GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT CUSTOMS
A tourist is a passenger.... - Who is not normally a
resident in India. - Who enters India for a stay of not more than six months in
the course of any twelve months period for legitimate non-immigrant purposes,
such as - touring, recreation, sports, health, family reasons, study, religious
pilgrimage or business. The term "Baggage" is defined as
"Baggage that includes unaccompanied baggage but does not include motor vehicles".
A passenger (tourist) is required to comply with certain provisions of the
Indian Customs Law. The owner of any baggage shall, for the purpose of clearing
it make a declaration of its contents to the customs officer (no written
declaration is needed and oral declaration is usually acceptable). The rate of
duty and tariff valuation, if any, applicable to the baggage shall be the rate
and valuation in force on the date, on which a declaration is made in respect
of such baggage. In respect of the goods personally brought in by the
passengers it means approximately the retail price of the goods paid abroad.
The prerequisites for treating any articles or goods as baggage is that they
were in use of the passenger or were brought and paid for by the passenger.
Personal and household effects are treated as baggage and can be imported
freely without any restriction as to the value of the goods. However they
should be imported in reasonable quantities. Goods in commercial quantities may
be allowed to be imported as baggage based on the merits of the case. The
baggage clearance at the major International Airports in India consist of two
channels for clearance. Green channel: not
having any dutiable goods to declare. Red channel: having
dutiable goods to declare. Non declaration & wrongful declaration of the
dutiable goods may attract confiscation of goods, fine or penalty. Serious
offences like attempting to smuggle Gold, without declaration may lead to
arrest & prosecution. The Indian Revenue Department has specified a list of
items, including the size, that can now be imported duty-free as part of
baggage. This list includes: Personal Jewellery 1 camera with film rolls not
exceeding 20 1 video camera/camcoder with accessories and with video cassette
not exceeding 12. 1 pair of binoculars. 1 portable colour television not
exceeding 15 cms in size. 1 music system, including compact disk player (CD
Player). 1 portable typewriter. 1 perambulator. 1 tent and other camping
equipment. 1 Computer. ( laptop/notebook ) 1 Electronic Diary. 1 portable
wireless recieving set. (transistor radio) Professional equipments, instruments
and apparatus of appliances including professional audio/video equipment.
Sports equipment such as one fishing outfit,one sporting firearm and fifty
cartridges, one non powered bicycle, one canoe or range less than 51 metres
long, one pair of skids, two tennis racket, one golf set(14pcs. with a dozen
golf balls). 1 Cell Phone. These goods, other than those consumed during the
stay in India, are re-exported(taken) when the tourist leaves India for a
foreign destination
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