Bookshelves from US to India (New Delhi IGI) 2012

[corElement]

Hi Guys,

I was searching online for details on how to bring home safely my newly acquired bookshelf pair from the US.
Read accounts of people from various forums and websites about bringing back gear in this suitcases and in general I've just gotten really confused.

If you have a moment to spare... those of you who already have experience of purchasing bookshelves and bringing them to India yourselves,
I plan on getting 1 speaker each of the 2 allowed 50lbs limit suitcases when I go to visit the US in q2/3 of this year (unless visa fails),
could you give me some advice. For example precautions for packing in a suitcase or how to not get into trouble with customs, or even what your experience was, Etc.

Any advice is appreciated.

Dimensions: 12.5"(L) x 10"(B)x 15" (H)
Weight: 12.4kg each


More info on the speaker here If you need

Thank you

 

[jai1611]

What is the cost of these speakers? Will you have a bill?

Given the bulk, it may be easier to declare, especially if they are under the 35k limit.

 

[mpw]

i got a relation to get my NAD amp for me from abroad. had to pay some duty Rs 1200 /-approx

Since these are heavy and i dont have any idea if any of your friends etc.. can get this for you personally.. i suggest you may consider couriering the same. Simple, direct and i reckon since you got NOS.. your friend can declare he is sending this to you as a gift and declare a nominal value. That way your duty will be possibly lesser.

regards,
mpw

 

[tirthankar]

I got my quad power amp, preamp and cables from US through aramex. Among them only the quad can qualify to be heavy at 7.5 Kg. Cost me around 6.5-7k for shipping + customs.
You can go to their website here to find out how it may cost for you. On calculation assuming 2 Kg of packing it comes to 434 USD for 27 Kg. They take care of customs and everything, but charge a 100 Rs for customs brokerage.
A high charge I feel, if you can arrange a cheaper option then great. But I have felt that they provide a very good service and will probably use their service if I get speakers from abroad.

 

[siva1306]

Best way is to have some body to get them in his baggage as specified by you (each bag one). If you opt for courier, charges will be heavier then the price you bought.

I brought my Polk M40 in my one bag and CS10 in another.
If customs need to be paid, have the bill with them, a minor amount will have to be paid.


Siva...

 

[arnprasad]

I am expert on this topic as travel pretty frequently and buy all my stuff of Amazon and get it shipped to the hotel I stay in US. Over the past year I have bought the Pioneer 1020K receiver, Polk audio CS 10 center, Rti4 left and right and PSW10 Sub - these were over 2 different visits. Here is what you need to remember when u get them from US

1) try and get in original packing. In my case I had to split the original packing and make it into two - reason being they throw ur baggage at the airports and even if you hvae a fragile sticker on..it always carries a risk of damage and hence original packing is always safer unless ur an expert packer
2) all items less than 25K in the invoice should be ok. Although keep in mind 25K is value in India and not in US and customs folks are pretty smart and can check it on their laptops if its actual value in India is much more...good thing is that they can always be bribed..so 1-2K should solve this. In this years budget the duty free limit got raised to 35k?
3) if the item is very small but of high value and if you are landing in Delhi - better get them in ur hand baggage - unlike bangalore and other airports - in Delhi they do not scan your hand baggage - atleast that was my experience a month back - so high value is not an issue here.

Hope this helps..happy shopping!

 

[corElement]

Here is what you need to remember when u get them from US

1) try and get in original packing. In my case I had to split the original packing and make it into two - reason being they throw ur baggage at the airports and even if you hvae a fragile sticker on..it always carries a risk of damage and hence original packing is always safer unless ur an expert packer
2) all items less than 25K in the invoice should be ok. Although keep in mind 25K is value in India and not in US and customs folks are pretty smart and can check it on their laptops if its actual value in India is much more...good thing is that they can always be bribed..so 1-2K should solve this. In this years budget the duty free limit got raised to 35k?
3) if the item is very small but of high value and if you are landing in Delhi - better get them in ur hand baggage - unlike bangalore and other airports - in Delhi they do not scan your hand baggage - atleast that was my experience a month back - so high value is not an issue here.

Hope this helps..happy shopping!

Wow thats some good info! you will be of a lot of help!

Ok questions:

From what I've seen of my last couple of international travels, once I get out of re-entry/immigration or w/e I go to the baggage belts and pick up my stuff put them on a trolley and just walk out.

This is how I'm expecting stuff to happen.

What I'm confused over is...

