"Importing" Laptops to India - How many per person?

Rehaan · 11th December 2005, 02:01

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.
I think i am just gonna bring one and get my sis to bring the other.

However,

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conan

1. You are allowed to carry one official laptop. Try to get a letter from your company saying that it is official.

That is a really good idea!! 10% chance i might do that!..thanks.

On the other hand...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conan

2. Send one laptop in checkin baggage and one in carry baggage.

....(no offence) but this is a pretty bad idea in reality!!

coz firstly, check in bags literally get thrown around,
and secondly, chances are your bag WILL get opened (if not lost) and there usually isnt a way of proving what you had in there if it is missing!

Heres the config i picked up if anyone is interested > http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWN%3AIT&rd=1
Good deal ?

Thanks again for your help,
R

tsk1979 · 12th December 2005, 16:10

Well you can always pay 10$ and get anything in. 10$ bill works like magic in bangalore(Greedy ones want 15$)

sbasak · 12th December 2005, 19:03

Bombay custom officials are notorious for harrassing people. Once they grilled me half an hour for a mere £60 DVD Writer. They couldn't even understand what a DVD Writer is!!! Bombay has the toughest customs, closely followed by Delhi and Calcutta is the easiest (they rarely ask any question

- other intl' airports, I've not visited )

You can carry one laptop without any problem nowadays.

To carry a second laptop, your best bet will be handing it over to a friend/co-passenger (who is not already carrying a laptop) and he should claim it for him.

Also, if you can show them that you are coming back to USA, (your visa validity and return air ticket should do) you should face no problem.

Most of time you can get away with $10-$15 bribe. But if your luck is bad (some high ranking official is doing the check) you may end up paying full duty! One of my friends has caught in such situation and had to pay Rs 17,000 for his £400 camcorder.

Officially, if you're carrying something from India, you can ask for custom entry clearence form in counter. But often custom officials are lazy giving it (once they declared the item on back of my air ticket!) Sometimes they demand money even for providing such form.

navin · 13th December 2005, 11:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rehaan

....(no offence) but this is a pretty bad idea in reality!!

coz firstly, check in bags literally get thrown around

I usually check my laptop in. I have a hard case. throw in a few layes of clothes, then the laptop then more clothes and the laptop is well protected.

i've done this for the last 3 years without a problem. I am lazy and hate carrying anything on the plane.

cnu · 13th December 2005, 15:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rehaan

Heres the config i picked up if anyone is interested > http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWN%3AIT&rd=1
Good deal ?

Thats a terrific configuration Rehaan and yes its a great deal. Congrats.

asheet · 8th February 2010, 18:39

Note from Team-BHP Support : SMS / Slang is STRICTLY prohibited on this community. We would much appreciate your using full & proper English in posts, for the benefit of other forum users (too many spelling errors in your post).

Please view our board rules carefully before proceeding any further.

2nd Laptop process is simple.
1. If u r returning from Abroad - carrying a personal Laptop which u will take back and A new laptop which u will give to ur friend in India.
- At India customs, ask teh cust officer to endorse in ur passport abt ur personal laptop which u will 'export' from India when u leave India. Then NO duty is payable on new laptop.

I have done the 2nd case wout any problems & Mumbai customs is Most helpful in guiding u while Bangalore is Notorius in misguiding u.

2. If u r leaving India for work & carrying office laptop & intend to bring a new personal laptop on ur return - Ask Customs officer at India departure to make an export cert for ur office laptop. Now ehn u return with ur New Laptop + Office laptop, just show the export cert to customs & walk duty free with ur both laptops.

tajender · 9th February 2010, 08:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by asheet

2nd Laptop process is simple.
1. If u r returning from Abroad - carrying a personal Laptop which u will take back and A new laptop which u will give to ur friend in India.
- At India customs, ask teh cust officer to endorse in ur passport abt ur personal laptop which u will 'export' from India when u leave India. Then NO duty is payable on new laptop.

I have done the 2nd case wout any problems & Mumbai customs is Most helpful in guiding u while Bangalore is Notorius in misguiding u.

2. If u r leaving India for work & carrying office laptop & intend to bring a new personal laptop on ur return - Ask Customs officer at India departure to make an export cert for ur office laptop. Now ehn u return with ur New Laptop + Office laptop, just show the export cert to customs & walk duty free with ur both laptops.

I agree with you Asheet, this is the way to get a second laptop into the country without having to pay any duties.

chevelle · 9th February 2010, 18:46

i went to India in April 2009 carrying two laptops. No problem carrying them. not even asked by officers. I landed at AMD, Gujarat. I was guided towards Green channel, which is for those who don't have to declare any custom goods and bags were scanned without any problems. I bought one laptop back and kept one back in India. I was helped by a policeman there, he kept the guy at scanning station busy in talks so that all my bags pass through without any problems. Gave him $5 gratuity for making my checkout process smooth.

