Maximum Coverage = Maximum Declared Value for Carriage for the Priority™ Worldwide service.

Import Restrictions

Senders should determine import restrictions from the country's authorities before posting:

• alcohol, wine, liqueurs
• antiques
• Australian Lupin Seeds
• bees
• birds eggs
• cameras
• cereals
• chemicals and allied items
• cloves, cinnamon, cassia and saffron
• cinefilms, non-inflammable
• coir
• computer systems
• consumer electronic goods
• cotton
• drawing and mathematical equipment
• drugs and pharmaceuticals
• films and videos
• flavouring essences
• fountain pens and parts
• garlic
• gold and silver
• guts, bladder and stomach of animals other than fish
• inorganic chemicals
• insecticides and pesticides
• jewellery
• lead and rule cutters
• live animals and plants
• maize
• meat of Bovine animals
• newsprint and printed materials
• nutmeg, maize and Cardamom
• organic or inorganic compounds of rare earth metals and - - - - radioactive elements of isotopes
• pencils, lead or propelling
• perfumes
• pharmaceuticals
• plants, fruit and seeds
• potatoes
• precious stones and synthetic stones or gems
• printed matter on specialized paper (i.e. security paper, stamps, currency, etc.)
• radio and wireless apparatus
• rubber
• saffron
• seeds
• second hand goods
• silk and objects made of silk
• sports goods and equipment
• stone used in the building of monuments (i.e. granite, porphyry, marble, sand stone, etc.)
• telecommunication equipment
• tobacco, cigars and cigarettes
• watches and watch parts
• wool.

CANALISED (restricted to certain importers):

• petroleum oil.

General Provisions Regarding Imports and Exports

No person can import or Export goods without obtaining an Importer- Exporter Code (IEC) Number along with a BIN (Business Identification Number) from the Regional Licensing Authority (Director of Foreign Trade) unless he has specified exempted from obtaining the same. Registration with Regional Licensing Authority (DGFT) is a pre requisite for all Importer and Exporter. The Customs authority will not clear the goods unless the Importer/ Exporter has obtained Import Export Code Number or BIN Number. However no such registration is necessary for the following persons:

• all Ministries/ Departments of the Central Government and agencies wholly or partially owned by them
• all Ministries/ Departments of the state Government and agencies wholly or partially owned by them
• diplomatic personnel, Counselor officers in India and the officials of the UNO and its specialized agencies
• Indian returning from/ going abroad and claiming benefit under baggage rules
• persons/ Institutions/ Hospital importing or exporting goods for their personnel use not connected with trade or manufacture or agriculture
• persons importing / exporting goods from / to Nepal provided the CIF value of a single consignment does not exceed Indian rupees INR 25000/-
• persons importing / exporting goods from / to Myanmar through Indo Myanmar border area provided the CIF value of a single consignment does not exceed Indian rupees INR 25000/-
• Ford Foundation
• importers importing goods for display or use in Fair/ Exhibitions or similar event under the provision of ATA Carnet
• Director, National Blood Group Reference Laboratory, Bombay or their authorized offices
• individual / Charitable Institutions/ Registered NGOs importing goods, which have been exempted from Custom Duty under the notification issued by Ministry of Finance for Bonafide use by the victims effected by natural Calamity.

Gifts

• All goods imported into India from abroad is subject to duty and tax and is also subject to any restrictions under the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulations) Act 1992. However, gifts with a value up to INR 10000 received from abroad by persons residing in India are exempt from duty & tax and restrictions under FT (D&R) Act. This exemption is allowed only for Bonafide gifts imported by air or post. For the purpose of calculation of this value of INR 10,000/- the airfreight or postal charges paid are not added. The clarifications that may be needed are as under:

Perishable articles and edible substances

Send perishable articles and edible substances by Air Mail.

Customs duty

Customs duty is calculated on all items. Books and magazines are duty-free.

