Can I send documents and photos to India?
Yes.
Personal papers and photos of no commercial value count as documents and carry no duty. Pack them separately from goods.
More rules for India
Allowed with conditions
- Plants, seeds, bulbs, and planting material
- Need an import permit and a phytosanitary certificate from the country of origin. Seeds and planting material can enter only through Amritsar, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, or New Delhi. Plant quarantine inspects them, fumigates infested items, and destroys prohibited or infected material. Soil and peat need a special permit.
- Shipments over INR 1 lakh
- Above an invoice value of INR 1 lakh (about $1,040), the courier files a regular dutiable bill of entry (CBE-XIV) instead of the low-value one.
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 documents and photos to India?
Yes. Personal papers and photos of no commercial value count as documents and carry no duty. Pack them separately from goods.
What KYC documents do I need to receive a courier package in India?
Any one valid ID that shows your name and address: Aadhaar, passport, PAN card, or voter ID. If the address on it is different, the courier records your delivery address at handover. That shortcut covers personal shipments up to a CIF value of INR 50,000 (about $520).
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.