Customs while flying in : Please advise

Speedz

Adept
Hey,

So I am flying back from Singapore this weekend, after 3 months of my internship here. I have bought an iPod Touch costing 400 SGD (17,000 INR) with me, which is practically the only new unsealed product I am carrying. I have my laptop, ipod and camera, but are all over 2 years old, and it shows!

So, as per my understanding of the customs law, I am not violating any law as my imports are way below the 35,000 INR limit and should not be required to pay any duty. However, I don't trust the customs officers, like any other government employee in out country.

What is the best way to go through with this so as to avoid hassles? Thanks for the help.

P.S. This is my first time travelling abroad.
 
Ideally you should have declared the stuff when you were flying out to customs. Then no issue at all.

Even in this case, you can say that the other items are old ones, for personal use. Shouldn't be an issue. Any bills or Indian stickers etc for the older products would be even more proof ;)
 
I did try and declare them, but they didn't let me! I tried to persist, but it was my first time flying abroad and I was alone, and I am only a student, so couldn't really make an impact.
 
I did try and declare them, but they didn't let me! I tried to persist, but it was my first time flying abroad and I was alone, and I am only a student, so couldn't really make an impact.

Generally one is supposed to take an export certificate. But these people at airport say things like "Kuch zaroorat nahi hai" and all. In your case, you mentioned that the iPod is "unsealed", if that is the case, just put the iPod touch in your trouser pocket and walk out. Laptop should not be even considered as you can carry one duty free anyways.
 
To avoid all trouble with customs, do this when you land back in India -

Pack most of the inexpensive items such as clothes and toiletries and accessories into your bigger check-in bags. Carry most of the expensive stuff like electronics and gadgets and documents in your backpack.

Everything should be fine until the point you come to immigration. Once there, slide up to the counter when they call for you and greet the officer with a broad smile and a wink as if you don't have anything to hide (while all the time you really do have something to hide). Don't make any untoward or weird noises or actions and speak only when spoken to, except the occasional dead blank stare with a deep guttural growling sound. When asked if you were alright and if there was something wrong, reply with that smile and wink (see above), but at no cost say "I have a bomb" or "I'm hiding stuff from customs". That should help you get by immigration in a breeze.

Next up, the baggage retrieval line. Act all nonchalant there and be friendly to your co-passengers, even help a few elderly people with their bags. All this time you need to keep asking all the people you help for candy and/or chocolates (your preference really, no pressure). That usually lets the all-observing, omnipresent customs officials believe you are an all round nice guy. Once you have all your bags, stack them on to the cart and proceed towards the exit lines.

You've got all your things and you're not really sweating your pants off because you have expensive stuff to hide from customs, sounds peachy doesn't it? Well, the moment you see any policeman or white suited person (that's the mark of those pesky customs officials) approach you, or for that matter come anywhere closer than ten feet, or in extreme cases even go about their daily business completely unaware of your presence, you must shout out the battle cry! "It's war time baby!". At that moment a few things will start happening simultaneously and you should have counter actions prepared beforehand (get practicing right now). Begin charging towards the nearest officer with your luggage cart in front of you. Right when you are a few inches away, push the cart with all you got at the unsuspecting but shit-scared man. At the same time you should dive roll behind the nearest pillar, crawl the remaining distance if you have to. Your dive should be aimed towards the exit line.

Now one of two things will happen. If you land after that extreme dive roll into the exit line (good job with that jump, it pays to practice beforehand doesn't it?), get up and point at where the mangled mess of your worthless bags and that poor dazed officer is, shout "That man has a bomb in HIS bags!", and run out of the airport wildly hysterically screaming. That should throw any suspicion, if at all, off you and you should be able to get back into the country without any trouble, customs or otherwise. You have your backpack with you all this while and all your loot is safe! Just try and maintain a low profile once you settle back into your daily routine. We don't want any untoward attention with your bragging now, would we?