My friend went to AMD on Jan 3rd 2010. He too carried 2 laptops. No problem for him too. He brought one laptop back and sold one in India.

Not sure about other airports, but officers and custom clearance are quite easy at AMD and i am planning to take 2 more in Dec 2010

. hope this time there is no problems.

Hope this helps

Just my 2 cents.

sajo · 10th February 2010, 06:28

From personal experience as well as that of friends and colleagues, Mumbai customs dont bother much about 2 laptops as well.
Just incase they do (which I doubt they do in 80-90% of the cases), keep a letter from your company handy stating that one of the laptops (with serial number) is an asset of the company.

I have talked to a guy who had brought 2 laptops (1 personal, 1 official) + 1 small netbook as a gift for someone too.

12th December 2005, 16:10	#17
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,688 Thanked: 23,489 Times View My Garage	Well you can always pay 10$ and get anything in. 10$ bill works like magic in bangalore(Greedy ones want 15$)
	() Thanks

12th December 2005, 19:03	#18
sbasak BHPian Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: CCU-LTN Posts: 607 Thanked: 16 Times	Bombay custom officials are notorious for harrassing people. Once they grilled me half an hour for a mere £60 DVD Writer. They couldn't even understand what a DVD Writer is!!! Bombay has the toughest customs, closely followed by Delhi and Calcutta is the easiest (they rarely ask any question - other intl' airports, I've not visited ) You can carry one laptop without any problem nowadays. To carry a second laptop, your best bet will be handing it over to a friend/co-passenger (who is not already carrying a laptop) and he should claim it for him. Also, if you can show them that you are coming back to USA, (your visa validity and return air ticket should do) you should face no problem. Most of time you can get away with $10-$15 bribe. But if your luck is bad (some high ranking official is doing the check) you may end up paying full duty! One of my friends has caught in such situation and had to pay Rs 17,000 for his £400 camcorder. Officially, if you're carrying something from India, you can ask for custom entry clearence form in counter. But often custom officials are lazy giving it (once they declared the item on back of my air ticket!) Sometimes they demand money even for providing such form.
	() Thanks

8th February 2010, 18:39	#21
asheet BANNED Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Mumbai Posts: 8 Thanked: 0 Times	Note from Team-BHP Support : SMS / Slang is STRICTLY prohibited on this community. We would much appreciate your using full & proper English in posts, for the benefit of other forum users (too many spelling errors in your post). Please view our board rules carefully before proceeding any further. 2nd Laptop process is simple. 1. If u r returning from Abroad - carrying a personal Laptop which u will take back and A new laptop which u will give to ur friend in India. - At India customs, ask teh cust officer to endorse in ur passport abt ur personal laptop which u will 'export' from India when u leave India. Then NO duty is payable on new laptop. I have done the 2nd case wout any problems & Mumbai customs is Most helpful in guiding u while Bangalore is Notorius in misguiding u. 2. If u r leaving India for work & carrying office laptop & intend to bring a new personal laptop on ur return - Ask Customs officer at India departure to make an export cert for ur office laptop. Now ehn u return with ur New Laptop + Office laptop, just show the export cert to customs & walk duty free with ur both laptops. Last edited by GTO : 9th February 2010 at 15:01. Reason: See Mod Note in your post
	() Thanks

9th February 2010, 18:46	#23
chevelle Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: sacto Posts: 1,298 Thanked: 554 Times View My Garage	i went to India in April 2009 carrying two laptops. No problem carrying them. not even asked by officers. I landed at AMD, Gujarat. I was guided towards Green channel, which is for those who don't have to declare any custom goods and bags were scanned without any problems. I bought one laptop back and kept one back in India. I was helped by a policeman there, he kept the guy at scanning station busy in talks so that all my bags pass through without any problems. Gave him $5 gratuity for making my checkout process smooth. My friend went to AMD on Jan 3rd 2010. He too carried 2 laptops. No problem for him too. He brought one laptop back and sold one in India. Not sure about other airports, but officers and custom clearance are quite easy at AMD and i am planning to take 2 more in Dec 2010. hope this time there is no problems. Hope this helps Just my 2 cents. Last edited by chevelle : 9th February 2010 at 18:49.
	() Thanks

10th February 2010, 06:28	#24
sajo Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Pune Posts: 2,625 Thanked: 1,157 Times	From personal experience as well as that of friends and colleagues, Mumbai customs dont bother much about 2 laptops as well. Just incase they do (which I doubt they do in 80-90% of the cases), keep a letter from your company handy stating that one of the laptops (with serial number) is an asset of the company. I have talked to a guy who had brought 2 laptops (1 personal, 1 official) + 1 small netbook as a gift for someone too.
	() Thanks