1. Where do I/ At what stage after getting off the plane do I declare that I have a laptop, speaker and what not.
( My last international flight in Delhi was actually before IGI came up so I cant remember)

2. Upon exiting I remember seeing some people being called to the side.
(Is this the customs guy? Does he pick people out only if the person has an X marked with chalk on their baggage?)

3. Who marks something with X.

4. Have you ever been marked with an X when you bought in items to delhi from us?

5. At what junction do I get stopped to pay for something if I have declared it.

6. What junction do I get stopped to pay for something if I have NOT declared it.

7. Is the guy who stops you at the exist the person who normally opens up a suitcase and values something over and above the declared amount?

8. Upon searching your hint of 35000 I found this

Budget benefits NRIs and quashes tax fears
By Kul Bhushan: When a non-resident Indian (NRI) lands in India now, he or she can zoom through customs with duty-free goods worth Rs.35,000 (USD 685). That's a small increase from the earlier duty-free allowance of Rs.25,000.

However I'm not an nri so I'm assuming 25000 still applies.

My invoice is valued at $500 but it does not say jamo speakers anywhere, just ebay goods. Suppose in the light of actually being stopped could this be an issue? Should I get a custom invoice made from the person I bought it from?

9. What if before departing India I declare I have speakers with me at the customs office? Does anyone check?

Sorry if these are too many questions!

Thank you

 

[gopib]

Please check with your airline on baggage eligibility for your class. For economy, from US to India some airlines allow only 1 piece of checked in baggage.

 

[manniraj]

Wow thats some good info! you will be of a lot of help!

Ok questions:

From what I've seen of my last couple of international travels, once I get out of re-entry/immigration or w/e I go to the baggage belts and pick up my stuff put them on a trolley and just walk out.

This is how I'm expecting stuff to happen.

What I'm confused over is...

1. Where do I/ At what stage after getting off the plane do I declare that I have a laptop, speaker and what not.
( My last international flight in Delhi was actually before IGI came up so I cant remember)

2. Upon exiting I remember seeing some people being called to the side.
(Is this the customs guy? Does he pick people out only if the person has an X marked with chalk on their baggage?)

3. Who marks something with X.

4. Have you ever been marked with an X when you bought in items to delhi from us?

5. At what junction do I get stopped to pay for something if I have declared it.

6. What junction do I get stopped to pay for something if I have NOT declared it.

7. Is the guy who stops you at the exist the person who normally opens up a suitcase and values something over and above the declared amount?

8. Upon searching your hint of 35000 I found this


However I'm not an nri so I'm assuming 25000 still applies.

My invoice is valued at $500 but it does not say jamo speakers anywhere, just ebay goods. Suppose in the light of actually being stopped could this be an issue? Should I get a custom invoice made from the person I bought it from?

9. What if before departing India I declare I have speakers with me at the customs office? Does anyone check?

Sorry if these are too many questions!

Thank you

Baggage marked X will be stopped by the customs guy near the exit to verify if you have any valuable items. When I returned back I bought some electronic goods, so what I did was get a bottle of wine/whisky or anything to your taste and pack it along with the same stuff and if the customs guy stops you if it is marked as X then tell him that you have only the bottle. If he insists to show then just open it and show them. I was let off like this couple of times in Bangalore airport.
Thanks

 

[corElement]

Baggage marked X will be stopped by the customs guy near the exit to verify if you have any valuable items. When I returned back I bought some electronic goods, so what I did was get a bottle of wine/whisky or anything to your taste and pack it along with the same stuff and if the customs guy stops you if it is marked as X then tell him that you have only the bottle. If he insists to show then just open it and show them. I was let off like this couple of times in Bangalore airport.
Thanks

Aha! so youre mr x!

kidding

I have some questions for you aswell.

1. Did the suitcase come out on the belt with the X already on it?
2. Was it a sticker or chawlked and could it have been removed? (A lot of people suggested using facial tissue they provide in the plane to wipe off the x if it's chawlked)
3. What electronics was it that you had?

 

[manniraj]

Aha! so youre mr x!

kidding

I have some questions for you aswell.

1. Did the suitcase come out on the belt with the X already on it?
2. Was it a sticker or chawlked and could it have been removed? (A lot of people suggested using facial tissue they provide in the plane to wipe off the x if it's chawlked)
3. What electronics was it that you had?

