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Import/Export

United Kingdom to India

Country or Territory Regulations Topics:

Import Documentation

To enable clearance for CITES shipments, please ensure CITES Certificate is forwarded by Express service.
Importers must provide documents Know Your Customer (KYC) and authorization Power of Attorney (POA) to UPS as per Customs requirements prior to customs clearance.

This is mandatory for all import non-document shipments (consigned to Companies or Individuals) to India irrespective of the value.

Goods under IATA Special Provisions A67 require a MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet).

It is not required for all, however shipments can be held by local authority in United Arab Emirates after screening due to lack of MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) or NON DG (Dangerous Goods) declaration letter from the shipper resulting to misconnections and impacting end-to-end service.

It would be advisable for all shipments originating, transiting and terminating for UAE to have MSDS or NON DG declaration from shipper enclosed in the shipment and copies to be uploaded in IDIS.

In addition to the commercial invoice, a packing list is mandatory for multiple package shipments and must be provided by the shipper, or an invoice come packing list can be given with all the packing details.
Export procedure ex United Kingdom

A formal electronic export declaration must be sent to customs authorities by the exporter or their representative. Customs authorities grant the release for export and issue an Export Accompanying Document (EAD) with a unique Movement Reference Number (MRN). UPS operated simplified procedures allowing export formalities to be completed upto 14 days after export.

Informal Declarations
An informal declaration is possible for shipments up to a national threshold. The informal declaration is based on the invoice value and is restricted to shipments not subject to prohibitions and restrictions (for example, embargo regulations) or special export procedures (for example, temporary export). The informal clearance will be done by UPS at the point of exit.

National Requirements
Shipments up to a value of 873.00 GBP can be declared informally on the basis of the invoice.

The EORI (European Union Registration and Identification) number needs to be included with the Invoice for any shipment with value exceeding 873.00 GBP. The EORI number can be obtained by the shipper using website link: www.gov.uk/EORI

UPS service
UPS offers the service to prepare export declarations on behalf of the exporter without additional fees.

Export Documentation

Valid passports can be shipped as documents. The description must clearly state 'passport'. Shipping passports require the approval of the UK customs authorities. A delay of minimum one day has to be calculated.

Please check the import related information if passports are allowed for importation.

Clearance Information

Only Documents and Letters should travel in Docs Bag. All other items other than (documents & letters) should travel as Non-DOC Bag as per Indian Customs regulation.

It has been observed items like swatches, CDs, modems, security tokens are being sent in DOC bag which is non-compliant as per Indian customs law. Any discrepancies found in this will be passed on to the Origin in form of penalties (if any) levied by the Indian customs.

A Master Air Waybill (MAWB) is required for chemical shipments, valuable cargo (such as industrial abrasive and synthetic diamond powder) of any value for cargo clearance. This allows shipments for different consignees to travel on one MAWB. The shipments will be cleared in the destination cargo terminal as airfreight.

All Airfreight shipments arriving at transit port will be transferred to designated airport OR post consignee confirmation can be clear at transit port.

Eastern Zone: Calcutta Airport

Karnataka Zone: Bangalore Airport

Northern Zone: Delhi Airport

Southern Zone: Chennai, Hyderabad, Cochin Airport

All other destinations: Mumbai (Bombay) Airport

CAN (Cargo Arrival Notice) is sent by UPS IN on receipt of cargo arrival confirmation from the Airline and consignee has option to clear the shipment by their nominated broker or UPS appointed Broker.

Duty and taxes are not refundable. Shippers should be advised that if the consignee refuses to pay duty, then the duty would be billed back to the shipper.

All import shipments into India which includes documents, letters and non-document shipments should accompany with a valid air waybill. The waybill should be scanned in IDIS along with invoice and any other document provided by the shipper.

As per India Customs regulations, air waybill and invoice (for non- document shipment) are mandatory document to process and obtain release of the shipment. If mandatory documents are not available in IDIS, shipment will experience a delay due to Customs hold and will incur demurrage charges.

The consignee must have an import/export code (IEC) number and Goods and Service Tax (GST)number to receive items shipped for commercial use.

