FROM INDIA · CHAPTER 6
Packing from India,and clearing customs.
Pack light on clothes and heavy on documents. Carry prescription medicines in original packaging with a doctor's prescription, never pack meat, milk or dairy products for the EU or UK, and declare all food on arrival in the USA, Canada and Australia. Carrying over the equivalent of €10,000, £10,000 or 10,000 US, Canadian or Australian dollars in cash must be declared, and RBI lets you buy only USD 3,000 in foreign currency notes per trip.
Published by Althéa Consulting · Adviser: Harshita Kohli
Source review: · How to use our guides
- Foreign cash you can buy
- USD 3,000 / trip
- RBI; the rest on a card
- Indian rupees out of India
- Up to ₹25,000
- Declare cash above
- 10,000
- €, £, US$, C$ or A$ at arrival
- Medicines
- Up to 3 months
- With prescription, original packs
Hand luggage: never check these in
- Passport with visa (or eVisa details) and a printed copy
- Offer letter, CAS / I-20 / CoE / LOA and fee receipts
- Original degree certificates, marksheets and test scores
- Proof of funds and loan sanction letter
- Accommodation confirmation and first address
- Insurance certificate
- Prescription medicines with prescriptions
- Forex card, international debit card and arrival cash
- Laptop, phone, chargers and a universal adapter
- One change of clothes in case checked bags are delayed
Food rules by destination
| Destination | Not allowed from India | Usually fine (if sealed, commercial) | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| France, Germany, Ireland (EU) | Meat, milk, ghee, paneer, cheese and other dairy (except infant formula and medical foods) | Spices, tea, sweets without dairy, packaged snacks, pickles without meat | Undeclared banned items are seized and can be fined |
| UK | Meat and dairy, including ghee and paneer | Spices, tea, dry snacks, packaged sweets without dairy | Seized at the border; fines possible |
| USA | Meat and meat-based products; fresh fruit, vegetables and seeds | Spices, tea, baked and packaged snacks | Declare all food on the customs form |
| Canada | Meat, many fresh foods; quantity limits on dairy | Packaged dry foods and spices | Declare all food; penalties for undeclared items |
| Australia | Meat, dairy, seeds, fresh produce, many nuts and rice-based products are inspected | Some commercially packaged foods after inspection | Declare everything; strict biosecurity fines and possible visa cancellation |
Medicines
- 01
See your doctor before you leave
Get a typed prescription with the generic (salt) names, dosage and your name as in your passport.
- 02
Carry up to 3 months' supply
In original pharmacy packaging, in hand luggage. Most destinations allow about 90 days' personal supply.
- 03
Check controlled medicines
Codeine cough syrups, tramadol, strong painkillers, sleeping pills and ADHD medicines are controlled in many countries and in Gulf transit hubs. Ask the embassy or carry a doctor's letter; some need a permit.
- 04
Pack a small kit
Paracetamol, ORS, antacids, antiseptic cream, plasters and any allergy medicine. Buying these abroad is easy, but not on day one.
Money and cash
RBI allows you to buy up to USD 3,000 (or equivalent) in foreign currency notes per trip; carry the rest on a forex card or send it by bank transfer. You can take up to ₹25,000 in Indian rupee notes out of India.
On arrival, cash of €10,000 or more in the EU, £10,000 in the UK, and US$, C$ or A$ 10,000 in the USA, Canada or Australia must be declared. Declaring is not a tax; failing to declare can lead to seizure. €200–€500 or local equivalent is plenty for arrival day.
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What is worth carrying from India
- Two or three Indian outfits for festivals and university events
- Spare spectacles and your lens prescription
- Pressure cooker (small) and favourite spices if you cook
- Passport photos (a dozen) in the size your destination uses
- A warm layer for the flight; buy heavy winter wear abroad, it is better suited and often cheaper on student discounts
- Bedsheet and towel for the first night
- Copies of documents on a USB drive and in cloud storage
Baggage tips
Allowances vary by airline and route: many economy tickets to the USA and Canada include two 23 kg bags, while Europe and Australia routes often allow 25–35 kg in total. Student fares from Indian and Gulf airlines sometimes add an extra 10 kg; ask when booking.
Keep each bag under the limit by a kilo for scale differences, put your name and foreign address inside every bag, and photograph your packed bags in case of loss. Do not carry items for other people.
Leaving India: Indian customs
Expensive items such as a new laptop, camera or jewellery can be registered with Indian Customs on departure (Export Certificate) so that you can bring them back without questions. Gold jewellery beyond a modest amount is best left at home.
QUICK ANSWERS
Your questions, answered.
No. Ghee, paneer and other dairy products from India are banned in personal luggage for the EU and the UK. Dairy-free packaged sweets and snacks are usually fine.
Up to about three months' personal supply, in original packaging, with a prescription showing generic names. Controlled medicines need extra paperwork; check before you fly.
Up to USD 3,000 in foreign currency notes per trip and ₹25,000 in Indian rupees. Use a forex card or bank transfer for the rest.
For the USA, Canada and Australia, declare all food including spices; they are usually allowed after inspection. For the EU and UK, packaged spices are allowed without declaration, but meat-based pickles are not.
You can be fined on the spot and, in serious cases, have your visa cancelled. Declaring costs nothing; the officer simply checks or removes the item.
WHERE TO GO NEXT
Keep going: the pages that help next.
Each card says what you will find there. Looking for something else? See every page on the site.
FRANCE GUIDE
Pre-departure checklist
Everything to finish in India before flying to France: documents, money, housing, insurance, packing and the first-week plan.
FRANCE
First 30 days in France
Your first month in France, day by day: permit validation, bank, SIM, CAF and transport.
FROM INDIA
Month-by-month timeline
Month-by-month study abroad plan from India for a September 2027 start: tests, applications, scholarships, loans, visa, flights and a document checklist.
FRANCE GUIDE
First weeks in France
The order to do things after arriving in France: visa validation, university enrolment, bank, phone, social security, CAF housing aid and transport.
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