Ghar Wapas: The NRI Guide to Moving Back to India from the UK
Ghar Wapas: A London to India Moving Company Guide for NRIs Bringing Their Home Back
My father started a business moving people from India to London.
That was 1967. The direction of travel made perfect sense back then — people chasing opportunity, following work, building a life somewhere new. The containers went one way. The stories went with them.
Now, more often than not, I spend my days helping people go the other way.
Going home.
And I've learned there's nothing quite like it. The ghar wapas — the homecoming. The decision that's been building for years, sometimes decades, finally made. The UK chapter closing. The India chapter beginning again.
What I've also learned, from close to thirty years of running this exact route as a london to india moving company, is that the practical side of bringing your household goods home catches almost everyone off guard. Not because people aren't organised. Because nobody explains it properly.
This is my attempt to fix that.
The Transfer of Residence Facility: What It Is and Why It Matters
The Indian government provides a specific mechanism for returning NRIs to import their household goods duty-free. It's called the Transfer of Residence (TR) facility, and if you qualify, it can save you a significant sum — we're talking about avoiding import duties that would otherwise apply to furniture, appliances, personal effects, and most household items you've accumulated during your time in the UK.
Here's who qualifies:
- You must have lived outside India for a minimum of two continuous years immediately before your return
- Your goods must have been in your possession and use abroad — not purchased new for shipping home
- You cannot have claimed TR benefits in the previous three years
- The duty-free value of your shipment is capped at ₹5 lakh per family
That last point is worth sitting with for a moment. ₹5 lakh. It's not unlimited. If the declared value of your shipment exceeds that threshold, the excess attracts standard import duty. Understanding where your belongings sit against that cap is one of the first conversations we have with every family on this route.
The Rule Nobody Mentions (And That Catches People Out Every Time)
I want to tell you about the single most common and most expensive mistake I see returning NRIs make.
They ship their belongings from London. They fly home. And they arrive in India after their shipment does.
Sounds reasonable. In practice, it's a serious problem.
Under Indian customs regulations, you must be physically present in India when your shipment arrives at port. You need to be there to sign declarations. If you're not, your container sits. It waits. And every day it waits in port storage costs money — money that adds up quickly and could have been avoided entirely with one piece of advance planning.
The fix is straightforward: coordinate your arrival in India to land before or around the same time as your sea freight. Sea freight from London to major Indian ports takes five to six weeks. That timeline is your planning anchor.
If you're using a good london to india moving company, they'll flag this from day one. If they don't — ask.
What You Can Ship. And What You Shouldn't.
The TR facility covers furniture, electrical appliances, personal effects, books, crockery, and household items you've genuinely been using. That covers most of what's in a family home.
A few things worth knowing before you start packing:
- Alcohol. Import duty on alcohol coming into India is upwards of 160%. Do not ship your wine collection. Drink it, give it away, leave it with friends. It is genuinely not worth the duty.
- New electronics. The TR facility applies to used goods only. If you bought a new television three weeks before your move with the intention of shipping it home, customs will treat it as a commercial import, not a personal effect. This is an area where the paperwork matters enormously — and where having experience on your side helps.
- Antiques. Items over 100 years old need Archaeological Survey of India clearance. If you have genuine antiques, this needs to be planned well in advance.
- Plants, seeds, and certain food items face quarantine restrictions. Leave them.
The Documentation You Need — Before Anything Moves
Indian customs require a specific set of documents, and getting them right first time is the difference between your shipment clearing smoothly and sitting in port for weeks.
Here's what you'll need:
- Passport — including all pages showing your time abroad. Entry and exit stamps are your proof of residency duration.
- Detailed inventory — every item, with descriptions, approximate purchase date, and current estimated value. Customs will have this. Make it accurate.
- Bill of Lading — your primary shipping document, provided by your London to India moving company.
- Declaration for personal use — confirming goods are for personal and household use, not for sale or commercial purposes.