Indian Customs can penalize the carrier when Non- Documents are found in a document bag. The Customs regulation in India does not permit shipping non documents in documents. RTS of such shipments is subject to Customs permissions and will attract fine and penalties.

All non-document shipments must be cleared within 30 days from the date of arrival. Otherwise, Customs will abandon the shipment. For other requirements, please refer to Invoice section.

E-Way bill

As per the new tax regime, goods having a value of more than INR 50,000 (Approx. USD 750) that transit across the states in India whether for IMPORT/EXPORT purpose will require a document called E-Way bill.

When applicable, these documents are mandatory to be provided by Importer. UPS has a robust system and procedure to help the importer / consignee to create the E Way bill to ensure compliance and timely deliveries. Please call UPS helpline for more information.

Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)

The BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) is a national Standards Body under the aegis of Department of Consumer affairs, Govt. of India and is engaged in standardization and conformity assessment activities under the provisions of BIS Act, 2016 and Rules & Regulations framed thereunder.

BIS is operating a product certification scheme (link: https://bis.gov.in/?pageid=2143) for foreign manufactures under which licenses are granted to manufactures located outside India for use of BIS Standard Mark on their products to ensure that the products under compulsory certification conforms to relevant Indian Standards. Also BIS grant licenses for the products for the products which are under voluntary certification, if any foreign manufacture wishes to supply its products with Standard mark.

The term Gift or Sample must be mentioned in the invoice for shipment of gift and sample. Value of the shipment-samples only-must be below INR 10,000 in order to file for duty free clearance.

GIFTS ONLY -

With effect from 12 December 2019 all gift articles imported in India will attract duties and Taxes, The change is applicable with immediate effect for all such articles imported from any origin as gifts, irrespective of their declared value or utility to the receiver.

Labeling and Marking Rules require that Maximum Retail Price (MRP), generic name of product, month and year of entry in trade channel, importers name and address and quantity in standard unit are shown on principal display panel of packages.

The labeling and marking rules apply to the import of prepackaged commodities for retail sale only.

Packaged commodities means packaging of any article or goods whether in any bottle, tin wrapper or otherwise intended for sale whole sale of retail distribution or delivery or stored for sale/distribution and would include pre-packaged commodity and group or whole sale package.

UPS cannot deliver to a P.O. Box address. All packages require a consignee's contact name and complete street address including apartment, suite or unit number if applicable. The consignee's telephone number should be provided if known.

Areas Served

Service is provided to and from certain cities. Please check INTLDI Time in Transit when shipping to see if specific Postal Code is served.

Please note no service to/from any part of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep.

UPS cannot deliver to a P.O. Box address. All packages require a consignee's contact name and complete street address including apartment, suite or unit number if applicable. The consignee's telephone number should be provided if known.

Sunday, and official holidays.
Spring +0550/ Fall +0550
English
Indian Rupee(INR)

Billing Options

  • Shipping charges can be billed to the shipper, receiver or a third party.
  • When billing the receiver, either the shipper or receiver's account number is required.
  • When billing to a third party, the third party's name, country or territory and account number are required.
  • COD Deliveries for ISC Shipments is not possible for India. All shipments should be sent Free Domicile( F/D ) Billing Term.
  • Duties and taxes can be billed to the shipper, receiver or a third party.
  • When billing a third party, the third party's name, country or territory and account number are required.
  • If the duties and taxes are billed to an account outside of the destination country or territory, a "Duty and Tax Forwarding" surcharge will be applied.
  • Please note the following third party billing exceptions:
    • Shipments to and from the same country or territory (domestic shipments) cannot be billed to third party payors in other countries or territories. For example, shipments from Mexico to Mexico or Canada to Canada cannot be billed to a third party payor in the U.S. This rule does not apply to UPS domestic services in European Union countries or territories as well as to UPS domestic services in the United Kingdom.For example, shipments from Germany to Germany can be billed to a third party payor in the U.S. (as long as the payor is a business and has a VAT or Tax/EIN ID on file with UPS).
  • When paying by credit card, check, or cash, only the shipper can be billed the shipping charges
  • The freight and duties can be billed to the shipper or a third party
  • The taxes can be billed to the receiver or a third party
  • A surcharge will be applied for the SDV billing option

Commodity Specific Stipulations

There are special stipulations on the following commodities when shipping to India. If you plan to ship one of the commodities listed below, be sure to adhere to the following stipulations in order to avoid delays and holds at customs.

