Customs
Visitors are usually
asked if they have anything to declare on arrival. You
should not bring in more than US$10,000 in cash without
declaring it. Likewise, video and camera equipment and
other expensive, easily sold items should be declared on
arrival. If the customs officers issues you are Tourist
Baggage Re-export Form (TBRE) detailing the items
declared and their value, these items must be shown when
leaving the country. If currency was declared and noted
when entering the country , exchange receipts must be shown
on departure if you take less than declared amount out.
India allows one bottle of spirits, 200 cigarettes and
a reasonable amount of gifts to be imported free of duty.
Souvenirs can be exported from India without
restriction. Only Rs2.000 worth of gold and up to Rs10,000
worth of manufactured jewellery or precious stones
can be exported without the permit. Any object
over 100 years old needs an export certificate
from the Director of Antiquities, Archaeological
survey of India. India is a signatory to CITES and
the export of ivory, animals and snake skins and products made
from them is forbidden. CITES certificates can
be issued by the Deputy Director of Wildlife Preservation in
the major cities. They should fill in the Disembarkation
card handed over to them by the
airline during the course of the flight. There
are two channels for Customs clearance:
Green Channel : For passengers not
in possession of any dutiable articles or unaccompanied
baggage.
Red Channel : For passengers with
dutiable articles or unaccompanied baggage or high
value articles to be entered on the Tourist Baggage
Re-Export Form.
Exports
Of Antiquities
Antiquities which
include sculpture, paintings or other works of art & crafts,
illustrative of science, art, crafts, religion of bygone
ages & of historical interest which have bee in existence
for not less than one hundred years may not be exported out
of India. Manuscripts, or other documents of scientific,
historical, literary or aesthetic value in existence for
not less than seventy five years; art treasures- not necessarily
antiquities but of artistic & aesthetic value, also cannot
be exported out of India. For Clarifications on the antiquity,
tourists can contact the following authorities.
