Personal Belongings Customs Clearance
 

Hi All
I am going to india to paint and will be staying in one place
for six months. i'm sending a bunch of my framed paintings
and lots of canvases plus some practical stuff, chairs, kitchen
stuff etc, stereo. When i look on the indian customs sight
it says you need to be staying for one year to not have
to pay duty on personal belongings etc. I'm going to be
on a tourist visa for six months etc. Any suggestions
and info would be appreciated. Do i need a customs cleanance
agent?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
best
john

There is a "Transfer of Residence" scheme for people coming here long term. This provides very favourable terms on a one each of most things is allowed basis. It would not apply to anyone visiting on a tourist visa.

Having migrated here, I can say that it is an expensive project, in time and money, to move a substantial amount of stuff here. The transit time alone, could be weeks or months if it is any more than you can send by airfreight.

It is a personal decision, of course, as to what you want to live with --- but for such a short period of time, moving furniture here is likely to cost more than buying some basic stuff. I love my "clutter," which is why I shipped it all here, but I was surprised how content I could be for the initial six months with little more than bed, chair, table and basic kitchen equipment all purchased locally.

Hi Nick
Thanks for responding. Yeah, it's difficult for me, because i'm a painter and a musician
so i need my tools etc, and the paintings are bulky, so i got a quote by the meter, and
thus the odd kitchen stuff and collapsable chairs. I'm doing it by air freight because
it's only one or one and half cubic meters. The issue is will they do customs on my used
equipment and some of my framed paintings and will i get it through if i'm not staying a year
etc....Again, thanks for your response.
john

Oh, ok... if you have already found a viable transport method and established that it is affordable, then fine. Best to check out how to get it all back again, though, too!

I have shifted a household here. Also, later, a few boxes of odds and ends. With the former, it was all looked after for me, with the boxes, we went to the airport ourselves. It was a tedious process, and it would have been really hard without a local-language-speaking wife. It was an experience, but next time, I'd use an agent.

What we found was that the only thing they wanted to know was, "Any electronics?" The answer was no. They opened each box and had a cursory dig, and sent us on our way. Except that process, which sounds simple, took several hours, dealings with various people, filling various forms, finding our stuff ...etc, etc.

The people we dealt with were straight. Bribes did not come into it. I think we may have given some modest tip to someone who adopted us and guided us through the process, but no-one was grasping or demanding. If a person was unlucky in the officials they met, it could be different.

I remember, also, when we shipped my step-daughter's dog to her, in Singapore, we had a guy who started talking about irregularities (there weren't any) and tut-tut-ing. My wife tactfuly put in his place. I don't know how, just she's good at that sort of thing :)

Thanks again for your response. Yeah, the thing i'm worried about are the framed paintings which
look expensive and there are 16 of them. The other thing is that it says you are allowed to bring
personal effects through customs if you are staying for a year, and i'm on a tourist visa and staying
for six months etc...so the worry is getting charged something exhorbatant for my own paintings
and or not having my things allowed in etc.....Thanks again for your suggestions.