Bank Cards which are requested to be sent out of the United Kingdom should be declared for referral to HMRC and await their approval to send.
Any Brochures having samples (i.e.fabric/swatch/cd/patterns), RSA token and USB along with company or individual data shall be considered as non-document-thus it needs to be manifested as non-documents only.
Catalogs cannot be shipped as samples. These items are subject to import duties regardless of value.
It is mandatory to have an IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identification ) Number clearly indicated on all mobile phones imported into India. The IMEI numbers should also reflect on the commercial invoice.
Import of any chemical must carry MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) and Chemical Analysis. Indian Customs reserve their right to get chemical shipment tested from CRCL (Central Revenue Control Laboratory) to verify chemical and its value.
Shipments of clothing/fabrics/garments/textiles, other than samples and personal shipments shall be accompanied by a pre-shipment certificate from a textile testing laboratory accredited to the National Accreditation Agency of the Country of Origin.The details of Accredited Agencies are available in: http://ilac.org/signatory-search/?q=all

In cases where such certificates are not available, the consignment will be cleared after getting a sample of the imported consignment tested & certified from any of the agencies-1.Textiles Committee of Ministry of Textiles (http://textilescommittee.nic.in/) and its various testing facilities-2. Central Silk Technological Research Institute (CSRTI) (located at Bangluru, Karnataka) and Eco Testing Laboratory Central Silk Technological Research Institute (located at Bhagalpur, Bihar, and Varanasi Uttar Pradesh); of the Central Silk Board (the details can be accessed from the website of the Central Silk Board: http://csb.gov.in). The sampling will be based on the following parameters:

A.At least 25% of samples are drawn for testing instead of 100%.Note: Testing of Textiles and Textile Articles for presence of Azo Dyes will not be required for imports originating from the following countries: European Union (EU) Countries, Serbia, Poland and China.

An invoice is required on all shipments containing a CD-Rom/Disk. Invoice should indicate the value of the Recording Media (eg. CDR/DVD) & the Intellectual/statistical value of the software/data separately
Shipments of medicine require a No-Objection Certificate from the Assistant Drug Controller. Pharma samples are subject to stringent examination and are cleared after obtaining a No-Objection certificate from Assistant Drug Controller of India.

The Commercial invoice should clearly state the scientific name of the commodity. If only the common trade name of the commodity is listed on the invoice, this will create a delay in clearance. The commodity description should be such that it is easily identified by the Custom Authorities and other agencies.

Shipments of food require a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

Individual importer can apply NOC by sending an explanation letter and a passport copy along with annexure 7 (Copy of ANNEXURE to be attached) to FSSAI/Customs. Approval is solely based on FSSAI's/Customs discretion.

Copy of Passport /VISA and Form-7 is a mandatory document to import for personnel consumption (limited quantity) for foreigners.

Imports on personal Name:

Any shipment imported on personal name as C2C will attract 77% Customs duty.

Any B2C shipment imported into India basis on online purchase or any shipment wherein importer have remitted/transacted invoice value will be subject to aggregate 43% of Customs duty*.

Note: * Provided customer can submit online purchase proof/ remittance receipt to UPS before arrival/finalization of customs duty for submission to customs.

Shipments of Jewelry made of gold/silver/diamond, semi- precious or precious stones between countries or territories can be shipped up to a value of US$2500.00 per package without the need for an International High Value Waiver (IHVW) in Cargo mode only. Import of Gems and Jewelry (made of gold/silver/diamond, semi- precious or precious stones ) or gold-silver in any form is prohibited in Courier.

For other fashion jewelry which are made of other artificial articles like brass, aluminum, non-precious stones there is no restriction.

Further Instruction for Jewelry shipments

Shipments containing the following items-namely Gold, Silver, Precious and semi-precious stones, pearls, other precious metals, diamonds, synthetic diamond powder, diamond abrasives and jewelry are restricted in Courier and the same can be cleared in Cargo Terminal only. Indian Customs Courier Import & Export Regulations restrict the clearance of such shipments in Courier Terminal.

