Beware customs officials in Mumbai International airport!!! [merged]
Sep 23, 2009, 4:36 am
#91
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[QUOTE=newbusmod;12413388]All,
None of this low-level corruption stuff happens in Chandigarh or Panchkula. Good luck trying to bribe a policeman driving a Toyota Prius who speaks to you in English.
lol[/QUOT
^ Punjab Police drives Maruti Gypsy's or Enfield Motorbikes in Chandigarh or Panchkula.
Bribing them too is not a problem.
As of today there is NO Prius in Punjab or Chandigarh. Trust me on this one pls.
EGT
None of this low-level corruption stuff happens in Chandigarh or Panchkula. Good luck trying to bribe a policeman driving a Toyota Prius who speaks to you in English.
lol[/QUOT
^ Punjab Police drives Maruti Gypsy's or Enfield Motorbikes in Chandigarh or Panchkula.Bribing them too is not a problem.
As of today there is NO Prius in Punjab or Chandigarh. Trust me on this one pls.
EGT
Jun 7, 2010, 5:59 am
#92
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a-320,
As an Indian who travels twice a year to the USA, I get out of the airport usually in about 15 minutes (unless I am stuck in line at JFK immigrations). Don't try to tell me that Indians are treated cheap overseas. That isn't true at all........ if at all, we are treated with respect and courtesy.
It's only in Mumbai where you feel like you are dis-respected. On the other hand, it's these folks at the airports that make you feel awkward. I can use derrogatory references right now, but, won't be necessary to make a point.
But, yes ..... I did already admit in one of the posts that I was in the wrong for not having the required paper work.
Yet - I don't see why I have to come through the Red channel for goods purchased in India. For one thing, India is now a free market and all forms of Luxury brands are today readily available in India.
Let's not down play the image of the good customs officials - in fact, quite contradictory - they are what they always were in the old days (looking for the quick buck)
As an Indian who travels twice a year to the USA, I get out of the airport usually in about 15 minutes (unless I am stuck in line at JFK immigrations). Don't try to tell me that Indians are treated cheap overseas. That isn't true at all........ if at all, we are treated with respect and courtesy.
It's only in Mumbai where you feel like you are dis-respected. On the other hand, it's these folks at the airports that make you feel awkward. I can use derrogatory references right now, but, won't be necessary to make a point.
But, yes ..... I did already admit in one of the posts that I was in the wrong for not having the required paper work.
Yet - I don't see why I have to come through the Red channel for goods purchased in India. For one thing, India is now a free market and all forms of Luxury brands are today readily available in India.
Let's not down play the image of the good customs officials - in fact, quite contradictory - they are what they always were in the old days (looking for the quick buck)
On the other hand, I had some very interesting experiences with US immigration - one time a chap in BOS actually had a very animated conversation with me about a NatGeo program he had seen earlier about the IITs (he recollected that Gandhi started them IITs!!!, when it was actually Nehru) in an effort to calm me down since I was distraught I had forgotten to bring my L1B petition alongwith me (my employer screwed up)....Apparently, he told me that they track a flyer's entry/exit history using the passport numbers, and usually dont bother ppl with immaculate histories, since they already have all details present on the petition in electronic form in front of their screens beforehand. The paper you carry is usually helpful for first-time/infrequent flyers.
Another time, I had taken a longish route, and being exhausted, fumbled on the purpose of my visit (which I have done countless times before and after that incident) at ORD, and the immigration chap was nice enough to understand, nod his head in approval and egg me on!!!
Nothing of this sort will you ever see in India, even if they fill the desks with educated folks!!!
Last edited by parthochoudhury; Jun 7, 2010 at 6:10 am
Jun 7, 2010, 9:14 pm
#93
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What's also worth noting, is that the staff manning the immigration/emigration counters, particularly on the late night / early morning shifts, are basically people from the police force that are deputed here. Effectively, they draw the short straw and end up here. There are others - and I know one of them - who is essentially a cop, but an honest one. She doesn't approve of the corruption that goes on in the regular police force, so in spite of the timings, she considers airport postings a blessing !
Jun 7, 2010, 9:24 pm
#94
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Jun 7, 2010, 9:27 pm
#95
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Most immigration officers (Police Special Branch) are very professional in BOM - never had a problem, ever.
However, this thread is about Customs (at BOM), and they are also behaving themselves quite well nowadays...
However, this thread is about Customs (at BOM), and they are also behaving themselves quite well nowadays...
Jun 10, 2010, 12:47 am
#96
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Originally Posted by SuperFlyBoy
However, this thread is about Customs (at BOM), and they are also behaving themselves quite well nowadays...
Things have been polished up in a number of ways.
Aug 4, 2011, 3:26 pm
#97
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I am travelling from US to Kochi via Mumbai. Going on a vacation and back to US after 20 days. I am planning to carry my DSLR camera with multiple lenses plus a laptop. Any hopes I would be able to pass through the immigration with NO issues? Is there anything I need to be aware of? Thanks a lot in advance,
Aug 5, 2011, 7:00 am
#98
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I am travelling from US to Kochi via Mumbai. Going on a vacation and back to US after 20 days. I am planning to carry my DSLR camera with multiple lenses plus a laptop. Any hopes I would be able to pass through the immigration with NO issues? Is there anything I need to be aware of? Thanks a lot in advance,
you should not have any problems....it would be a good idea to get the items stamped on your passport in the US....this way you can prove you will be taking the same items back....
Aug 10, 2011, 3:05 pm
#99
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Aug 10, 2011, 3:12 pm
#100
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Aug 10, 2011, 11:05 pm
#102
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Immigration officers are usually well behaved these days. Back in the 1980s, they were mostly Pandu Hawaldars from rural areas. They may have been a bit rustic which may have appeared a bit rude to the city folks and foreigners.
Aug 11, 2011, 5:35 am
#103
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welcome to ft himmat01....i don't think people here have an issue with rude immigration officers....we are discussing corrupt customs officials....
Aug 12, 2011, 1:17 am
#104
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Just a data point here. Went through Mumbai airport a few weeks ago with a sizeable sum of USD cash that needed to be declared. The process could not have been smoother and the customs folks could not have been more helpful.
No hafta demanded, no illogical bureaucratic red tape, nothing. Just fill the form, count the cash, sign on the dotted line and on your way. 10 minutes tops. And even got a "welcome home" from them.
Shocking, truly shocking. Have customs become civilised all of a sudden?
No hafta demanded, no illogical bureaucratic red tape, nothing. Just fill the form, count the cash, sign on the dotted line and on your way. 10 minutes tops. And even got a "welcome home" from them.
Shocking, truly shocking. Have customs become civilised all of a sudden?
Aug 12, 2011, 4:30 am
#105
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customs have been civilised for a long time....its a few bad officers that give everyone a bad name....even those bad officers can't do jack $hit if you are prepared to declare the goods & pay duty....