Indian customs declaration form walkthrough — step-by-step guide for 2026
By Saanvi Iyer (Sneha Krishnan is a chartered accountant turned travel writer based in Bengaluru. She specialises in tax refund processes, customs declarations and the financial side of international shopping — helping Indian travellers keep more of what they save abroad.) · Published · 9 min read
The Indian customs declaration form is handed out on flights returning to India. Here is how to fill every field correctly and avoid unnecessary delays or penalties.
Quick answer
The Indian customs declaration form (also called the Disembarkation Card or Customs Declaration) is a paper or digital form that all passengers arriving in India from abroad must complete. It asks for personal details, flight information, goods being brought in and dutiable items. Most travellers with purchases under the INR 50,000 duty-free allowance and within alcohol and tobacco limits can truthfully fill it in 2 minutes and walk through the green channel. The form is straightforward — the stress usually comes from not knowing what to write, not from the form itself.
Section 1 — personal and travel details
The top section asks for:
- Name: As printed on your passport. Use the same format — last name first if that is how the form is structured, or full name as on the passport.
- Passport number: Your Indian passport number.
- Nationality: Indian.
- Flight number: Your arriving flight (e.g., EK 510, AI 144).
- Port of embarkation: Where you boarded the last flight to India (e.g., Dubai, London, Singapore).
- Date of arrival: Today's date.
- Address in India: Your home address or the address where you are staying.
- Countries visited on this trip: List all countries you visited. If you transited through a country without clearing immigration, you generally do not need to list it, but listing it does no harm.
This section is purely administrative. Fill it accurately and move on.
Section 2 — goods declaration
This is the section that causes anxiety. The form typically asks whether you are carrying:
- Dutiable goods exceeding your free allowance: If your total purchases (all goods bought abroad, including duty-free shop purchases) exceed INR 50,000 in value, tick Yes. If under, tick No.
- Gold or gold jewellery: If you are bringing gold beyond your personal jewellery or above the duty-free jewellery allowance, tick Yes and specify the weight and value.
- Foreign currency above USD 5,000 (or equivalent) in cash: If you are carrying more than USD 5,000 in foreign currency notes, tick Yes. (Traveller's cheques and cards do not count toward this limit.)
- Indian currency above INR 25,000: You are allowed to bring up to INR 25,000 in Indian currency notes when entering India.
- Alcohol exceeding 2 litres: Self-explanatory. If within limits, tick No.
- Tobacco exceeding the free allowance: 100 cigarettes, 25 cigars or 125 grams of tobacco is the limit.
- Prohibited or restricted items: Firearms, drugs, pornography, counterfeit goods, wildlife products. Tick No unless you have a specific licence.
- Commercial samples or merchandise: If you are carrying goods for commercial purposes (not personal use), declare them here.
The honest approach is always the right one. Customs officers at major Indian airports like Delhi and Mumbai have scanning equipment and experience profiling. Under-declaration is a gamble with steep penalties if caught.
Section 3 — satellite phones and electronics
Some versions of the form specifically ask whether you are carrying a satellite phone or high-frequency radio equipment. Satellite phones require a licence from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to operate in India. If you have one (common among adventure travellers returning from remote treks), declare it. Regular mobile phones, laptops and tablets do not need to be declared unless they are above your duty-free allowance or are clearly for commercial resale (multiple units of the same model, for instance).
Drones also sometimes appear on the restricted list. If you are carrying a drone purchased abroad, check current Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) regulations — import and operation of drones in India requires registration.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
The most common errors Indian travellers make on the customs declaration form:
- Leaving the gold field blank instead of ticking No: Blanks can be interpreted as evasion. Tick the No box explicitly if you are not carrying declarable gold.
- Not declaring items bought at departure duty-free: A perfume bought at Dubai duty-free counts as an import to India. Include its value in your total.
- Using approximate values: The form asks for the value of dutiable goods. Use the actual purchase price, not a round number you estimate. Keep receipts accessible in your hand luggage.
- Filling the form in a rush on the plane: The form is distributed on the flight (or available at immigration). Fill it carefully. A messy or unclear form can trigger a secondary check simply because the officer cannot read your handwriting.
- Not knowing the current allowance limits: The limits have changed over the years. As of 2026, the general duty-free allowance is INR 50,000 for travellers from most countries and INR 15,000 for those from Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and China. Verify current limits on the CBIC website before your trip.
Digital customs declaration — the new option
Indian customs has been rolling out a digital declaration option through the ATITHI app and the customs e-filing portal. This allows you to fill your declaration electronically before arrival, generating a QR code that customs officers scan. The digital process is faster but not yet mandatory at all airports — paper forms are still accepted everywhere.
If available for your arrival airport, the digital option is worth using: it pre-validates your entries, reduces queuing time, and creates a digital record that is useful if you need to reference your declaration later. Download the app before your return flight and fill it during the flight or at transit.
Whether you use paper or digital, the content is the same. Honest declaration, correct values, and keeping your receipts accessible are the three fundamentals. For a broader overview of what you can bring back and how duty works, see our customs allowance guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is the customs declaration form mandatory?
Yes. All passengers arriving in India from abroad are required to fill out the customs declaration form. Failing to submit one can result in being directed to secondary inspection and delays.
What happens if I make a mistake on the form?
If you realise you made an error, cross it out neatly and write the correct information. Do not try to use a new form to avoid the crossed-out section — customs officers prefer honest corrections over suspicious-looking clean forms. If the error is significant (like failing to declare dutiable goods), inform the customs officer at the channel.
Can I fill the form digitally on my phone?
Yes, if the ATITHI app or customs e-filing system supports your arrival airport. The digital form generates a QR code for faster processing. Not all airports have fully adopted this yet, so carry a pen as backup for the paper form.