Shipments of such nature must be shipped under a separate MAWB and should travel under Cargo mode only. MMTC (Metals and Minerals Trading Corporation), DPCC (Diamond Plaza Cargo Complex) and other Customs authorized agencies are the Custodians for deposition and clearance of such shipments. All such shipments irrespective of the invoice value require clearance in Cargo where consignee has also option for self-nominated broker clearance.. A pre-alert to destination brokerage is mandatory for smooth clearance. Non-adherence to the Customs policy will attract Seizures or Fine penalties or both.

All import shipments consisting of leather (finished or raw), leather accessories/items, animal skins etc require No-objection from Wildlife Regional Office (WLRO) prior to customs clearance.

Certificate of origin reflecting the commodity details is a mandatory requirement to obtain No-objection from WLRO.

All medical products, devices, and supplies, including diagnostic kits, will require a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Health Department. Personal shipments, regardless of quantity and value, will also require a NOC.

The NOC should be obtained upon shipment arrival. The consignee will have to provide a letter explaining what the item is and the purpose of import to the Health Officer. UPS India can provide assistance for submitting the NOC applications provided all documents required are available.

Post receipt of documents from consignee, a delay A delay of 2-3 additional working days is expected.

Laboratory equipment and devices do not need to conform to this requirement. A catalog is required for duty assessment purposes.

Shipments of medicine require a No-Objection Certificate from the Assistant Drug Controller. Pharma samples are subject to stringent examination and are cleared after obtaining a No-Objection certificate from Assistant Drug Controller of India.

The Commercial invoice should clearly state the scientific name of the commodity. If only the common trade name of the commodity is listed on the invoice, this will create a delay in clearance. The commodity description should be such that it is easily identified by the Custom Authorities and other agencies.

Shipments of nutritional supplements require a No Objection Certificate (NOC) issued by the Drug Controller.
These import shipments will attract 200 % of Customs duty
Shipments of radios and radio equipment require an import license from the Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing, Ministry of Communication.
Shipments of satellite equipment require an import license from the Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing, WPC NOC required from Ministry of Communication.
Secured/RSA tokens are dutiable and should not be shipped as documents. An invoice with the actual value of the token based on the agreement between the sender and the receiver is required for customs clearance. Customs may re-assess the declared value.
Import of SIM card is permitted subject to D.O.T NOC (only if imported for resale).
Films or Videocassette tapes for training, educational, and in-house advertising purposes must be accompanied by full documentations and a written synopsis of the films' content. All films and videocassettes are subject to censorship and Customs duty, which will delay clearance. The consignee is responsible for the payment of any charges pertaining to the import.

All films should have the following on the accompanying invoice:

Country or Territory of Origin-Contents and title of the film-Purpose of Import.

For beta tapes and films, Customs requires a copy of the agreement made between the buyer and seller or any other document of sale where the value of the contents is clearly stated.

The Government of India has made it mandatory for all mobile phones imported into India to have a clearly identified IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identification ) Number. The IMEI numbers should also reflect on the commercial invoice.IMEI number should be registered with DOTs (Department of telecommunication) ICDR (Indian Counterfeited Device Restriction system.
Importation of color television sets is restricted. Clearance is permissible only in Cargo mode where the Consignee needs to obtain the Special Import License from DGFT as a mandatory requirement.
Shipments of textiles require a Testing Certificate, issued by the Textile Ministries of India, for contents of hazardous dyes. Clothing containing hazardous dye will not be customs cleared. Shipment Pre inspection certificate from national accredited lab can help to avoid the required testing by Indian Textile Ministry.

Note: Refer to Clothing for more details.

The Government of India has recently announced that Importation of toys into India under India's Customs Classification numbers 9501, 9502 and 9503 is now prohibited up to January 23, 2010, except for those accompanied by the following certificates:

  • A certificate that the toys being imported conform to the standards prescribed in ASTM F963 or standards prescribed in ISO 8124 (Parts I-III) or IS 9873 (Parts I-III) or standards prescribed in EN71

    Samples will be randomly picked from each consignment and will be sent to NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories) accredited labs for testing and clearance may be given by customs on the condition that the product cannot be sold in the market until successful testing of the sample. Further, if the sample drawn fails to meet the required standards, the consignment will be sent back or will be destroyed at the cost of importer.