1. Yes it is marked during the routine scan before it comes on to the belt.
2. It was marked by a chalk. I would advice against as the custom people will be moving around and most of our airports the belt would be very near to the exit and in case if you are caught removing it then I do not know what that guy would do..would snatch away the baggage and make you to sit in his room for complete checking..instead you can place your baggage in the trolley in such a way that the X mark is not visible easily.
3. I had bose speakers, pioneer 2 din car video system with speakers and amplifier and some more stuff like ipods and wifi router
Thanks

 

[panditji]

If you are coming back and have someone else travelling with you then split the speaker suitcases so that one of you carry each. Otherwise simply carry a bill saying used goods (not older than 3 years) with an amount of Rs 34,000 .....
Usually customs generally keep a lookout for LCDs and LEDs but just walk confidently and wear something formal preferably a suit (I have done this thrice and carried Bose 301s, Quad 11Ls and most recently Harbeths weighing 13.5 kgs each)

Try and put the speakers with the original boxes if possible and puts lots of padding such as towels and t-shirts to avoid damage......

Your suitcases will be scanned when they come out of the airplane and if the customs feels there is something noteworthy they put a slight mark on your bags which when you collect your bags can check and remove very subtly in the duty free......

If you walk confidently then you will surely escape the customs otherwise a bottle of whisky from the duty free can be purchased to bribe them just in case....

best of luck...

 

[avidyarthy]

1. Yes it is marked during the routine scan before it comes on to the belt.
2. It was marked by a chalk. I would advice against as the custom people will be moving around and most of our airports the belt would be very near to the exit and in case if you are caught removing it then I do not know what that guy would do..would snatch away the baggage and make you to sit in his room for complete checking..instead you can place your baggage in the trolley in such a way that the X mark is not visible easily.
3. I had bose speakers, pioneer 2 din car video system with speakers and amplifier and some more stuff like ipods and wifi router
Thanks

This is exactly what is done if the guy manning the scanner 'thinks' the baggage has something that looks valuable. Do not try to remove the X mark ... chalk does not come out easily from all .... moreover you do not know who would be watching!

Try place the baggage as suggested .... the chalk mark should not be easily visible. Try having a custom invoice made out by the seller .... lower value ... just in case.

I was stopped twice ... once, had to pay up. Was not clear about this chalk thing. The third time, got away as was able to put the bag in the 'right' way. Delhi Customs is smart ..... so, have the paperwork handy.

 

[jls001]

1. Where do I/ At what stage after getting off the plane do I declare that I have a laptop, speaker and what not.
( My last international flight in Delhi was actually before IGI came up so I cant remember)

If you're carrying these items while leaving Indian shores, you need to declare it while leaving (after immigration formalities, IIRC - do ask around at the airport). Keep this paper safe. You need to show when you come back to prove that you had taken it from India.

My invoice is valued at $500 but it does not say jamo speakers anywhere, just ebay goods. Suppose in the light of actually being stopped could this be an issue? Should I get a custom invoice made from the person I bought it from?

The legal limit for online purchases in India is Rs 2000/-. You heard that right - two measly thousands. So if you show an ebay/amazon receipt or paypal receipt for something higher, the minimum fine is Rs 5K. I think this is applicable for purchases made from foreign online stores and sent to you by post/courier. BUT, in your case the items are already delivered to your friend with an USA address, right? Is the invoice in your name or your friend's name? I think your invoice ("ebay goods") will not help things at all. Try getting another one with more appropriate descriptions and much lower value (if the seller is willing - some can be very righteous and rigid about such matters).

9. What if before departing India I declare I have speakers with me at the customs office? Does anyone check?

You need to show the speakers. They will note down make, model and serial number. See point 1 above.

 

[jls001]

One trick while navigating through the green channel is to spot a co-passenger with heavily laden trolley and smartly step in just behind said passenger. The officials will be so busy checking this passenger that they will ignore the next guy in line as he/she had been holding up the line :lol: I did that once, successfully, but unknowingly.

 

[corElement]

One trick while navigating through the green channel is to spot a co-passenger with heavily laden trolley and smartly step in just behind said passenger. The officials will be so busy checking this passenger that they will ignore the next guy in line as he/she had been holding up the line :lol: I did that once, successfully, but unknowingly.

This was a thought that occured to me as well lol. Just right after they catch that guy!

 

[kneo]

I have purchased a very cheap speaker set online. The value of the bill including shipping is less than $100. I'll not be asking them to get the sub but just the satellite and center speakers (5 speakers). The bill would be in the name of my cousin but his folks are coming over after their 2-3 month trip. Would that pose a problem? They can carry the printout of the invoice if required.
Mumbai customs are notorious for harassing customers