Speakers stuck in customs since 10 days

[audiodelic]

My ascend acoustics speakers arriving from u.s.a via usps Priority Mail International Parcels seems to have reached customs in India on 2nd March and today it is the 13th March.

Is this much time a normal occurrence or should i be getting worried, its quite an expensive item.

Tracking information clearly states: Your item is being processed by customs in INDIA at 4:03 pm on March 02, 2012.

USPS - Track & Confirm

 

[s_sachin]

When i ordered a DAC from UK it was with Mumbai customs for almost a month. They had atually written me a letter informing about my item and that i need to provide some documents. This letter reached me 3 weeks after the item reach india by oridinary post. Finally i had to use an agent to submit the documents and finally paid customs at the post office in hyderabad.

Try to find out the status of the item by visiting or calling the the concerned customs office.

 

[rbalagopalan]

In normal course you should have received a call from USPS local office (do they have one in India?). Normally I get call from DHL with in a day if there is any issue with customs. (DHL takes care of the customs clearing too)

1. Which port of customs the item has arrived?
2. Has the duty already been paid upfront by USPS?
3. Is the original Invoice is accompanying the consignment?

If your item has been held by customs for value enhancement (this happens only in case the duty has already been paid upfront.) then they would ask you to pay the duty as per their calculations. If you find their valuation is on the higher side you can represent from your side with all proofs that you have with you.

The first thing that you have to do now is contact USPS and find out whether the customs formalities will be taken care by them or else you have to find out from them that which customs bonded stores your item is lying and meet the customs officer their. To proceed with the formalities.

I am of great thinking why should it take this long if the customs formalities are taken care by USPS hence I am of strong opinion that you have to handle this on your own. I feel no need to approach a c&F agent as these officers are all very much co-operative once they see the consignor directly.

thanks

R. Balagopalan

 

[saikat74]

I very recently received my DAC (bought used from the US) after a wait of One month. Tracking status showed that the package arrived from the US to Mumbai in 3 days. After that, the 'Foreign post office' took a month to open, analyse and send me the package. Luckily they did not charge me any Import tax.

I did extensive research during my wait and have generally come to believe that 'Patience pays'. Meanwhile you can keep track of your package here.

 

[abhijitwadekar]

hi I had a similar problem with USPS service where the parcel was stuck at customs for 10 days. Best thing to do is contact a custom clearing agent, give him tracking no and he will do all the legwork for you and inform you the amount of custom duty you need to pay and his charges.You remit him that amount. This works fastest with least hassle and as soon as the custom is paid the parcel is dispatched for home delivery.
Best of luck
Abhijit

 

[ravi_d]

USPS job is done once your package has been handed to Foreign Post Office/ Indian Customs. Its then the duty of Indian Post to update the tracking which usually they don't bother to do. May be your item is on its way but the tracking is not being updated.

In case if your item is detained by Customs its their duty to send you a notice informing the same and to provide necessary evidences/ proofs for the purpose of importing the item. If you receive the notice then your work will be easier. Just take a photo copy of the notice, a copy of the invoice (be it a paypal transaction statement) and a letter addressing to 'The Commissioner of Customs' mentioning you imported the item for personal purpose mentioning the value and you are ready to pay the duty what ever it is requesting them to release your item. Your item will be released and sent by Indian Post. The duty will have to be paid in the post office and the item will be given to you.

If you don't see the item or such notice from the customs in say 10 days you might have to visit the foreign post office, find out the Indian local tracking number assigned by Indian Post against your USPS tracking number and follow their advise to get your item out.

 

[gobble]

It is normal for customs to take 21 days - that is their SLA. YOu can call the local foreign post office customs dept and speed it up by showing the invoice and docket number.

--G0bble

 

[theironhorse]

It is normal for customs to take 21 days - that is their SLA. YOu can call the local foreign post office customs dept and speed it up by showing the invoice and docket number.

--G0bble

sla ?? thats sounds like a familiar term.. any way working on ITIL gobble ?


sorry for being OT. the term caused curiosity .

 

[audiodelic]

I am going to find a clearing agent today and check if he can provide any help.

 

[arj]

sla ?? thats sounds like a familiar term.. any way working on ITIL gobble ?


sorry for being OT. the term caused curiosity .

Its a Legal term ...used in any contract with a deliverable against time

 

[theironhorse]

Its a Legal term ...used in any contract with a deliverable against time

i completely understand that

 

[gobble]

sla ?? thats sounds like a familiar term.. any way working on ITIL gobble ?


sorry for being OT. the term caused curiosity .

IT ... not IL. you guessed right, I am the IT-vity types (as spoken in Hinglish accent) hyeah:

--G0bble

 

[audiodelic]

UPDATE: I got a customs clearing agent to check for this parcel and he told me it is a government delivery as usps is american government shipping which will only come via indian government postal system and i just need to wait for it. After 20 days today the website showed me that it is cleared in customs and as per main post office at ito, new delhi the package will be delivered soon to me.

Last time i bought from emotiva they used fedex economy, no doubt it was more expensive but they clear it from customs pay the duty on your behalf and collect duty from you when they deliver the package.

 

[jls001]

Did you receive any letter from the Customs department asking you to produce various documents? They would normally do this in case they have any reason to suspect the attached invoice. If this happens, it can lead to lots of heartbreak and a promise to self not to import any more stuff.

In case you haven't, it may be good news in the sense that they are OK with whatever paperwork is attached to the package. So you ought to get intimation from a friendly postal worker either informing you to pay Custom duty in CASH at your post office, or - if you are very lucky - to just go collect your package. Best of luck.