Travelling to India
Entry requirements by nationality
- Argentina: electronic travel authorisation (ETA) required — up to 30 days per visit
- Australia: electronic travel authorisation (ETA) required — up to 30 days per visit
- Brazil: electronic travel authorisation (ETA) required — up to 30 days per visit
- Canada: electronic travel authorisation (ETA) required — up to 30 days per visit
- Chile: electronic travel authorisation (ETA) required — up to 30 days per visit
- China: visa required
- France: electronic travel authorisation (ETA) required — up to 30 days per visit
- Germany: electronic travel authorisation (ETA) required — up to 30 days per visit
- Israel: electronic travel authorisation (ETA) required — up to 30 days per visit
- Italy: electronic travel authorisation (ETA) required — up to 30 days per visit
- Japan: electronic travel authorisation (ETA) required — up to 30 days per visit
- Malaysia: electronic travel authorisation (ETA) required — up to 30 days per visit
- Mexico: electronic travel authorisation (ETA) required — up to 30 days per visit
- Netherlands: electronic travel authorisation (ETA) required — up to 30 days per visit
- New Zealand: electronic travel authorisation (ETA) required — up to 30 days per visit
- Singapore: electronic travel authorisation (ETA) required — up to 30 days per visit
- South Korea: electronic travel authorisation (ETA) required — up to 30 days per visit
- Spain: electronic travel authorisation (ETA) required — up to 30 days per visit
- Ukraine: electronic travel authorisation (ETA) required — up to 30 days per visit
- United Kingdom: electronic travel authorisation (ETA) required — up to 30 days per visit
- United States: electronic travel authorisation (ETA) required — up to 30 days per visit
What you can bring
- Alcohol: allowed, within limits — Up to 2 litres of alcoholic liquor or wine are included within the traveller's general Duty Free Allowance. Quantities beyond 2 litres are dutiable at 150% (whisky) / 110% (beer) or the applicable tariff rate.Detailscompare everywhere →
- Cannabis: prohibitedDetailscompare everywhere →
- Cash: allowed, must be declared — Foreign exchange may be brought into India without limit, but a Currency Declaration Form (CDF) must be filed with Customs if foreign currency notes alone exceed USD 5,000, or if the aggregate value of foreign exchange (currency notes, bank notes, traveller's cheques) exceeds USD 10,000. Separately, import of Indian Rupee currency notes is prohibited for foreign visitors; only Indian residents returning from abroad may carry in up to Rs. 25,000.Detailscompare everywhere →
- Drones: prohibited — Import of drones (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) in Completely-Built-Up (CBU), Semi-Knocked-Down (SKD), or Completely-Knocked-Down (CKD) form is classified "Prohibited" under India's ITC (HS) 2022 import policy (Chapter 88, Policy Condition No. 03, as revised by DGFT Notification No. 54/2015-20 dated 9 Feb 2022). The only stated exceptions are: (i) government entities, government-recognised educational/R&D institutions, and drone manufacturers importing for R&D, each requiring a DGFT import authorisation; and (ii) drones for defence and security purposes, also requiring DGFT authorisation. Import of drone components (not assembled units) is classified "Free".Detailscompare everywhere →
- E-cigarettes: prohibited — The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019 makes it a criminal offence for any person to produce, manufacture, import, export, transport, sell, distribute, or advertise electronic cigarettes (or any part of one) in India — there is no personal-use or personal-baggage exemption in the Act's text.Detailscompare everywhere →
- Fresh produce: depends on specificsDetailscompare everywhere →
- Meat & dairy: depends on specificsDetailscompare everywhere →
- Medication: depends on specifics — Ordinary prescription and over-the-counter medication in personal-use quantities is not separately addressed by a primary CBIC baggage-rules source reachable in this pass. Medicines that are themselves narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances under the NDPS Act (e.g. many opioid painkillers, some ADHD stimulants, certain sedatives) are a distinct, stricter case: travellers must seek advance permission from India's Narcotics Commissioner before departure, submitting a doctor's prescription and supporting papers, before they may bring the drug into India.Detailscompare everywhere →
- Satellite phone: prohibited — Any kind of satellite phone may be brought into and used in India only after obtaining a licence from the Department of Telecommunications. Unauthorised possession/use attracts penal provisions under Sections 20 and 21 of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885.
- Tobacco: allowed, within limits — One of: 100 cigarettes, or 25 cigars, or 125 g of tobacco, included within the traveller's general Duty Free Allowance. Cigarettes beyond this are dutiable at 256%.Detailscompare everywhere →
- Weapons: prohibited — Import of firearms is prohibited. Import of cartridges/ammunition in excess of 50 rounds is also prohibited. A narrow exception exists for 0.177 bore air guns and air pistols, which may be imported free of restriction only by shooters registered with a Rifle Club or a District/State/National Rifle Association.Detailscompare everywhere →
From the blog
Checked against official sources on 2026-08-13. Official source