From today, ‘nothing to declare’ flyers won’t have to fill customs form

Incoming passengers not carrying dutiable goods will not have to fill up customs declaration form Friday under a new regime in which duty-free allowance of passengers has been marginally increased but those coming from China will no longer enjoy any duty-free allowance.

Hereafter, only flyers carrying prohibited and dutiable goods will have to fill up the declaration form. The changes were announced by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley while presenting the Budget for 2016-17. The duty free allowance of two litres of alcoholic liquor or wines, 125 cigarettes, 50 cigars and 125 gms tobacco for the passengers will continue.

The monetary limit for Indian passengers coming from any foreign destination, excluding Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar, has been increased from Rs 45,000 to Rs 50,000. The duty free allowance for people coming from Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar has been increased more than two times to Rs 15,000 from Rs 6,000 at present. Passengers from China can no longer bring goods duty free into India. Till now they were able to bring duty free goods of Rs 6,000. The increase in allowance will be applicable for journey by air. Those coming to India from land borders will not be able to get any amount of free allowance, as per the new rules.