Flyers sans dutiable goods won't have to file declaration form

New Delhi: Passengers flying into India will not have to file the baggage declaration form if they are not carrying dutiable or prohibited goods.

"The Customs Baggage Declaration Regulations, 2013, are being amended to provide that baggage declaration will have to be filed only by passengers who carry dutiable or prohibited goods," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said in his Budget speech for 2016-17.

He also said the existing Customs (Import of Goods at Concessional Rate of Duty for Manufacture of Excisable Goods) Rules, 1996 are being substituted with the rules of 2016.

This move is aimed at "simplifying the rules, including allowing duty exemptions to importer/manufacturer based on self-declaration instead of obtaining permission from central excise authorities".

"Need for additional registration is also being done away with. The new rules will be effective April 1, 2016," he added.

Further, the government has substituted the existing Baggage Rules, 1998, with 2016 rules to simplify and rationalise multiple slabs of duty-free allowance for various categories of passengers.