- Proof of UK residency — utility bills, employment records, tenancy agreements. The more comprehensive, the better.
A single discrepancy between your packing list and your declared inventory can trigger additional scrutiny and delays. 100% physical inspection at Indian ports is standard — it's not a red flag, it's the process. Being prepared for it means it doesn't become a problem.
Customs Clearance: What to Expect
Once your shipment arrives at the Indian port, customs clearance typically takes one to three weeks. This assumes your documentation is in order and your declared values are realistic.
Plan for three weeks. Hope for one. Have your Indian contact ready to move quickly when clearance comes through.
If you're using a london to india moving company with established destination-country partners — which any IAM-certified company as us should — you'll have a local agent coordinating clearance on your behalf. That relationship matters more than most people realise when a customs officer has a question about item number 47 on your inventory.
A Few Other Things Worth Knowing
- The timeline as a whole. From packing in London to delivery at your Indian address, allow eight to ten weeks minimum if using sea freight. Five to six weeks on the water, one to three weeks customs clearance, plus inland delivery. Air freight is faster but significantly more expensive and better suited to essentials than to full household shipments.
- Storage. If your timing doesn't align perfectly — if you're in temporary accommodation in India whilst your permanent home is being prepared — storage at the destination port or in a bonded warehouse is available. Factor this into your planning rather than leaving it as a surprise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I qualify for duty-free import of household goods as an NRI returning from the UK?
Yes, if you have lived outside India for a minimum of two continuous years immediately before your return, you qualify for India's Transfer of Residence (TR) facility. Your goods must have been in your possession and use abroad — not purchased new for shipping — and you must not have claimed TR benefits in the previous three years.
How long does shipping household goods from London to India take?
Sea freight from London to major Indian ports — Mumbai, Chennai, Mundra, or Kolkata — takes five to six weeks in transit. Add one to three weeks for customs clearance, plus inland delivery time to your final address. Allow eight to ten weeks in total from packing day to delivery. The Indian Mover coordinates the full timeline, including port selection based on your destination city, to avoid unnecessary road freight costs at the Indian end.
Do I need to be in India when my shipment arrives?
Yes — this is the rule that catches most returning NRIs off guard. Under Indian customs regulations, you must be physically present in India when your shipment arrives at port to sign the necessary declarations. If you arrive after your container, it sits in port storage at your expense. The Indian Mover plans your shipping timeline around your travel dates to make sure this doesn't happen.
What items cannot be imported duty-free under the Transfer of Residence facility?
Alcohol attracts import duty of 160% or more and should not be shipped. New electronics purchased shortly before your move are treated as commercial imports, not personal effects, and do not qualify under TR. Antiques over 100 years old require Archaeological Survey of India clearance. Plants, seeds, and certain food items face quarantine restrictions and should be left behind.
Which Indian port should my shipment arrive at?
Port selection depends on your destination city. Choosing the wrong port — for example, routing a Bangalore-bound shipment through Mumbai — can add ₹50,000 or more in road freight to your final bill. The main options are JNPT Mumbai, Chennai, Mundra (Gujarat), and Kolkata. As part of every move, The Indian Mover matches your arrival port to your destination to minimise inland transport costs.
Why This Route Is Personal to Me
My dad ran these containers between India and London from 1967. I grew up watching him do it — school holidays spent packing crates, learning which items needed which protection, understanding that inside every shipment was someone's life compressed into boxes.
Back then it was always the same direction. People leaving India, building new chapters in the UK.
Now those same families, or their children, or their grandchildren, are making the journey home. And I think about my dad every time we load a container bound for Mumbai or Chennai or Mundra. The route has reversed. The care hasn't.
If you're planning your return to India and you'd like to talk through the practicalities — the TR facility, the port routing, the documentation, the timing — you can read more about our India moving service or get in touch directly. I have been running this route for decades. I surely know it well.
Drop me a line at os@themovergroup.com or call 0203 318 2216.
Every move is personal.
Onkar
