How Much Gold Can I Carry From Canada to India? (2026)

Key takeaways

Duty-free gold jewellery into India: up to 40 g for a female passenger, 20 g for any other passenger (Baggage Rules, 2026)
The limit is by weight only; the old ₹50,000 and ₹1 lakh value caps are gone
You qualify only if you are a resident or a tourist of Indian origin who has lived abroad for more than one year
Gold bars, coins and biscuits are dutiable from the first gram; declare them in the red channel
Canada has no export limit on personal jewellery, but bring proof that it left Canada with you so you do not pay Canadian duty on the way back

How much gold jewellery can you take to India duty-free?

India replaced its old baggage rules on February 2, 2026. Under rule 6 of the Baggage Rules, 2026, a passenger who has lived abroad for more than one year can bring jewellery into India free of duty, up to:

40 grams if the passenger is female
20 grams for any other passenger

For a sense of size, 40 grams is about 3.4 tola and 20 grams is about 1.7 tola (1 tola = 11.6638 grams). Weigh your pieces at home before you pack, because the limit is counted in grams.

The Ministry of Finance said the new allowance is set purely by weight. The 2016 rules also capped the value at ₹50,000 for men and ₹1,00,000 for women, and those caps were removed. That matters because gold prices have risen: under the old rules, a few bangles could go over the value cap long before they went over the weight limit.

“Jewellery” in the rules means articles of adornment ordinarily worn by a person, made of gold, silver, platinum or other precious metals. The allowance is per person. Each family member who qualifies gets their own, but you cannot pool allowances and let one person carry everything.

Who qualifies for the jewellery allowance?

The rule covers a resident of India or a tourist of Indian origin who has been residing abroad for more than one year and is returning to India. In practice, that covers most people of Indian origin who live in Canada:

Indian citizens living in Canada as permanent residents, workers or students, after more than a year here
Canadian citizens of Indian origin, including OCI cardholders, visiting India after more than a year in Canada

It does not cover you if you have been abroad for one year or less. A student who arrived in Canada eight months ago and flies home for Diwali has no special jewellery allowance. Without the allowance, gold jewellery you bring in can be charged duty.

Foreign tourists who are not of Indian origin also do not get the jewellery allowance. Their general free allowance is ₹25,000, compared with ₹75,000 for residents and tourists of Indian origin.

Can you carry gold bars or coins to India?

Yes, but there is no free allowance for them. The Baggage Rules list “gold or silver, in any form, other than ornaments” in Annexure I, the items excluded from the general free allowance. So a 10 g coin or a 1 oz bar is dutiable from the first gram, even if you carry no jewellery at all.

If you carry jewellery above your limit, or any bars or coins:

Declare them on the Indian Customs baggage declaration (Form CBD-I), or electronically in advance through the government’s ATITHI app.
Walk through the red channel, not the green channel.
Pay the duty before you leave the customs area. Keep the receipt.

How much duty? As of October 2026, CBIC’s baggage rate table lists 35% basic customs duty as the general rate on baggage above the free allowance. For passengers who meet the “eligible passenger” conditions, it lists a concessional rate on gold bars and ornaments (up to 1 kg) of 10% basic customs duty plus 5% cess. Which rate applies to you depends on your status, and rates are changed by notification, so ask the customs officer or check CBIC before you fly.

Carrying more cash than usual to buy gold in India? Declare foreign currency on the Currency Declaration Form if notes alone are over US$5,000, or notes and travellers’ cheques together are over US$10,000 (Reserve Bank of India).

Are there limits on taking gold out of Canada?

Canada does not limit how much personal jewellery you can take with you when you leave. Non-restricted personal effects that are not for resale do not need an export declaration (CBSA Memorandum D20-1-1). Cash is different: if you carry CAN$10,000 or more in currency or monetary instruments, you must declare it to the CBSA when you leave, and again when you come back.

The real issue is the return trip. When you come back to Canada, the CBSA can ask you to prove that jewellery you are wearing left Canada with you and was not bought abroad. Without proof, it may be treated as a new purchase and count against your personal exemption.

Can you use Form Y38 for jewellery?

Usually not. Form Y38 was renamed BSF407, Identification of Articles for Temporary Exportation. It is free, but it only works for items with a serial number or similar permanent mark. CBSA Memorandum D2-6-5 says most jewellery cannot be documented on it (watches with serial numbers are an exception).

For jewellery, the CBSA suggests instead:

An appraisal report and a signed, dated photo of each piece from a recognized Canadian gemologist, jeweller or insurance agent
Having the appraisal and photos validated at a CBSA office before you travel
Keeping your sales receipts and carrying these papers with you

The CBSA also says it is best to travel with as little jewellery as possible. Valuable pieces you will not wear on the trip are often safer left at home.

What if you buy gold in India and bring it back to Canada?

Declare it. Canadian residents must declare all goods bought or received abroad, including gifts. Your personal exemption is CAN$800 after 48 hours or 7 days away, and anything above it is charged duty and GST/HST. Gold jewellery has a 6.5% Most Favoured Nation customs rate in the 2026 Customs Tariff, with lower or free rates under some trade agreements. Undeclared goods can be seized, with a penalty of 25% to 70% of their value.

Pure gold bars and coins (at least 99.5% gold) are different. They are free of customs duty and are not charged GST/HST when imported, but you still declare them. Our guide to bringing gold jewellery into Canada covers the Canadian side in full, and is gold cheaper in Dubai, India or Canada? compares prices after duty.

A simple checklist before you fly to India

Weigh your jewellery and write down each piece and its karat (22K is 91.6% gold, 24K is 99.9%).
Check you have lived abroad for more than one year if you plan to use the 40 g or 20 g allowance.
Get appraisals and dated photos for valuable pieces, and have them validated by the CBSA before you leave Canada.
Declare anything above your limit, and all bars and coins, in the red channel in India.
Keep receipts for anything you buy in India and declare it when you land in Canada.

Customs rules change. The limits on this page were checked on October 24, 2026. Check the official customs page for your destination, linked under Sources, in the week before you fly.

Use our gold carry limit checker to compare the rules for each country, and check the gold rate in India today in rupees and Canadian dollars before you decide whether to carry gold or buy it there.

Common questions

How much gold can a woman carry from Canada to India?

Up to 40 grams of gold jewellery duty-free, if she is a resident of India or a tourist of Indian origin who has lived abroad for more than one year (Baggage Rules, 2026). Jewellery above 40 grams, and any bars or coins, must be declared and is charged duty.

How much gold can a man carry to India duty-free?

Up to 20 grams of gold jewellery, under the same condition of more than one year abroad. There is no longer a value cap, only the weight limit.

Can I carry a gold coin to India from Canada?

Yes, but it is dutiable from the first gram. Gold in any form other than ornaments is excluded from the free allowance. Declare it in the red channel and pay duty before leaving customs.

Do I need a Y38 form for my jewellery when leaving Canada?

Usually not. The Y38 is now Form BSF407 and the CBSA will not document most jewellery on it. Instead, carry an appraisal and a signed, dated photo of each valuable piece, validated at a CBSA office before you travel.

Is the 40 grams limit per person or per family?

Per person. Each qualifying passenger gets their own allowance, and allowances cannot be pooled between passengers.

Sources

Checked against these sources on October 24, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

How much gold can you carry from Canada to India? (Baggage Rules 2026)