Taking Foreign Exchange Out of India - an Ordeal

anar

this is what happened to my partner - stopped at the airport whilst leaving india to renew his visa abroad - part of a random search - his bag gone through - why was he carrying foreign money in excess of the amount allowed out of the country? he was questioned for the best part of the day - they were very civil, polite, no rough stuff. but a huge ordeal for someone with a nervous disposition. of course he missed his flight - no problem, they said, you can catch the same one the day after - this after ascertaining he had not been aware of the law and informing him he would be fined the next day by the commissioner, which he was - Rs25k! his foreign money which had been confiscated was returned to him, every last pound, euro and dollar - his visa extended to cover the extra couple of days it took to go through the process. he was told the laws have been relaxed - two years ago, he'd have been thrown in jail, no questions asked. has anyone here been through anything similar?? this was huge but it seems (if one is to believe the men in uniform) it could have been a lot worse. beggars belief!

shere

Was he carrying more than the equivalent of $5000 in cash and $5000 in travellers cheques etc ?

From Calcutta Customs web site :

(a) How much foreign currency may be taken out of India ?

Tourists from abroad, while leaving India are allowed to take with them foreign currency not exceeding an amount brought in by them at the time of their arrival in India. As no declaration is required to be made for bringing in foreign exchange / currency not exceeding equivalent of U.S. $ 10000 (see (b) below), generally tourists can take out of India with them at the time of their departure foreign exchange /currency not exceeding the above amount. The export of foreign currency by tourists is otherwise prohibited.

anar

he had been, hence all the hassles. hope to god he's learnt his lesson.

Shaktipalooza

so uh, why exactly in the age of bank machines with low transaction rates does anyone need to be carrying that much cash?

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crvlvr

"part of a random search" -- never heard of bags being searched when leaving India. was it in his hand baggage?

Merchant

Was he heading to Sri Lanka, bring currency for the Tigers to buy guns?

anar

he's old-fashioned, no plastic, no banks! yes, hand luggage - apparently, since the high-profile drug busts involving the high and mighty in india, they are suspicious of anyone in and out of the country 'too often' (be warned, all ye frequent visitors to india without 'good reason'). yeah, sure, guns for tigers (purlease, merchant!!).

Penri

When leaving Chennai for London on a BA flight in March, I encountered the most stringent security checks I've ever seen. Spot checks on luggage, scan and manual checks on hand luggage and clothing/pockets!

They must have been looking for the pillowcases to go along with the bed sheet that customs stole off me

cdrake

nowadays, even the ILLICIT channels of talking foreign currency out of india have bcome so streamlined that I guess the indian customs presumes that anyone caught taking currency out is either a rank amateur or a terrorist.

anar

This is a terrible business, really shouldn't happen at the hands of 'law enforcers'! On a recent trip to Kashmir, the policeman at the Srinagar Airport went through my hand luggage and confiscated my cigarette lighter with great relish (fair enough, my mistake not to have tucked it into the checked luggage) but when he said, eyeing my carton of cigarettes, "too many cigarettes", I just gave him a withering look which was all that was needed - he let me proceed without further attempts at petty robbery.

crvlvr

I know they search hand luggage -- almost all airports do. Suitcases are X-rayed -- all airports do that too. Other than that, I have never experienced any more stringency in India.

anar

he got back a few days ago - and was given a regal welcome by the same customs/immigration officials! at least he's made some 'friends' out of his ordeal, hehe.

Penri

Well - My hand luggage and pockets were thoroughly checked at security and at the boarding gate. That was a first for me.
Everyone got the same treatment. It was reassuring from a security point a view, but I'm a bit too cynical to believe that security is their only motivation.

Nick-H

Hand luggage, yes, but I've never had pockets checked!

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