Tourist means
- A person who is not a resident of India
- A person who enters India for stay not more than 6 months in the course of twelve month period
- A person comes legitimate non-immigrant purpose like for touring, recreation, sport, health, family reasons, study, religious pilgrimages or business
Exemptions for tourist
Following thins will be exempted for a tourist travelling to India;
- Used personal effects
- Travel souvenirs
- Foreign tourists are allowed to bring goods up to Rs. 8, 000 for making gifts.
Tourists coming from Pakistan (except a person of Indian origin) will be eligible for used personal effects and goods up to the value of Rs. 6, 000 for personal use or gift and travel souvenir.
Any goods which are prohibited in India can be retained by custom authorities with a true declaration by the tourist. At the time of leaving India these goods will be returned and the tourist can carry it along with him to his native. The tourist can also authorise someone else who is leaving India to collect such prohibited goods on his behalf while leaving India. If the tourist opted to send the prohibited goods to his native then that can be done with a request to custom authorities.
If the unaccompanied baggage of the tourist landed at a place and he/she wanted to collect it at some other place then that can be transported by air or passenger train under the supervision of custom officers.
ATA Carnet
ATA carnet is an international uniform customer document which covers 72 countries including India. If a tourist is travelling from any of the member’s country then he/she is permitted to import duty free goods temporarily. ATA allow taking out or bringing in to India following goods temporarily;
- Samples for export promotion or display in exhibition
- Professional equipment like tools, musical instruments, sports items, photography equipment, surgical equipment, theatrical goods etc.
To know the countries that are covered under ATA please visit this link