Prohibited Items

In addition to items considered non-mailable matter, the following are prohibited:

• animals, live
• animal and vegetable fats and oils
• albuminoidal substances, modified starches, glues, enzymes
• baby gender test kits
• cereals other than seed quality
• china made products
• Indian passports are prohibited for carriage by anyone except the holder of the passport. Non-Indian Passports from UN Commission, High Commissions & Consulates are acceptable
• items contrary to the political, social or moral order of the State
• jewelry
• lottery tickets and circulars.
• natural abrasives (emery natural)
• meat of wild animals
• money orders
• passive night vision goggles
• petroleum oil
• pig fat, fat of bovine animals, sheep or goat
• publications containing maps showing incorrect boundaries of India
• rice
• wildlife
• unsigned credit cards
• unused checks.

Documentation Required

Information regarding Customs can be found in "Customs Requirements" of the Canada Postal Guide.

The following documents may be required:

1. Commercial Invoice

2. Pro Forma Invoice

3. Certificate of Origin

4. Price List

5. Purchase Order

In addition, an import permit is required for all commercial goods mailed to India. Before posting any item, senders should confirm that the addressee has any necessary permit. The customs declaration for all commercial goods must state that an invoice in duplicate and a Certificate of Origin are enclosed.

The following documents may be required for formal customs clearance into India:

• any applicable Special Import License
• authority letter from Consignee
• certificate of origin , mill test certificate, test report ( applicable for metal and chemical groups only)
• copy of IEC/BIN Number required from importer
• import declaration and GATT Declaration sign and stamp by consignee.( Two copies)
• if the final destination is other than Mumbai then an N- Form signed and stamped is required
• import Duty/ Warehouse / Octroi/ D.O Charges in advance
• industrial licence/ Company Registration certificate copy for N Form Clearance
• manual and Catalogue , write ups or Technical Literature for laboratory or Electronic equipment
• manufacturer's Commercial Invoice duly Signed and if possible Bank Attested
• packing list duly signed
• price list of the commodities in shipment
• purchase order.

For clearance of all live plant and flower, a phytosanitary certificate is required from Plant Quarantine Officer. In case of Drugs and Medicines, prior approval of assistant Drug Controller is necessary. Delivery of radioactive materials and can only be cleared if bill of entry is accompanied by NOC from the department of atomic energy or the Controller of and release of live birds and animals would be required certificate from Animal Quarantine officer this can only cleared in cargo terminal and can not be booked as IP commodities.

"Value for Customs Purposes" and/or "0" is not acceptable on the Commercial Invoice or any document for shipments to India. A complete description along with the correct market value of the shipment is required; undervalued shipments will be reassessed by Customs and fines will be imposed. The invoice must have itemized value for the contents with Harmonized Tariff Number of the commodity and it must be signed by the shipper.

Multiple Piece Shipments (MPS) require a Commercial Invoice detailing the contents of each individual package within the shipment. Incomplete or wrong description of goods as well as wrong weight or declared value, will result in fines and seizures. Shipper and consignee information must be complete and accurate for customs clearance purposes.

Customs Procedure:

Goods can be imported into India on 2 modes:

1. Courier (OBC) or Express Mode

2. Formal Clearance or Freight Mode

Courier or Express Mode

This entry process is a faster and less restrictive mode of clearance. It is highly restrictive in that it is limited to certain items or commodities and value/weight limits.

Formal Clearance or Freight Mode

The following items/commodities cannot be cleared under Courier Mode and must enter India on Formal Clearance Freight Mode. These items require a formal bill of entry for customs clearance.

• Any restricted commodity subject to licensing/permits.
• Animals and parts thereof
• Plants and parts thereof
• Perishable goods
• Inorganic chemicals/ organic or inorganic compounds
• Fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine
• Sulphur
• Acids
• Salt
• Hydrogen, rare gases and non metals
• Gold or silver in any form
• Precious, or semi precious jewels or stones.