Can I send alcohol or tobacco to India?
No.
Couriers generally refuse alcohol and tobacco, and e-cigarettes are banned outright. Travelers' allowances don't apply to shipments.
For every Onvoyo box: Onvoyo and most express couriers don't carry alcohol, tobacco or vaping products in personal boxes, whatever the destination allows.
More rules for India
Not allowed
- E-cigarettes, vapes, and their parts
Allowed with conditions
- Alcohol and tobacco
- They fall outside the personal-imports heading, so full tariff rates apply. The travelers' allowances of 2 liters and 100 cigarettes don't apply to shipments.
Quantity limits
- Alcohol (travelers only)
- 2 liters of liquor or wine. Does not apply to shipments.
- Tobacco (travelers only)
- 100 cigarettes, 25 cigars, or 125 g of tobacco. Does not apply to shipments.
Before you ship to India
- Tax-free limit
- There is no general duty-free threshold for courier boxes, and used personal items are dutiable too. The courier rules allow duty-free gifts of up to INR 10,000 (about $104) per consignment, but since December 2019 only life-saving medicines and rakhi may be imported as gifts by courier or post. Any other gift can still come in if the receiver pays the full duty.
- Receiver ID
- KYC document (Aadhaar, passport, PAN card, or voter ID) needed. Courier KYC rules accept any one valid ID that shows the receiver's identity and address. If the ID shows a different address, the courier records the delivery address at handover, and that completes KYC. This address shortcut covers individuals' documents, gifts, and low-value shipments up to a CIF value of INR 50,000 (about $520). Commercial imports also need an Importer Exporter Code (IEC).
- Transit
- 3-6 business days from the Middle East, Europe, or Asia; 4-8 from North America
Questions
Can I send alcohol or tobacco to India?
No. Couriers generally refuse alcohol and tobacco, and e-cigarettes are banned outright. Travelers' allowances don't apply to shipments.
Ask about a specific item
Official sources
- 1.
Chennai Customs Zone, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs
FAQ: Import of Gifts and Personal Imports through Courier (opens in a new tab) - 2.
Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue
Annexure I: Customs (Budget 2026-27 changes, Tax Research Unit) (opens in a new tab) - 3.
Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (ECCS courier advisory)
Notification No. 9/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate), dated 17 September 2025 (opens in a new tab) - 4.
Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO)
Procedure for Permission to Import Small Quantities of Drugs for Personal Use (opens in a new tab) - 5.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
Food Safety and Standards (Import) Regulations, 2017 (compendium, version V, 1 June 2022) (opens in a new tab) - 6.
Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage (Plant Quarantine Management System)
Mail: PQ Requirements; Import Inspection and Clearance of Plants and Plant Materials (opens in a new tab) - 7.
Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC)
Courier Imports and Exports (Electronic Declaration and Processing) Regulations, 2010 (last updated 30 June 2022) (opens in a new tab) - 8.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (National Tobacco Control Programme)
The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage and Advertisement) Act, 2019 (opens in a new tab) - 9.
Archaeological Survey of India
The Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972 (opens in a new tab) - 10.
Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC)
Customs Baggage (Declaration and Processing) Regulations, 2026 (Notification No. 15/2026-Customs (N.T.)) (opens in a new tab) - 11.
Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue
Baggage Rules, 2026 (Notification No. 14/2026-Customs (N.T.)) (opens in a new tab)
General guidance, not legal advice. Customs in India makes the final decision on every box.