Expatriates returning home with this item facing harassment at airports; trouble because of a law that has not been updated for years

DUBAI: Some rules that have remained unchanged for years are causing headaches for expatriates returning from the Gulf. There is confusion over travellers carrying personal gold jewellery. The Sharjah Indian Association has submitted a petition to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, pointing this out. The Indian Association Sharjah took up the issue after a senior member was allegedly harassed over gold jewellery at Kochi airport.

Expatriates returning home after staying abroad for a year are allowed to bring a certain amount of gold without paying duty. Expatriates could bring 20 grams of gold worth Rs 50,000 according to the limit when the rate per gram for 22-carat gold was just Rs 2,500. However, not even seven grams of gold can be brought home at the current price of gold.

If 20 grams of gold is brought home at the current rate, its value will exceed the legally established Rs 50,000. Additional tax will have to be paid on it when that happens. The Sharjah Indian Association has demanded a change in the law pointing this out. The petition also points out that it often leads to disputes with customs at airports, as well as long waiting times and procedures.

Expatriate organizations are calling on the central government to change this situation, which is causing a major crisis for expatriates, and to amend the law by making 'gold weight' the standard instead of its 'price'.