership of jewelry.

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