🇺🇸 United States → 🇮🇳 India
Compliance path
No bilateral FTA; India operates the AEO (Authorised Economic Operator) and SARAL personal-import schemes. Personal-import parcels under INR 50,000 (≈USD 600) attract concessional duty; above triggers full Customs Tariff Act treatment. Indian consumer-electronics imports require BIS certification for sale; tourist single-unit imports clear without BIS.
Commonly shipped items on this lane
1. Can I bring goods from United States to India?
Travellers entering India from United States are subject to India's personal allowances and declaration rules. The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) sets allowances for alcohol, tobacco, and personal goods. Anything above the allowance must be declared at the red channel.
- Alcohol allowance: 2 L
- Cigarette allowance: 100
- Personal-goods allowance: ~USD 480
- Cash declaration threshold: USD 5000
2. Can I post goods from United States to India?
Parcels move through India's postal-customs flow. Typical transit time on this lane is 9 days. Every international parcel needs a CN22 (under ~USD 300) or CN23 (above) customs declaration. Use accurate descriptions and HS codes — vague labels are the single biggest cause of postal customs holds.
India Post and customs assess all international parcels. No effective de minimis for e-commerce imports. Non-commercial gifts under INR 5,000 may be exempt. All taxable items require payment before release.
3. Can I import commercially from United States to India?
Yes. Commercial importers into India need an importer of record, a customs declaration filed with Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), a commercial invoice, a packing list, and goods classified to the appropriate HS code. Some categories (food, plants, animals, medicines, electronics, chemicals, weapons, art) require additional permits or certificates.
4. Duties, VAT/GST and de minimis
No FTA is in force on this lane, so MFN tariff rates apply. India levies 18% VAT/GST on commercial imports. Postal / courier de minimis: INR 0 (no effective de minimis).
India effectively removed the de minimis threshold for e-commerce imports — all imports through e-commerce operators are subject to customs duty and IGST. Non-commercial gifts and samples under INR 5,000 may be exempt. Business sample imports may have duty exemption. The Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) applies to all imports.
5. FTA + rules of origin
No FTA is in force on this lane. MFN tariff applies; check Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC)'s tariff tool for line-level rates.
6. Documents you may need
- Commercial invoice (every commercial shipment).
- Packing list.
- Transport document — air waybill (AWB) or bill of lading (B/L).
- Customs declaration (filed by importer of record or broker).
- Sector permits where applicable: phytosanitary, veterinary, medicines, telecom, weapons, art.
- Importer EORI / tax-ID where required by India.
7. Common problems on this route
- Undervaluation flagged at clearance, leading to revaluation and back-duty.
- Incorrect HS classification — duty rate moves up an entire tariff line.
- Missing origin documentation: FTA preference lost, MFN duty assessed.
- Vague descriptions on CN22 / CN23: parcel held pending clarification.
- Sanctions / dual-use screening for sensitive commodities.
- Biosecurity holds on food, plant, animal and wood-packaging items.
- Lithium-battery air-cargo refusal for non-compliant packaging.
8. High-risk item categories
- professional camera — restricted
- mobile phones commercial — restricted
- mobile phones commercial — restricted
Generally restricted categories into India:
- Wildlife and endangered species (Wildlife Protection Act permits)
- Firearms and ammunition (Arms Act licence required)
- Medicines and drugs (CDSCO licence required for commercial imports)
- Food items (FSSAI import licence required)
- Certain agricultural products (Plant Quarantine Order compliance)
- Satellite communication equipment
9. Official sources
- Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) — destination customs authority.
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) — origin customs authority.
- India country profile — full source panel and rule index.
10. Related tools
Frequently asked questions
Can I bring goods from United States to India as a traveller?
Yes. Travellers from United States entering India are subject to India's personal allowances and declaration rules. Alcohol allowance: 2 L. Cigarette allowance: 100. Personal goods allowance: ~USD 480. Declare anything above these limits at the red channel.
Can I send a parcel from United States to India?
Yes — parcels move through India's postal-customs flow. Typical transit: 9 days. De minimis: INR 0 (no effective de minimis). Always attach a CN22 or CN23 declaration with accurate description, value, and HS code.
Can I import commercially from United States to India?
Yes. Commercial imports into India require an importer of record, customs declaration via Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), commercial invoice, packing list, and HS-classified goods. MFN duty applies; check the destination's tariff tool for the applicable rate.
What duties and taxes apply on this lane?
Non-FTA lane: MFN tariff applies. India levies 18% VAT/GST on commercial imports. De minimis below INR 0 (no effective de minimis).
Do I need a Certificate of Origin?
No agreement is in force on this lane, so a Certificate of Origin is not required for preferential duty. It is still useful for valuation and product-compliance purposes.
What is India's cash declaration threshold for travellers?
Travellers entering India must declare cash and equivalent bearer instruments above USD 5000.
What documents should I prepare?
Minimum: commercial invoice, packing list, transport document (AWB or B/L), and customs declaration. Add a Certificate of Origin if claiming FTA preference. Sensitive categories (food, plants, animals, medicines, electronics, dangerous goods) need sector-specific permits or certificates.
What can go wrong on this lane?
Common problems: undervaluation flagged at clearance, incorrect HS code triggering a higher duty, missing origin documentation losing the FTA preference, parcel held for vague description on CN22/CN23, sanctions / dual-use screening on certain commodities, and biosecurity holds on food / plant / animal products.
Country profiles
Reference only — not legal or customs advice. Customs rules change frequently. Always verify against the destination's customs authority before acting on any rule on this page.