Baggage Rules 1998 and Amendment Rules 2006.

Baggage (Amendment) Rules, 2006 - (Baggage Rules, 1998)

1. Short title and commencement

1. These rules may be called the Baggage (Amendment) Rules, 2006.
2. They shall come into force on the 30th day of June, 2006.

2. Definitions

In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires,

1. "appendix" means an Appendix to these rules;
2. "resident" means a person holding a valid passport issued under the Passports Act, 1967 (15 of 1967) and normally residing in India;
3. "tourist" means a person not normally resident in India, who enters India for a stay of not more than six months in the course of any twelve months period for legitimate non-immigrant purposes, such as touring, recreation, sports, health, family reasons, study, religious pilgrimage or business;
4. "family" includes all persons who are residing in the same house and form part of the same domestic establishment;
5. "professional equipment" means such portable equipments, instruments, apparatus and appliances as are required in his profession, by a carpenter, a plumber, a welder, a mason, and the like and shall not include items of common use such as cameras, cassette recorders, dictaphones, personal computers, typewriters, and other similar articles.

3. Passengers returning from countries other than Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar or China

An Indian resident or a foreigner residing in India, returning from any country other than Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar or China, shall be allowed clearance free of duty articles in his bona fide baggage to the extent mentioned in column (2) of Appendix A.

Provided that such Indian resident or such foreigner coming by land route as specified in Annexure IV, shall be allowed clearance free of duty articles in his bonafide baggage to the extent mentioned in column (2) of Appendix ‘B’.

4. Passengers returning from Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar or China

An Indian resident or a foreigner residing in India, returning from Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar or China, other than by land route, shall be allowed clearance free of duty articles in his bona fide baggage to the extent mentioned in column (2) of Appendix B.

5. Professionals returning to India

An Indian passenger who was engaged in his profession abroad shall on his return to India be allowed clearance free of duty, in addition to what he is allowed under rule 3 or, as the case may be, under rule 4, articles in his bona fide baggage to the extent mentioned in column (2) of Appendix C.

6. Jewellery

A passenger returning to India shall be allowed clearance free of duty jewellery in his bona fide baggage to the extent mentioned in column (2) of Appendix D.

7. Tourists

A tourist arriving in India shall be allowed clearance free of duty articles in his bona fide baggage to the extent mentioned in column (2) of Appendix E.

8. Transfer of residence

1. A person who is transferring his residence to India shall be allowed clearance free of duty, in addition to what he is allowed under rule 3 or, as the case may be, under rule 4, articles in his bona fide baggage to the extent mentioned in column (1) of Appendix F, subject to the conditions, if any, mentioned in the corresponding entry in column (2) of the said Appendix.
2. The conditions may be relaxed to the extent mentioned in column (3) of the said Appendix.

9. Provisions regarding unaccompanied baggage

1. Provisions of these Rules are also extended to unaccompanied baggage except where they have been specifically excluded.
2. The unaccompanied baggage had been in the possession abroad of the passenger and is dispatched within one month of his arrival in India or within such further period as the Assistant Commissioner of Customs or Deputy Commissioner of Customs may allow.
3. The unaccompanied baggage may land in India upto 2 months before the arrival of the passenger or within such period, not exceeding one year, as the Assistant Commissioner of Customs or Deputy Commissioner of Customs may allow, for reasons to be recorded, if he is satisfied that the passenger was prevented from arriving in India within the period of two months due to circumstances beyond his control such as sudden illness of the passenger or a member of his family, or natural calamities or disturbed conditions or disruption of the transport or travel arrangements in the country or countries concerned or any other reasons, which necessitated a change in the travel schedule of the passenger.

10. Application of these Rules to members of the crew

1. The provisions of these Rules shall apply in respect of members of the crew engaged in a foreign going vessel for importation of their baggage at the time of final pay off on termination of their engagement.

   Provided that except as specified in this sub-rule, a crew member of a vessel shall be allowed to bring items like chocolates, cheese ,cosmetics and other petty gift items for their personal or family use which shall not exceed the value of rupees six hundred.

2. Notwithstanding anything contained in these rules a crew member of an aircraft shall be allowed to bring items gifts like chocolates, cheese, cosmetics and other petty gift items at the time of the returning of the aircraft from foreign journey for their personal or family use which shall not exceed the value of rupees six hundred.

Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C

Appendix D

Appendix E

Appendix F

Annexure I

1. Firearms.
2. Cartridges of fire arms exceeding 50.
3. Cigarettes exceeding 200 or cigars exceeding 50 or tobacco exceeding 250 gms.
4. Alcoholic liquor or wines in excess of two litres.
5. Gold or silver, in any form, other than ornaments.

Annexure II

1. Colour Television or Monochrome Television.
2. Digital Video Disc Player.
3. Video Home Theatre System.
4. Dish Washer.
5. Music System.
6. Air-Conditioner.
7. Domestic refrigerators of capacity above 300 litres or its equivalent.
8. Deep Freezer.
9. Microwave Oven.
10. Video camera or the combination of any such video camera with one or more of the following goods, namely:-
    1. Television Receiver;
    2. Sound recording or reproducing apparatus;
    3. Video reproducing apparatus.
11. Word Processing Machine.
12. Fax Machine.
13. Portable Photocopying Machine.
14. Vessel.
15. Aircraft.
16. Cinematographic films of 35 mm and above.
17. Gold or Silver , in any form , other than ornaments.

Annexure III

1. Video Cassette Recorder or Video Cassette Player or Video Television Receiver or Video Cassette Disk Player.
2. Washing Machine.
3. Electrical or Liquefied Petroleum Gas Cooking Range
4. Personal Computer( Desktop Computer)
5. Laptop Computer( Notebook Computer)
6. Domestic Refrigerators of capacity up to 300 litres or its equivalent.

Annexure IV

• Amritsar:
  1. Amritsar Railway Station
  2. Attari Road
  3. Attari Railway Station
  4. Khalra
• Baroda:
  5. Assara Naka
  6. Khavda Naka
  7. Lakhpat
  8. Santalpur Naka
  9. Suigam Naka
• Delhi:
  10. Delhi Railway Station
• Ferozpur District:
  11. Hussainiwala
• Jodhpur Division:
  12. Barmer Railway Station
  13. Munabao Railway Station
• Baramullah District:
  14. Adoosa
• Poonch District:
  15. Chakan-da-bagh