Team-BHP - "Importing" Laptops to India

Hey guys,

I was wondering if anyone could help me out on this one -

I am flying in from the US to Bombay, and the latest laws say that people are allowed to bring in a laptop without paying any duty, the question is will i be allowed to bring in a second laptop legally without paying anything extra ? (One will be returning to the US with me and one will be left in Bombay)

Thanks for your help guys,
And please only reply if you are SURE of the answer...
cya
R

By law, no. But its been done without any probs. As long as the second laptop is a used piece as well, I don't think yu should have any problems. My dad brought back 2 used laptops once and didn't face any trouble.

You can bring one laptop but for second you need to pay applicable duties (some 34% of invoice value) , there is a concept of Import/Export Certificate , endorsing on your passport but that all very complicated and time consuming and depends on the mood of the officer on duty.

The free laptop is one that you intend to keep here in India. The one you are taking back is always free, as all other personal effects, camera, videocamera, etc. Only you will have to declare to customs that you are taking one laptop back so that they can enter the same in your p/port if they want (normally they will not bother, and just wave you on!)

to declare, he would have had to do that before he left India. Prob is, he's now coming back with 2 laptops, neither of which are declared.

Simple (but kinda risky) solution. Become pals with the person next in the seat next to you and let him walk out with one laptop (if he doesn't already have one).

I got a similar kind of Question here.
Will I be able to bring two laptops,

where first one is bought from India and taken to US and the second one is a brand new one which is bought from US on my return.

Is there something like endorsing the first laptop to the passport so effectively I am importing only one laptop.

Hey Guys,

Thanks for your replies. Sounds like its not legal... so i will ship it to my sister to carry down with her.

Rtech - lol man, i considered "finding a friend" onboard...but thats a bit of a longshot. Esp when it comes to carrying other pplz luggage after 9/11 !

cya
R

ps - when it comes to writing on passports, ive never seen them do it when entering the country, they only do it when you leave. Although in theory you should be able to have it written that you WILL BE taking one laptop back, and able to bring two.... but then i guess that opens up a possibility for a lot of loopholes...

Hi Rehaan,

Passports are NO longer stamped. At the time of departure, you fill-in a silly form and the customs officer just stamps and initials it (after verifying the Sr. No. and all). On the way back, you can carry-in the second laptop - no sweat.
H'ever, in your case, since you did not get the form filled, it would be best to stick to plan B (the sis carries it).

BTW, try do most of your Cigs/Booze shopping at the private dutyfree shops in India (2 at Delhi airport) - very reasonable. On second thoughts, you can actually pick a Sony TV/Vid cam/AC (Fujitsu General) at the DF too and as long as you keep the value below 24k INR, you pay no import duty.

I picked a General 1.5T unit on my last trip and that came in 8 k cheaper than retail in India.

Happy landings.

Cheers

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rtech

Simple (but kinda risky) solution. Become pals with the person next in the seat next to you and let him walk out with one laptop (if he doesn't already have one).

That is the ONLY way you can get more than one of ANYTHING (except cigarettes, hooch, personal effects) into India free of duty.

Laptops are technically dutiable, but the customs guys normally dont bother because 9 out of 10 have their laptops declared while going out - figuring out which of the passengers HASNT declared their laptop on exit is too much of a pain and it could lead to queues. Hence they wave one laptop through without any issue - they dont bother stamping stuff on passports these days, either.

Anything more than ONE is not considered to be for personal purposes and is charged at >100% duty on ORIGINAL COST, where the ORIGINAL COST is decided by what their catalogue says. Their catalog is usually dated, which means the laptop prices quoted on it are higher since prices have come down recently.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rtech

You don't have to declare 1 laptop anymore Steeroid. Its allowed FOC. Thats written right there on the immigration form.

Sorry - Ive never had to declare a laptop on the way out since all my pcs were bought abroad.

Anyway, the point is that they dont bother if you have one laptop on the way in...anything more is a problem, and when you have one problem they tend to dig up other problems too. Always try NOT to get stopped at customs - a lot of stuff we carry are dutiable and they get down to listing it if they get ONE chance to stop you.

Then you get down to greasing palms, which is something I've thankfully never had to do.

Last year the customs law was amended to define ONE laptop as a non-dutiable personal use item like a camera, mobile, watch, etc... It need not be declared on the way out or in to India.

The second laptop is most definitely a dutiable item. My brother tried to do something similar to what Rehaan has in mind, carried in a used laptop in addition to his regular one, and got stopped. Ended up paying duty to the tune of 30K!!. You can buy a basic laptop for that money now in India.
Rehaan, if you feel brave enough, you can try to pack 2 laptops in one bag over one another so the X-Ray doesnt see 2 of them. I know somebody who has done it succesfully. But its pure luck, if you get caught then it is fines or grease money.

ok I have done this myself.

I got my laptop back to India the last time I came.

getting 1 laptop by law is ok as it is considered as an important business asset

but getting a second laptop asks payment of duty. But depends if the customs are in the mood to let you go.

There are two ways of getting two laptops duty free.
1. You are allowed to carry one official laptop. Try to get a letter from your company saying that it is official.
2. Send one laptop in checkin baggage and one in carry baggage.
As I have noticed in Bangalore customs.
First the carry baggages are screened. Then the checkin baggage is screened and sent on the conveyor belt with an X mark if it needs to be checked again. All bagagges with X marks are screened again, where you need to open and verify the contents to customs officer. Unmarked baggages are not screened twice. But make sure your laptop is well hidden inside the carry baggage.
I got 4 bottles of alcohol like this, ;) , offcourse it is for own consumption and I am not profiting from it.

Conan