pindi

No, just declare them as personal items and have them written up in your passport (laptop/iphone should be OK - DSLR should be written up if it has several extra lenses etc). I have gone through Indian customs with laptops and phones without any problem - without even declaring them. But then I never had any intention of gaming the system.... so no worries there.

Am really glad to hear BOM customs have cleaned up. As posted on this thread previously, my 2 past experiences with them have been nothing short of horrendous. Most recent one (in 2010) was OK.

TachOz

Thanks I have no intention of gaming the system. I'm only taking my SLR with one lens, since I only get one day of sightseeing on the trip, and it's about 4 years old. Still need to be written up? Or should be ok under personal items?

PVDtoDEL

I've found that just waving my American Passport along with the word "lawyer" is enough to get them off my back...

systembomb

as a White US Citizen I got through with no issues last night.

My coworker who is a white female from the USA got harassed because she did not put in enough information for the hotel we were staying at.

No issue with my laptop, kindle, ipad, iphone, and android phone I carried through though.

Keyser

i think the title of this thread needs to change....it sounds like the op is giving a warning to the customs officials in mumbai....

Savage25

I've been waved through the green channel the last three times flying into BOM in the last couple of months. Haven't had to do the customs x-ray at all. ^

Yaatri

Contrary to the treatment accorded some people of colour, in some freedom loving democracies of the western world, foreigners, especially white, are almost never harassed by customs guys, unless they get caught smugglling drugs or arms.

Sid369

What about taking 1 personal Macbook, Ipad and digital camera as a gift for someone else. Also, 1 bottle of wine and 6 pack beer. Are carrying all these items ok through the Mumbai customs. Going into Mumbai first time, living in USA.

KimCy1

I have had an bad experience with Dehli Customs where I had a Carnet to do some demonstration of radio equipment for the Indian airforce. Now one would think that a Carnet would give free passge after they have seen the equipment and stamped that it had come into the country. No I had to have permission from the chief of the Indin airforce which with beaurocracy took 3 days and then another 2 days of paperwork to get it out of the warehouse where it was impounded plus warfage fees. All the time there was the inuendo of that the value was 10 times the annual salary of the chief supt, wanting a bribe which I am not allowed to do and wouldn't do on principle. Now when I go to india I have a copy of the letter which actually states the law of a Carnet which is an agreementr between countries that tax would be paid if goods do not return to the country of origin. This is signed by the chief of the airforce so it puts them on the backfoot as I use a wing commander to gret me whereever I enter. I hate corruption and will not be part of it in any shape or form as my country South Africa is riddled with it

SuperFlyBoy

Did you bring it in as personal baggage or import it through other methods?

Normally a clearing agent would deal with Customs, so you wouldn't have the headache of dealing with them yourselves.

Interesting that even that it was for the Indian Air Force, they still wanted a bribe!

(Oh wait, it's probably *because* it was for the Air Force that they knew you were paying out bribes - sorry, I couldn't resist )

Edited To Add: And yes, cargo imported under a Carnet filed properly should not attract any Customs duties, taxes or otherwise...

oliver2002

Customs in Delhi is very tuned into catching dual use goods. Defense contractors seem to have been very generous with cash gifts at every point so it has created expectations...

Mr. Bean

Well done -- we need more people to take a stand as you did.

Yaatri

It's probably more an issue of not knowing, than not having a letter. As to "innuendos", it's instinct. For a price, you can get anything through customs. The same people who complain about corruption use it to their advantage when they want to import iPhones, iPads, LCD/LED Tvs, laptops etc.

I am not saying this was the situation in your case, simple possession of Carnet is not enough. You have to ensure that, the passage was processed properly, and you have a stamped receipt in your Carnet duely signed and affixed by customs officials.

I don't know what the requirements are in India for re-exporting items imported into the country via a Carnet. You might have met all the requirment, or you might not have. I don't know. You did make proper arrangements for importing the item into the country duty free. I don't know if there are exit formalities to be completed by the people for who the demo was intended.
There are procedures to be followed for import/re-import and export/re-export of goods. Just like a simple possession of a passport and visa might not be sufficient, the same is true for Carnet.
Chief Commissioner of Customs Mumbai

rak007

It is me and my wife returning back to India, 2 months later and we have been away (in US) for more than a year. We have household stuff like utensils etc and in addition we have few electronics stuff like digital photo frames, iPad, Laptop(2).
Is the customs allowance any different for someone returning after an year as opposed to someone who travelled on a visitor visa ?
Or it is the usual 35000 Rs per person ?
Also will it be a good idea to carry bills of all the things that i am bringing back to show they are used and old (most things are more than 6-8 months old) ?

Mr. Bean

http://www.cbec.gov.in/travellers.htm

Scroll down to the section titled 'SPECIAL ALLOWANCES FOR PROFESSIONALS RETURNING TO INDIA'

Hope that helps