New Delhi, Feb 06: The Central Government has notified the Baggage Rules, 2026. These measures reflect facilitative and revised provisions for international passengers and in line with new economic conditions, rising travel volumes and passenger expectations.
The changes have been aimed at in consultation with stakeholders including Ministries, airport operators, and feedback from passengers, etc. These Rules will simplify procedures, enhance transparency, enable electronic and advance declarations and ensure smooth clearance.
Salient Features Enhanced general free allowance:
The revised rules enhance duty-free allowances in line with present-day travel realities, by revising entitlements for different passenger categories, as under.- (in rupees) Sl. No. Class of passengers Duty free allowance:-
1. Resident 75,000/-
2. Tourist of Indian origin 75,000/-
3. Foreigner with a valid visa, other than tourist visa 75,000/-
4. Tourist of foreign origin 25,000/-
5. Crew Members 2,500/-
Passengers arriving by land borders do not have any general duty-free allowances. (iii) Transfer of residence benefits: • upto 12 months: Rs. 1.5 lakh • 1–2 years: Rs. 3 lakh • Above 2 years: Rs. 7.5 lakh The transfer of residence benefits has also been simplified and modernised by having only a single rationalised list of duty-free articles, with an overall value cap as per eligibility.
Details are provided in new Baggage Rules, 2026. (link for rules: https://taxinformation.cbic.gov.in/view-pdf/1010571/ENG/Notifications)
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