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There’s no shortage of international movers that can handle shipping and removals to Delhi, and most of them can collect your belongings from almost anywhere in the world. Indian customs does limit what you can bring in duty-free, and it’s often more cost effective to buy some things new in India, where many goods are affordable and high quality.
Shipping household goods to Delhi
Expats can usually travel light when shipping household goods to Delhi, because much of the city’s rental housing is fully or partly furnished. Semi-furnished flats usually have built-in wardrobes, a modular kitchen, fans, light fittings, and water heaters, which leaves beds and other loose furniture to the tenant. Fully furnished homes are also easy to find at the upper end of the market.
Any gaps are easy enough to fill locally. Kirti Nagar in West Delhi is one of the biggest furniture markets in Asia, and its dealers stock everything from simple bed frames to carved sheesham wood cabinets. Expats may well want to ship a few favourite pieces back home when they leave. Furniture rental is another option for a two- or three-year posting, and several well-established rental companies operate across the city.
A sensible approach is to split the shipment. Send whatever you’ll need in the first few weeks by airfreight, and put everything else on a ship, since sea freight is far cheaper. Delhi is landlocked, so sea containers are unloaded at Nhava Sheva near Mumbai or at Mundra in Gujarat. The containers are then moved by rail to an inland container depot at Tughlakabad or Patparganj, where they are cleared by customs. Expect a sea shipment from Europe or North America to be on your doorstep about two months after collection. Airfreight is much quicker and is usually in Delhi within a couple of weeks.
Check the voltage before you pack any appliances. Delhi’s mains supply is 230V at 50Hz, and sockets are designed for round-pin plugs, so expats who bring 110V appliances from North America will need a step-down transformer. Power fluctuations are still fairly common, and many Delhi households run their air conditioners, fridges, washing machines, and TVs through voltage stabilisers.
If your shipment is due to land during the monsoon months of July to September, ask the removal company about moisture-resistant packing for wooden furniture, books, artwork, and electronics.
Hiring an international removal company
Start with online reviews when hiring an international removal company for a move to or from Delhi, and shortlist reputable firms that offer insurance. For your most valuable items, you’ll often get better coverage from an independent insurer than from the mover themselves.
Check exactly which services are included in each quote. The best movers will pack your belongings, draw up an inventory, reassemble furniture in your new home, and handle customs clearance at the Delhi end.
Removal companies usually survey your belongings in person or by video call and then base the quote on the volume of the shipment. Get several quotes before you decide, and make sure destination charges such as port handling, rail haulage to Delhi, customs clearance, and delivery from the inland depot are included. If you’re moving for work, your employer may cover sea and air freight, so try to negotiate a shipping allowance into your relocation contract.
Expats who want an even simpler move can go through a relocation company. Many of these firms provide immigration assistance, school searches, accommodation support, and broader global mobility services, and they tailor each package to the client.
Duty-free shipping
Duty-free shipping to Delhi is open to expats on an employment visa or another non-tourist visa, as long as they’ll be in India for more than six months. The relevant transfer of residence allowances are set out in India’s Baggage Rules, 2026. The allowances are bigger for longer stays, and the most generous limit is for expats who’ll be in the country for two years or more. Each allowance has an overall value cap, and customs only allows one of each major household appliance duty-free.
Indian citizens and Overseas Citizen of India cardholders who return from abroad have a parallel set of allowances, which are most generous after two years or more overseas.
Everything in the shipment must have been in your possession abroad before the move. Customs allows unaccompanied baggage to be dispatched up to a month after you arrive in India, or to land up to two months before you do. The removal company’s customs broker usually files the unaccompanied baggage declaration on your behalf. If you leave India sooner than planned, you’ll need to inform customs and pay duty and interest on anything above the allowance for your actual length of stay.
Firearms and gold or silver bars are never duty-free, and drones and satellite phones are heavily restricted. Go through the rules with your removal company before you finalise the inventory.
Renting Accommodation in Delhi
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Shipping pets to Delhi
An advance No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) is the first hurdle for anyone shipping pets to Delhi, and airlines won’t accept an animal without one. Under the transfer of residence rules, expats can bring up to two dogs or cats each, as long as they’ve lived outside India for at least two years. Anyone who doesn’t meet that condition needs an import licence from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), and the DGFT can take around a month to process it.
Submit the AQCS application at least seven working days before departure. The supporting documents are an official veterinary health certificate, proof of an ISO-compliant microchip, a rabies vaccination certificate, and your pet’s passport or vaccination record. The rabies jab should be more than a month old but less than a year old on the day of departure. Pet relocation companies can handle the AQCS application, airline booking, customs clearance, and the drive home from the cargo terminal.
Indira Gandhi International Airport is one of a handful of Indian airports where AQCS officers clear imported pets. An AQCS officer examines each animal on arrival and checks the paperwork, and customs can only release the pet once the officer issues a final NOC. The officer only orders quarantine if there are signs of disease.
Delhi’s summer heat is a real concern for pet travel. Temperatures are often above 104°F (40°C) in May and June, and many airlines will refuse to carry pets in the hold during the summer. Airlines are strictest with snub-nosed breeds such as pugs and bulldogs, so it’s best to schedule your pet’s arrival for the cooler months.
Once they’ve settled in, dog owners must register their pets with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), which covers most of the city, and renew the registration every year. Landlords in Delhi don’t always welcome pets, so confirm the house rules before you sign the lease.
The central government has previously tried to ban the import of dog breeds it considers dangerous, so owners of pit bull terriers, Rottweilers, mastiffs, and American bulldogs should check the current position with AQCS before they book.