Shipments of Vitamins require a No-Objection Certificate from the Assistant Drug Controller. Pharma samples are subject to stringent examination and are cleared after obtaining a No-Objection certificate from Assistant Drug Controller of India.

The Commercial invoice should clearly state the scientific name of the commodity. If only the common trade name of the commodity is listed on the invoice, this will create a delay in clearance. The commodity description should be such that it is easily identified by the Custom Authorities and other agencies.

Gift Exemptions

0.00 Indian Rupee INR
no gift exemption
no gift exemption

There is no gift exemption limit in India. The items below cannot be sent as gifts:

Perishables goods, Plants and seeds, Precious and semi-precious stones, Gold and silver, Nutritional supplements, Drugs and cosmetics, Confectionary, Dried and fresh fruit, Vegetables, Spices, Honey, Chocolate, Tinned food, Meat and animal products, Milk and milk products, Medicines for commercial use.

If any of the above mentioned items are sent for personal use, clearance and delivery will be subject to approval from Customs.

Duty Applicable: 77% import duty on **Assessable value **(Invoice cost+ Fright + Insurance= Assessable value).

Invoice Requirements

Non-document shipments to India must include 1 original and 2 copies of an invoice.

All invoices must show a declared value for Indian Customs.

All invoices require incoterms to be stated.

The invoices should show a correct value of the commodity even if there is no transaction between the buyer and the seller. "Value for Customs Purposes only" should not be stated on the invoice as this may cause the shipment to be hold by Customs for valuation-thus, clearance will be delayed until the value is cross-checked or re-assessed based on Customs methods.

All pro forma invoices must be completed on the supplier's letterhead stationery and signed. All invoices must be signed and stamped by suppliers.

The consignee's name and contact details (preferably Mobile number and valid email ID) must appear on the waybills and invoices in order to expedite the clearance process.

Import Export Code (IEC) registration of importer (does not apply if imported by individual person).

Non-IEC Import: In case of non-availability of valid IEC of importer; Indian Customs will levy penalty on importer for allowing clearance. In case of F/D account in such cases; India UPS will automatically bill back penalty/demurrage/duty to the shipper account without any further ERN approval.Availability of Hawb & Invoice image on IDIS is mandatory to ensure priority clearance.

Goods & Service Tax (GST) ID Requirements

Effective July 2017, 100% of all import shipments are required to have the Importers GST ID provided in order to submit the Bill of Entry. If the Importers GST ID is not included on the Commercial Invoice, other provided documentation, or previously received, then the Importer must provide the appropriate GST ID to UPS as per Customs requirements prior to customs clearance. Failure to provide the Importers GST ID prior to arrival will prevent UPS from submitting the Bill of Entry timely and will result in delayed processing.

Mandatory Forms of GST ID

Commercial shipments (where the Importer is a proprietor, partnership, joint venture, corporation, etc.) must have:

A state-specific GST ID Number, with the first two numbers matching the 2-digit state code for the state listed on the Importers address on the Commercial Invoice, AND Permanent Account Number (PAN Number), AND Import Export Code (IEC) Number

Individual shipments must have:

Passport Number OR Aadhaar ID Number OR PAN Number.

Without the above mandatory documentation, India Customs will not allow import clearance into India.

The invoices should show a correct value of the commodity even if there is no transaction between the buyer and the seller. "Value for Customs Purposes only" should not be stated on the invoice as this may cause the shipment to be hold by Customs for valuation. Thus, clearance will be delayed until the value is cross-checked or re-assessed based on Customs methods.

Mis-declaration of value, quantity or commodity
All mis-declaration cases will be adjudicated and fine and penalty is levied based on the merits of violation of Import Trade Control regulations.

Adjudication process involves hearing of the Importer/Consignee for an explanation. This process may take up to 2 months until a final fine and penalty order is issued.

