> Hitesh:
I don't have any answers for going thorugh customs in India, but U.S. Customs has a
special form you can get by mail or even at most airports before you depart. The form
for items purchased here in U.S. and being returned here asks for model and serial
numbers and must be validated by a U.S. Customs agent. At the Dallas/Fort Worth
airport
they have a special little office in the American Airlines international departures
area
manned by Customs personnel who will fill out the paperwork for you, inspect your
cameras, and put a U.S. Customs stamp on the form. You might carry a photocopy of the
U.S. bill of sale also as a suggestion.
U.S. Customs will send you a booklet called ":Know before you go" that tells you how
much
you can take/return with and what to do if you return with U.S. purchased goods from a
foreign country.
The Customs form is also good for insurance purposes in case anything gets stolen
abvroad
or even in the U.S., so keep a copy at home too.
Many countries accept this form when you go through their customs. Others make you
fill
out a form on arrival and attach it to your passport and then inspect it when you leave
just so make sure you didn't "leave" it behind, then they'd assess a customs duty of
some
kind. When I've gone to the UK, Mexico, and Central America the arrival customs
"inspection" was less of an inspection that I get going through the metal detector at
most U.S. Airports.
Other U.S. Airport customs facilities may be more strict, my departures have only been
through Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston. Your best bet is to look up U.S. Customs in
the
phone book, you may have to call one of the larger cities with an airport that handles
international flights. If you have tr
trouble send me your address, or U.S. Customs has a website, and I'll try to get the
Customs folks at D/FW Airport to send you something. My son's mother-in-law is the
secretary to the District Director of the U.S. Customs Service at D/FW Airport and a
fellow scoutmaster of mine is a Customs inspector in the commerical section at the
airport.
The last time I came through U.S. Customs returning from the UK I had listed more than
$1,500 in dutiable purchases including souvenirs, jewelry, books, etc. and all the
customs inspector did was look at my form, take the original and leave me the carbon
and
told me to have a nice day.
Tom Anderson
Bedford, Texas
>
>
> Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 11:47:44 -0500
> From: "HITESH PAREKH" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Subject: Need help for Travel to India [v04.n248/15]
> Message: 15
>
> I will be travelling to India during next 2-3 weeks. I want to carry my
> N50, 24mm 2.8, and 50mm 1.8 etc. How do I get it cleared with the customs
> when I will land in Bombay? And when I return back to US? Will greatly
> appreciate any help.
>
> Thank you.
>
