Hello
I know many of our beloved member frequently travel abroad and have experience in luggage and custom rules..
What items to buy from USA ? like cheap pc parts, laptop or pc etc?
What can we carry in luggage and what in checked in luggage ?
Do we have to pay custom on used items or how to avoid custom?
Where can I find good deals for pc parts?
Please suggest
Thanks for the guide
But a lot has changed now… Great if any member can share their ideas
Apart from the usual items like phones, laptops, RAM, SSDs, etc., I’d look into niche items such as: security keys (YubiKey, OnlyKey), electric toothbrushes, audiophile items (IEMs, DAC/AMP), board games (DnD, Cards against Humanity, etc), LEGO sets, funko pops, thunderbolt 4 docks, GaN chargers, etc.
Anything which has a battery goes into cabin baggage others into check-in baggage.
Rules to follow:
Do not have anything in its original packaging. Do not get the original packaging unless an absolute necessity.
Do not carry more than 2 laptops, 2 tabs, 2 phones (choose any 4 from a total of 6)
Log into personal/work accounts on all laptops/tabs/phones.
Even if you follow the rules or don’t, you can be stopped by customs and questioned. Be prepared for that. Say personal use only. If you have 3 iPhone 14 Pro Max, you’ll definitely be asked to pay customs.
Thanks a lot man
What about used xbox, PS4, and used pc… Are they allowed
As long as there is space in the luggage, should be a non issue. If it’s a PC, make sure to pack it properly. Remove the tower cooler and the GPU from the PC. Keep them separately in the luggage.
Do they charge for custom for used laptop, pc, console???
If you use original packaging and keep it in a suitcase, they might. But if you are going to keep it without original packaging, they won’t.
Open the packaging of the laptop turn it on once so that when they ask you to turn it on, it shows login screen and nit the setup screen
Carry in, a laptop bag in your cabin luggage
As far as I know you can carry two laptops unboxed and already setup along with you in cabin, one can be termed as personal and other work..
My BIL dors this all the time..
Other items can be put in cargo luggage without boxes to be on a safer side
Which Indian city will you be flying into ?
Mumbai
That is the worst airport to fly into since the customs guys there are the best in the country.
Many years ago I wanted to avoid customs on a laptop. They told me not to fly into Bombay. Which is fine since I live in Bangalore and Lufthansa flew there direct.
I arrive with a friend. We both have the same kind of carry-on bag. Mine has a laptop. His does not and he also isn’t an Indian citizen.
They x-ray the bags and the interesting ones get the chalk mark. My friend grabs the bag as soon as it comes out of the machine before the customs guy can mark it. I still remember him saying ‘where is that bag with the laptop’. My friend is already ten meters gone by that point.
They look into all my stuff. Why have I got so many this and that? In the end, I give the guy a $20 bill after promising him $100 and he lets me go.
That laptop was worth $1000, I think duty on it in those days would have been much more.
Intresting… This is going to be my only trip outside India in my life… I never travel outside India .. and this is only first and last trip…
If I find good deal I will buy a gaming laptop for my son … Lest see how it goes
Also not able to find a good cheap accomodation for new york for 5 night stay
Avoid HP & MSI if you’re going to buy gaming laptop abroad. Rest brands like DELL, ASUS, ACER etc will provide global warranty
I just returned back from USA … Could not buy anything there as i have to shorten my trip … I will buy in india now…