UPS Paperless Invoice is available for small package exports from this country or territory.
UPS Paperless Invoice is accepted by Customs for small package imports into this country or territory.

Items Classified as Documents

The following items are considered to be documents as long as the stipulations - if any - are met. India considers the following items as document shipments, provided it meet the weight criteria. Upper weight limit of below categories: up to 2 Kgs.

Only used traveler's cheques are considered documents, however Blank travelers cheques are restricted to import.
Visa Applications/ Passport (Only to Embassies)

UPS can recommend which forms you need based on a few simple criteria. Forms can be completed online or printed. See which forms you need.

Prohibited or Restricted Commodities

In addition to the prohibited commodities listed here, it is prohibited to ship the following commodities to India.

Animals and parts thereof are prohibited.
Antique shipments are restricted from Europe, the Middle East and Africa and can only be shipped with an International Special Commodities (ISC) contract. Antiques are defined as a work of art, piece of furniture, decorative object, or silverware that is 100 years old or older.
Artwork shipments are restricted from Europe, the Middle East and Africa and can only be shipped with an International Special Commodities (ISC) contract.

Paintings or other works of art can be accepted if the artist is still alive, the artwork is replaceable and an art dealer or gallery has appraised the artwork within the last year. If the declared value of the artwork is greater than $100.00 and there is a claim, the shipper must provide a copy of the original invoice, a bill of sale, or other proof certifying in writing the actual cost or replacement cost of the item.

Artwork includes the following: Original engravings, prints, lithographs, original sculptures, statuary. The term "Artwork" does not apply to: architectural, engineering, industrial, topographical, commercial drawings, hand-painted or hand-decorated manufactured articles

Perishables are not allowed to be imported in courier/express and customs clearance is done through the Cargo terminal-this can be changed as allowed to clear if consignee can produce the NOC from concerned government authority such as Additional Drug Controller, FSSAI, and WLRO etc.

Please ensure such commodities are not sent through express mode to avoid delay in clearance.

The items in scope are prohibited from being sent through express for commercial use. The items below cannot be sent as gifts or as samples:

Perishables goods, Plants and seeds, Precious and semi-precious stones, Gold and silver, Nutritional supplements, Drugs and cosmetics, Confectionary, Dried and fresh fruit, Vegetables, Spices, Honey, Chocolate, Tinned food, Meat and animal products, Milk and milk products and Medicines for commercial use.

If any of the above mentioned items are sent for personal use, clearance and delivery will be subject to approval from Customs.

Prohibited for Courier & Cargo mode
Drones are prohibited goods under the Indian Customs Act.

All airport and cargo customs officers have been notified about the regulation and made clear that drones should be restricted/prohibited item for India, and should not be allowed to enter into India at any cost, no matter if Import of Drones/ Toy drones are regulated by Indian customs and can only be cleared post importer complying with following norms.

Importer in India must ensure below stated documents before import in to India;

Clearance certificate from DGCA

Airworthiness certificate or airworthiness certificate exemption letter by Quality Council of India

SIL (Special import license from DGFT)

Any import without aforesaid documents will be subject to penalty on importer and UPS to bring shipment in to India without any valid documents. All such penalty cost would be billed back to origin without any ERN approval.

All E-Cigarettes and parts required for a E-Cigarette are completely prohibited in India for Export and Import.
Any form of arms and ammunition is strictly prohibited including any form of toy gun or gun replica.

(Except Guns for consignee who is a renowned shooter and has all valid license from authorities for clearance and import of such goods).

License holder like film productions having valid license and NOC from MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs).

