Can I Send Jewellery to South Korea? Rules for Gold, Silver & Imitation (2026)
The rules for sending jewellery from India to South Korea — imitation vs real gold, customs duty, packing and insurance, explained plainly.
Key takeaways
- Artificial/imitation jewellery ships freely at standard rates — no special rules.
- Real gold and silver are restricted: courier export of precious metals from India requires invoice + declaration, and Korean duty applies on value.
- Declare imitation jewellery honestly as 'imitation/artificial jewellery' — undervaluation triggers inspection.
- Always take insurance for high-value jewellery shipments (free cover up to ₹15,000, extendable).
Quick answer
Artificial and imitation jewellery: yes, ships freely to Korea at standard rates (from ₹609/kg all-in DDP). Real gold and silver: possible but regulated — Indian export needs invoice + declaration, and Korean duty applies on the declared value. For most personal shipments (wedding sets, gifts, festival jewellery), imitation pieces are the hassle-free choice; carry real gold personally within airline allowance instead.
Imitation jewellery — the easy category
Kundan, polki, American-diamond, oxidized silver-look, temple jewellery, fashion jewellery — all of this is legally 'non-precious' and ships like clothing or books. No special declaration, no duty issues under the ₩150,000 personal threshold. This is why brides flying to Korea typically courier the heavy imitation sets and carry only the real-gold essentials in cabin baggage. Declare as 'imitation jewellery, personal use' with a realistic value — ₹3,000 declared for a heavy kundan bridal set invites a second look; declare what it actually cost.
Real gold and silver — the regulated category
India's courier export of precious metals requires: purchase invoice, accurate declaration, and (above certain values) AD-code/IE-code involvement for commercial quantities. Korea treats precious metals as dutiable at full value with 10% VAT, and receivers occasionally need to provide personal documentation. Practical guidance: (1) personal moves — carry gold within the airline allowance (check current Indian customs allowance for your category); (2) gifts — courier imitation, gift cash or buy gold in Korea (Korean gold is hallmarked and internationally certified); (3) commercial/export — WhatsApp us BEFORE shipping; the paperwork must precede the parcel.
Korean customs and duty on jewellery
Imitation jewellery under ₩150,000 (~₹9,000) declared value: typically duty-free personal import. Above that: ~8% duty + 10% VAT — pre-paid by ShipKorea.in under DDP, so the receiver pays nothing at the door. Precious metals: dutiable at full declared value, no threshold. Undervaluation is the classic mistake — Korean customs officers see hundreds of parcels a day and know what a kundan set costs. Honest declaration = one-day clearance; creative declaration = week-long inspection.
Packing and insurance for jewellery
Pack each piece in its own pouch/box, taped. Nest pieces inside folded clothes at the centre of the carton. No external indication of jewellery contents. Photograph every piece laid out next to the receipt before sealing the box — this photo set is your insurance lifeline. Every parcel includes free cover up to ₹15,000 declared value; extend cover for higher-value sets by declaring the real value (premium scales accordingly). Claims settle on declared value — underdeclare and you underinsure yourself.
Costs and booking
Jewellery ships at standard per-kg rates — a 1 kg parcel of imitation sets costs ₹1,498 (0.5–2 kg band) all-in: free pickup, duty pre-paid, 5–8 day delivery. For mixed wedding shipments (jewellery + sarees + sweets), consolidate into one box to hit a better weight band. Book on shipkorea.in/pricing or WhatsApp us a photo of what you're sending — we confirm the declaration wording and insurance level before pickup.
