India is home to more than a billion people, and has one of the world’s most ancient and fascinating cultures. While Hindi is the official and most widely spoken language, English is of great value and has enabled a flourishing commercial and cultural relationship between India and the United States. Every year, thousands of Indian nationals emigrate from India to the U.S. and vice versa. New York in particular enjoys traffic from and to cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore and Kolkata.
Indian citizens and foreign nationals who are relocating to India or moving there temporarily for work purposes are entitled to several benefits. If the person moving has lived outside of India for at least 2 consecutive years and is moving to India with the intention of living there, he or she is allowed to ship their household goods and personal effects duty free. The person moving must not have stayed in India for a total of more than 180 days during the 2 years prior to the relocation.
Foreign nationals who are moving to India for the first time and wish to enjoy the duty free entry must also have a valid non-tourist visa, such as a Resident, Business, Work or Entry visa, or must have a PIO (Person of Indian Origin) Card.
All individuals must fill out a form in which they declare the list of household goods and personal effects being shipped along with the values of each item. India is one of the few countries that require the person’s presence in India during the process of customs clearance. The duty-free entry also requires that the person moving declare a “Transfer of Residence.” Dolphin Express will provide you with all necessary Indian customs forms ahead of time, and will put you in touch with our Indian agent, who will assist you with the customs clearance procedure, and eventually coordinate the delivery of your shipment to your residence.
For the complete Indian customs regulations, click here. Please note that the information on this page is for guidance purposes only, and Dolphin Express does not assume responsibility for it. We recommend that you contact the Indian Consulate for the most up-to-date information.
At Dolphin Express we offer full door to door service to India. Our company provides an over-the-phone or on-site estimate, all packing supplies, packing service, shipping to India, customs clearance in India, and delivery to your residence there. We have a long partnership with reliable destination agents who serve all areas of India, from Mumbai and New Delhi to even the most remote of destinations.
We can provide a quote for sending your boxes to India in liftvans, as loose boxes shrink-wrapped on a pallet, or in your own individual 20’ or 40’ container. In order to get a quote from Dolphin Express for shipping or relocation to India, contact us today.
