Paging Saamiyar

by nevada Mon Sep 08, 2014 4:48 pm

I am traveling to India this week. I am taking 2 cell phones costing $103 each, a tablet costing about $300 as gifts. And I plan to carry my DSLR with zoom, flash etc for my personal use and not to gift to anyone.
Am I within the draconian Indian customs limits? My friend told me that for US citizens visiting India, the limit is 125000 Rs and the camera doesn't count at all because I plan to bring it back with me.
Should I just slip $20 to a porter and escape customs or do I have no need to do that?

by Marathadi-Saamiyaar Mon Sep 08, 2014 11:20 pm

nevada wrote:I am traveling to India this week. I am taking 2 cell phones costing $103 each, a tablet costing about $300 as gifts. And I plan to carry my DSLR with zoom, flash etc for my personal use and not to gift to anyone.
Am I within the draconian Indian customs limits? My friend told me that for US citizens visiting India, the limit is 125000 Rs and the camera doesn't count at all because I plan to bring it back with me.
Should I just slip $20 to a porter and escape customs or do I have no need to do that?

Nothing to worry... if at all they ask, tell then what you said here. If at all they give you trouble - ask them to enter them in the passport. They scan and catch people who smuggle Gold. 3, 4 years ago, my wife was caught with her chain etc. she said she brought them to wear at a couple of marriages. They said that would then be fine. They know who brings what to sell and make profit.

Would not worry much.

by Kayalvizhi Mon Sep 08, 2014 11:23 pm

If you want to bribe make sure you speak in Hindi? Custom officials don't know no English.

by nevada Mon Sep 08, 2014 11:41 pm

Marathadi-Saamiyaar wrote:
nevada wrote:I am traveling to India this week. I am taking 2 cell phones costing $103 each, a tablet costing about $300 as gifts. And I plan to carry my DSLR with zoom, flash etc for my personal use and not to gift to anyone.
Am I within the draconian Indian customs limits? My friend told me that for US citizens visiting India, the limit is 125000 Rs and the camera doesn't count at all because I plan to bring it back with me.
Should I just slip $20 to a porter and escape customs or do I have no need to do that?

Nothing to worry... if at all they ask, tell then what you said here. If at all they give you trouble - ask them to enter them in the passport. They scan and catch people who smuggle Gold. 3, 4 years ago, my wife was caught with her chain etc. she said she brought them to wear at a couple of marriages. They said that would then be fine. They know who brings what to sell and make profit.

Would not worry much.

Thanks man!

by bw Mon Sep 08, 2014 11:46 pm

just 2 phones and an ipad? should have no trouble. i went to both madras and delhi this year and had no questions asked at the customs. of course, i wasn't carrying any electronic items as explicit gifts though i did leave my laptop behind at delhi.

don't try to bribe though! 20 USD? really? you are out of touch with india! Smile

by Marathadi-Saamiyaar Tue Sep 09, 2014 12:12 am

bw wrote:just 2 phones and an ipad? should have no trouble. i went to both madras and delhi this year and had no questions asked at the customs. of course, i wasn't carrying any electronic items as explicit gifts though i did leave my laptop behind at delhi.

don't try to bribe though! 20 USD? really? you are out of touch with india!

You are an exception....naturally people are terrified at your sight....... Razz

by bw Tue Sep 09, 2014 12:19 am

Marathadi-Saamiyaar wrote:
bw wrote:just 2 phones and an ipad? should have no trouble. i went to both madras and delhi this year and had no questions asked at the customs. of course, i wasn't carrying any electronic items as explicit gifts though i did leave my laptop behind at delhi.

don't try to bribe though! 20 USD? really? you are out of touch with india!

You are an exception....naturally people are terrified at your sight.......

yeah - bhadrakaaLi me!

by Kris Tue Sep 09, 2014 1:03 am

Marathadi-Saamiyaar wrote:
nevada wrote:I am traveling to India this week. I am taking 2 cell phones costing $103 each, a tablet costing about $300 as gifts. And I plan to carry my DSLR with zoom, flash etc for my personal use and not to gift to anyone.
Am I within the draconian Indian customs limits? My friend told me that for US citizens visiting India, the limit is 125000 Rs and the camera doesn't count at all because I plan to bring it back with me.
Should I just slip $20 to a porter and escape customs or do I have no need to do that?

Nothing to worry... if at all they ask, tell then what you said here. If at all they give you trouble - ask them to enter them in the passport. They scan and catch people who smuggle Gold. 3, 4 years ago, my wife was caught with her chain etc. she said she brought them to wear at a couple of marriages. They said that would then be fine. They know who brings what to sell and make profit.

Would not worry much.

>>>Agree. I have not had any issues in years. Of course, I hardly take anything. Even aside from that, the last time they questioned me was years ago. It was something about my wife's jewelry. I said I didn't know what she had. He gave me some figure and asked me if it exceeded it. I said I didn't think so. They had questioned her separately. He then blabbered something like ' there is a difference between not knowing and not thinking so'. I got irritated and snapped at him and said much as I appreciated the difference, I was jet lagged and tired. Fortunately I don't think he understood what I said and just let us go. In fairness, there doesn't mean to be any harassment these days. It is just the pain of collecting your luggage, getting out of the damn airport and getting to bed.

by nevada Mon Sep 15, 2014 6:18 pm

Got out of customs without any issue. Thanks all for your reassuring posts.

by Kris Mon Sep 15, 2014 8:48 pm

nevada wrote:Got out of customs without any issue. Thanks all for your reassuring posts.

>>>Good. Enjoy the rest of your trip and post on the new restaurants you try out. I think we need to make this a standard feature and would have a helluva lot more value than our NI/SI fights. Smile

by truthbetold Mon Sep 15, 2014 9:19 pm

Kris wrote:
nevada wrote:Got out of customs without any issue. Thanks all for your reassuring posts.
>>>Good. Enjoy the rest of your trip and post on the new restaurants you try out. I think we need to make this a standard feature and would have a helluva lot more value than our NI/SI fights.

Kris,

You are mean. You want to take away the only joy left in the miserable life of flimflam?

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