If on the other hand you botch the jump (haven't you heard, practice makes man perfect), many officers will rush towards you to nab you. Now I'm hoping you have a black belt in Shaq-fu and can beat your way out Matrix style. If not, then well please refrain from crying like a girl while soiling your clothes and at no cost say "I've got a bomb". Instead start laughing maniacally and say "It was a joke". God help you with what's to follow, cavity searches not off the table. (Should have practiced that jump and some wild kicks)

All the best! Either way, let us know on the forum how it went.








PS: Just carry your stuff into the country without stopping anywhere and you should be fine. No one is going to stop you unless you're carrying bags and bags full of things or carrying huge items like TVs. A small iPod isn't going to bother the customs at all. :)
 
Hahaha. Bro I got you at the wink part! But I get the point you are trying to make. I am being paranoid over nothing. *Sigh*
 
Right when you are a few inches away, push the cart with all you got at the unsuspecting but shit-scared man. At the same time you should dive roll behind the nearest pillar, crawl the remaining distance if you have to. Your dive should be aimed towards the exit line.

For a moment, I thought I was in the http://www.techenclave.com/gaming/dark-souls-discussion-thread-127043/ and you were giving advice on parrying and riposte on a certain enemy AI! :p

Ethan_Hunt: Sounds similar doesn't it? :lol:
 
In my experience, i just linger around the airport some time till all the people go first. So by the end the custom officials are tired and just want to end it. So they just check ur face and the slip and let you through.
FYI i return at 2:30 in the night so they are a bit sleepy ;)
 
Sorry for bumping an old thread. But I have a colleague of my mom flying in from America. He's American, he'll be carrying his own laptop and a tablet for me. Would he run into any customs trouble?

Should I ask him to chuck all the packaging and carry the tablet wrapped in plastic or paper or something?
 
If this is within the 35k limit permitted per person, the packaging is just fine else it may be a good idea to dump the packaging there and just carry the tablet with him so they (customs folks) wouldn't know if it is new or used.
 
Dump the packaging and get it in the carry on bag. Customs are always unpredictable.
Many a times the customs will write the item names in the passport (or somewhere else ??) and expect that those items are there with you when you return back to USA. This is for people holding non Indian passports. I cannot confirm on this but I have heard this happening.
So tell her to get all open as personal use items.
 
If this is within the 35k limit permitted per person, the packaging is just fine else it may be a good idea to dump the packaging there and just carry the tablet with him so they (customs folks) wouldn't know if it is new or used.


Limit is only for indian citizens . Tell her to declare them as personal items ,and she would be taking them back with her .Avoiding a box is helpful since there is no duty free limit for Non - Indian citizen , There are next to nil chances of getting stopped but if you are stopped DUTY is flat 35% + cess
 
If items are marked as personal and written down in passport, while going back, won't they ask about the missing laptop? I mean tablet :)
 
If items are marked as personal and written down in passport, while going back, won't they ask about the missing laptop? I mean tablet :)

Yes this is always a case. They can ask about the laptop and one cannot just say it got stolen else they will have to produce FIR or something to prove it is indeed stolen.
 
Yikes I'm glad I asked this question then. See basically it'll just be a tablet (Transformer TF700) and the guy will be carrying his own laptop. He doesn't carry much baggage apparently.

So the best option for minimum hassle is : throw away packaging and carry the tablet as personal item, right? But what if they do write down the items in the passport? Is there a better option than all this. I'd really hate to bring trouble upon on my moms colleague cause not only is he an awesome guy but he comes from America every month so ........
 
i have a question. will tablet be considered as a laptop? well i went to abroad i told i will write the laptop and camera details which customs officer is very reluctant to give me the form to note down. he was saying no need you can carry a laptop.. i was late already and don't want to miss flight and there was big queue for the security clearnace.. and also tire...so left without writing laptop details on export/customs certificate.. The reason why i was asking is i want to carry tablet along with my laptop. will they charge it as a second laptop or not which i was not sure...
 
@cri_sss

No, laptop and tablet were considered separate for me. I carried a sony laptop and iPad in my carry on they least bothered, just asked what all was there and i said laptop and iPad.

But let me warn that it is entirely dependent on the custom officer at that moment. But tablets have become common place today to raise any eyebrows.
 
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