Indian Court Protects Passengers from Jewellery Harassment at Airports: Major Relief for UAE-Based Expats
In a landmark judgment that provides significant relief to Indian expatriates, especially those residing in the UAE, the Supreme Court has ruled that customs officials cannot seize or search personal or heirloom jewellery of passengers during travel. The judgment comes in the wake of numerous complaints by non-resident Indians (NRIs) that they are being unfairly targeted and searched at Indian airports for gold jewellery.
The judgment came after reviewing over 30 petitions that shared their experiences of being stopped, questioned and sometimes detained for wearing gold jewellery – including ancestral jewellery with sentimental value.
. The court emphasized that unless there is a specific suspicion of wrongdoing, customs officials should not subject travellers to such scrutiny.
A bench comprising Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Rajneesh Kumar Gupta called out the harassment faced by many NRIs and instructed authorities to conduct sensitivity training for customs officers. The justices also emphasized that personal gold items, particularly those that are worn or inherited, shouldn’t draw undue attention from airport authorities.
Indian expats in the United Arab Emirates, many of whom return for family weddings and festivals with heirloom jewelry, will find this decision especially comforting.
Several passengers have expressed their frustration in the past over being made to feel like criminals for simply wearing family pieces.
Maria, a Dubai resident, recalled being pulled aside at Lucknow airport for wearing her grandmother’s bangles. “They asked me for receipts for jewellery that had been in my family for decades,” she said. “It was humiliating and completely ruined my arrival experience.”
Another traveller arriving from Sharjah to Kochi said he and his family have since switched to wearing imitation jewellery to avoid any trouble. “Even my wife wore artificial pieces to a family wedding. It just wasn’t worth the risk or embarrassment.”
Under current Indian baggage rules (last updated in 2016), Indian citizens returning after a year abroad are allowed to bring in duty-free gold jewellery — up to 40 grams for women and 20 grams for men — as long as it stays within a specified value. The treatment of old, used, or inherited jewelry is not specifically covered by these standards, which leads to misunderstandings and uneven enforcement.
Given this gap, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has been ordered by the High Court to either revise the antiquated regulations or publish a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) by May 19, 2025.
The SOP must outline how used jewellery should be assessed, simplify clearance procedures, and prevent the arbitrary seizure of ornaments.
Until such updates are in place, the court has clearly instructed that used personal jewellery should not be detained routinely. Authorities have been urged to show greater sensitivity and respect for passengers’ dignity.
This timely ruling is expected to bring peace of mind to thousands of UAE-based Indian travellers, especially as wedding and festive travel picks up. For many, the judgment validates their long-standing concerns and calls for fair treatment at immigration counters.
“We just want to visit home without being treated like suspects for wearing jewellery that’s part of our family history,” Maria added. “This ruling finally brings a sense of justice.”