Shipping From US To India – A Complete Guide

A large number of people return from the US to India every year and want to buy things from the USA and ship to India. The most common question for all those people is ‘How to shop in US and ship to India?’ A large number of NRIs look for reliable methods to shop in USA and ship to India.

Others might relocate from USA to India and would need to move their household items. Most of us don’t have the required information to find the cheapest and the most reliable way to ship items from US to India. In this guide, we discuss about the most affordable options available to people who want to send items to India from USA. Read on to find out more.

How to ship from USA to India when shop in USA and ship to India?

• Good ol’ Amazon is one of the latest shipping services introduced by Amazon and supports certain products. This service is meant for shopping on Amazon and shipping globally without having to worry about shipping company. If you see ‘Free International Shipping’ option for a product you purchase on Amazon, you can get it shipped to India.
• Linbis Logistics Partners allows buying items in the USA and ship them safely to India. You can order products from BestBuy or any other big stores and order it to a US address assign to you then deliver to your home in India. It lets you save up to 50% on shipping costs as compared to other modes. You can use Linbis platform to help find the best freight quote rate for you. 
• Regular courier and shipping companies can be used to send products purchased in USA but their rates are pretty high. However, there are many affordable courier services which offer lower rates than the big names.
• Linbis Shop and Ship Platform lets you purchase anything from an online US store and send to a local address. It is then possible to manage the shipment and send it to India by paying duties and taxes if any.

We work with many logistics provider around the world using our technology to manage their business. Our logistics software helps them use the same technology as the big company passing the saving to you. 

Options to ship from USA to India

Ocean freight is the most cost effective method to ship from USA to India. This method works well if you are not in a hurry. For example, if somebody is shipping from US to India and wants to bring the household items, they can probably wait for few weeks.

This is where sea shipment can be cost effective but it takes about 8-10 weeks to arrive. Those who are in a hurry can opt air shipment which takes anywhere from a few days to 1 week. So, the best option to ship from US to India depends on the items you have and how fast you want them to arrive. 

Typical products that are sent from USA to India

• Electronic items or gadgets like a newly launched smartphone that is available only in the USA are largely sent from US to India.
• Other electronic items like tablets, laptops and television are mostly shipped to India.
• Products typically sent from USA to India include clothes and gifts like mobile phone accessories, toys, home improvement tools, small electronics and kitchen accessories.

US to India Shipping Requirements

The most important requirement for a parcel coming from US to India is the customs paperwork which should be completed clearly and accurately. The customs document lists the packaged items and their total value. 

• Electronic items should include additional details. For example, mobile phones should have IMEI number displayed correctly to clear customs. Used electronic items like television and computer should be accompanied by a No Objection Certificate for the import.
• Medicines are restricted for import from USA. In case they are sent, they should contain the scientific name of the drug on the paperwork for customs and a No Objection Certificate. You are generally restricted to 100 medicinal items per shipment.
• Perfumes and other flammable items are restricted for shipping. Tobacco, dairy, cash, animals, nail varnish, ivory, fur, etc. are also restricted.
• Gifts are exempted from duty and taxes for a value of up to 10000 INR. One can send 10 or less samples of the same item as a gift.
• To ship food items from USA to India, it should be sent in the original manufacturer packaging. It must be sealed. Label should list the ingredients. Food items should have a shelf life of 6 months from the date of shipping. Any food item with a shelf life less than 6 months is considered to be perishable and cannot be sent via courier. Food shipments also require a No Objection Certificate.

How much does shipping from USA to India cost?

Most shipping companies calculate the shipping cost depending on the height and width of the package. Air shipment can cost more than shipping by sea. There is also a difference between door-to-door and door-to-port shipment price.

Many of logistics partner will offer consolidation services for small fee that will save you up to 25%. If you are not in a hurry you can shop in multiple Stores send it to our partners warehouse for consolidation. Our courier partners will wait for you to place the order for the shipments.

Factors that affect cost

The cost of shipping from US to India depends on the mode used – air or sea. Sea is a cost-effective method and lets you ship a lot of items at affordable price. Shipping by air is faster but expensive and cost more.

The shipping company used to ship from US to India affect the total cost of shipment. Different companies offer different rates and making the right choice of a shipping company can lower the cost.

The amount of duty and tax you pay also decides the cost of shipment and is based on factors like type of product, reason for export, value of items, etc.

Using a courier from USA to India vs UPS, FedEx or other big companies?

While people commonly prefer big shipping companies like FedEx, UPS and DHL to ship their items from the US to India, the rates offered by other courier companies are quite lower than these. There are many economical shipping companies which are cheaper than the mainstream ones like DHL. It is typically a good idea to go with the big companies if the shipment is not too big as they can provide a reliable service though expensive.

On the other hand, if you have a lot of items to ship or are relocating, you can choose a shipping agency. Many of our logistics partners specializes in container shipping. Linbis can help you chooses a few of the best courier companies. This companies are selected by us on the base on pricing, reputation, customer reviews and transparency. With Linbis platform manage all documents and process of your order, courier company uses our technology to help with the logistics process. 

Linbis Freight Forwarders and Couriers Partners Services

• This service offers shipping from US to India via air and provides door to door delivery.
• They pick up the parcel from anywhere you are and deliver to the door in India.
•  They offer affordable shipping services for those who want to send a lot of items to India.
• Rates are competitive 
• Some Partners offer pickup option others don’t and this will lower the cost.

Shop in USA and ship to India – Duty & Tax when shipping to India when shopping in USA store?

Cost of duty and tax when shipping to India depend on the products you ship and their original price. Indian customs does not levy duties on items worth 50,000INR and less if brought for personal use. The customs document lists the products you have packaged and their total value. The customs department uses this information to apply the tax and duty accordingly. Customs broker will be able to help you with an import to india.

When sending a gift from the USA to India, you get an exemption of 10,000 INR. Also you can ship 10 samples of the same item per shipment. The recipient of the parcel is mostly responsible for paying the tax and duty. But these charges can be reversed to the shipper upon request when sending a gift item.

Linbis Logistics partner offers many other shipments to many other places such as shipping products from china to us. Contact us with any question you may have.