Emirates and Lufthansa (used by UPS to ship to and from Mumbai, India) have an embargo on Lithium Ion Battery type UN3480 (PI 965 ).
No restrictions from Customs point of view, from Airline perspective not allowed on commercial airlines.
Publications containing maps depicting incorrect boundaries of India  strictly prohibited.
Precious and semi-precious stones, gold or silver in any form  can be imported under cargo clearance.
Mobile phones to all destination countries from United Kingdom can be delayed on export due to security checks from government bodies.
Passports can only be sent to an Embassy in India. Person to Person is not possible.
Perishables can be imported under Cargo mode
Personal effects (Classified under CTH/HTS 9803) are restricted for courier clearance, can be cleared only in cargo terminal under baggage mode where these goods can be cleared but consignee should fulfil below conditions:

Should have valid passport and Visa-should have travelled from origin to destination-Should have valid Air ticket- Shipment should be booked as Same shipper and same consignee-Period of travel history must be within 6 months

plants and parts thereof are prohibited.
Publications containing maps depicting incorrect boundaries of India  prohibited for Courier & Cargo mode
Sample shipments cannot exceed 5 pieces of the same model. Samples without clear descriptions are subject to a Customs inspection. Brochures, catalogs, and advertising literature cannot be shipped as samples. These items are subject to import duties regardless of value.

Note: Sample (Under CBE XII) Clearance not permitted in Mumbai and hence all shipments will fall under dutiable category. For other ports such as Bangalore and Delhi there is no such restrictions and can be cleared as duty free if it falls under same category.

The items below cannot be sent as gifts or as samples: Perishable goods, Plants and seeds, Precious and semi-precious stones, Gold and silver, Nutritional supplements, Drugs and cosmetics, Confectionary, Dried and fresh fruit, Vegetables, Spices, Honey, Chocolate, Tinned food, Meat and Animal products, Milk and milk products and Medicines for commercial use.

If any of the above mentioned items are sent for personal use, clearance and delivery will be subject to approval from Customs.

Shipments of seeds require a No-Objection Certificate from the Plant and Quarantine Office.

Seeds can be imported under Cargo mode.

From 1 July 2022, India has a ban on identified single use plastic items.

The manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of the following single-use plastic items, including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene commodities is effective.

A-Ear buds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, polystyrene [Thermocol] for decoration.

B-Plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straw, trays, wrapping or packing films around sweet boxes, invitation cards, and cigarette packets, plastic, or PVC banners less than 100 micron, stirrers.

The notice also states carry bags made of virgin or recycled plastic shall not be less than 75 microns in thickness effective September 30, 2022 and 120 microns in thickness effective December 31, 2022.

Shipments of used electrical & electronic equipment (for example, used computers, CRT, RAM, electrical or electronic assemblies and etc.) require a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Ministry of Environment & Forest (MOEF). The Consignee is responsible for the application of the NOC.
India prohibts importation of used items of any nature, whether for personal, commercial or professional use unless consignee is able to obtain a Special Import License (SIL) granted by the Director General of Foreign Trade in India.

Used goods are not allowed to clear in Express Terminal.

Saturday Delivery

Saturday Delivery Available: Yes

Not available in all areas. Always check the international time in transit system for details of service availability within a country or territory.

Service Options

Always check Calculate Time and Cost for details of service availability and guarantee information within a country or territory. All Service Levels may not be available to or from every address within a country or territory.

  • UPS Worldwide Expedited
  • UPS Worldwide Express
  • UPS Worldwide Express Plus
  • UPS Worldwide Express Saver
  • UPS WorldWide Express Freight
  • WorldWide Economy DDP
  • WorldWide Economy DDU
  • WorldWide Express Freight Midday

Special Clearance Requirements

Gift Shipments

Al gift articles imported into India will attract duties and Taxes-for all such articles imported from any origin as gifts, irrespective of their declared value or utility to the receiver.

Outward Processing Relief (goods exported from the UK for the purpose of repair)

The outward processing relief starts with the export from the UK and will be discharged with the re-importation of the repaired goods. Both steps need to be identified by UPS export or import operation. Repair Goods: Goods requiring Export from the UK for repair Invoice requirements:

  • Statement stating "Goods being sent for repair under Outward Processing Relief" should be clearly marked on the commercial invoice
  • Provide serial number of goods being sent for repair. If the goods are not serialized a statement to this effect must be made on the commercial invoice
  • Exporters authorized to export under OPR must include their authority number on all paperwork
  • Provide correct commercial value of goods as originally paid for not a nominal value for the goods.

Failure to provide any of the above information will result in shipments being delayed.

Repaired goods: Goods being re-exported returned after repair in the UK Invoice requirements:

  • Invoice should clearly state "Goods have been repaired under IPR"
  • Provide either IP authorization number or Import entry details
  • Provide full commercial value of goods plus cost of repair

Failure to provide any of the above information will result in shipments being delayed.

Imports in personal name:

Any shipment imported on personal name as C2C will attract 35% basic Customs duty, if consignee can provide valid payment proof such as bank remittance copy or purchase bill can be processed with 10% BCD. Payment proof should be available before import of goods to avoid delays.

Shipments in personal name arrived as B2C where these are mainly online purchase where payment proofs are available, should be scanned in DIS to classify the goods under correct duty structure of 10% BCD, non-availability of payment proof will be considered under 35% BCD.

If non- commercial and gift, even its B2C basic duty will be 35% (Total Duty Percentage on CIF Value is 77.28%)

Only Commercial and purchased from e-commerce portal (B2C) then BCD will be 10% (Total Duty Percentage on CIF Value is 42.08%, payment proof is required).

At export, the invoice should indicate the following:

  • A clear and detailed description of the goods
  • Serial Number
  • Model Number
  • Clear indication that it is a Repair and Return shipment
  • Country or Territory of origin of goods
  • Value of goods

    Upon completion of repair works, at re-import, the invoice should indicate:

  • A clear and detailed description of the goods
  • Serial Number
  • Model Number
  • Clear indication that it is a repair and return shipment
  • Country or Territory of origin of goods
  • Value of goods
  • Repair or replacement charges

    Duty will be applied on the total cost of the repair, return freight charges, and insurance.

    • Goods can be cleared as Duty Free if the invoice value is below INR 10000 and invoice clearly states SAMPLES  FREE OF COST.
    New requirements have been implemented for both small package and WWEF shipments and are based on the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) 15, which is entitled "Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade". ISPM 15 was adopted internationally in 2002, and is gradually being introduced by countries or territories worldwide. Wood or wood products covered by ISPM 15 include items such as packing cases, boxes, crates, drums or similar packing, pallets, box pallets and other load boards, pallet collars and skids, but exclude such processed woods as orientated strand board, particle board, plywood or veneer, created using glue, heat and pressure or a combinations thereof, and, raw wood which is 6mm or less thick. It is recommended that if a question arises on this issue, please check with the authority that issues the Phytosanitary certificates in your country or territory
    Ata Carnet

    Ata Carnet is a document for the temporary import of exhibition goods only, which have to be re-exported within 6 months of import.

    Triptyque

    Triptyque is a document showing particulars of road vehicles imported by a tourist. The shipment is free of duty temporarily, and subject to the following conditions:

  • The tourist should be a member of the International Automobile Club or Association.
  • The certificate should be guaranteed Western India Automobile Association.
  • Only a 6-month stay is allowed, but it can be extended another 6 months by the central government for sufficient cause.
  • A "grace" period for hospitalization or for repairs is excluded.
  • At the time of departure, identity of the vehicle should be established to the satisfaction of the Assistant Commissioner.

    Raw Materials

    An importer can import raw materials meant for value-addition and then re-export them. The importer must conduct this process within the Customs' bonded warehouse or in the export processing zones where the importation of raw materials is duty-free. The importer will be required to pay duty at the time of import and can then claim drawback at the time of re-export.

    • Value Limits


    Private Shipments

    • 0.00 Indian Rupee (INR)
      Not applicable in India
    Commercial Shipments

    • 0.00 Indian Rupee (INR)
      Not applicable in India

    Weight and Size Limits

    70 kg (150 lbs.) per package
    274.00 cm (107.9 in.)  per package
    400.00 cm (157.5 in.)  per package
    Length and girth combined


    Convert metric quantity for weight, length, and area.

    NOTE: Information provided by UPS is provided AS IS, may not be current, and does not constitute legal advice. In no event shall UPS be liable for any errors in the information, forms or features made available by UPS, or by any third party site linked to from UPS. Selection and completion of proper forms for any given shipment is the sole responsibility of the shipper. All shipments are subject to the UPS Terms and Conditions of Service in effect at the time of shipping for the country or territory of origin.
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