"They lost my suitcases!" moaned Hariprasad Joshi as the last of his bags were taken away from the conveyor belt. Hariprasad (or Harry abroad) then had to obtain a 'landing certificate' from the customs officer so as to 'clear' his baggage when and if it eventually arrived!
This was a vital document for his 'unaccompanied baggage' as he was returning to India after a two-year contract in the US. It would help him to clear his suitcase through the customs when the airline found it and aid to clear his 'unaccompanied baggage' in the cargo terminal.
When he got his suitcases after a couple of days, he went to the airport with the landing permit. He used up his duty-free allowance (Rs.25,000 in baggage rules and Rs.30,000 on a government of India website) available only when the articles are cleared in person.
In case a single item has more value than the duty-free allowance, duty is payable on the excess value. The current rate of duty on baggage is 35 percent plus a cess of two percent on the total duty.
Professionals returning to India have special concessions under customs rules. Used household articles in one's possession for at least six months abroad can be brought in custom-free up to a value of Rs.75,000.
The goods (new or old) allowed free of duty are TV, VCR, CD player, washing machine, electrical or gas cooking range, personal desktop computer, laptop computer and a refrigerator of up to 300 litres capacity or its equivalent.
The customs department has a long list of items one can bring back above the duty-free allowance. These old or new goods can be cleared with a lower rate of duty for any excess value of goods brought in by paying a duty of 15 percent (as compared to 35 percent in the case of accompanied goods) plus a cess of two percent on the total duty.
These goods are TV, DVD player, home theatre system, dishwasher, music system, air-conditioner, domestic refrigerator, deep freezer and microwave oven, video camera, fax and portable photocopier. Gold and jewellery is allowed duty-free up to a value of Rs.10,000 for men and Rs.20,000 for women.
The customs have two sets of rules for returning Indians who have worked abroad for at least a year - baggage rules and 'transfer of residence' or T/R.
Under T/R, one can import a motorcar. Harry can also bring in his faithful dog or loving cat with the required certificates from the vet.
Clearing your 'unaccompanied baggage' by yourself can be very trying in the crowded and noisy cargo terminals at major airports in India that are teeming with hundreds of cargo agents, passengers and van drivers.
It takes the better part of two days to clear one's baggage and many NRIs and returning Indians have found it a harrowing experience.
A practical solution is to hire the services of a reputable clearing agent and give him your passport, landing certificate, airway bill and a letter authorising him to clear your belongings on your behalf.
The agent knows the baggage rules and gets you the maximum duty-free allowance and pays the minimum duty. Moreover, you do not have to go through the long routine of filling forms, getting them stamped, standing in queues to pay duty and then hiring vans to transport it to your home. The agent delivers it at your doorstep.
An important point to remember is to not hire the services of fly-by-night agents but a custom house agent (CHA). Both the duty-free allowance for incoming passengers and homecoming Indians have been increased and the rules relaxed considerably in the last decade.
Many returning Indians do not bring all their household appliances after paying airfreight, as these are readily available in India and come cheaper with after-sales service.
The 'imported' craze is long over in India for over two decades. These days, except for their hefty bank drafts, homecoming Indians are travelling light!
(Kul Bhushan, previously a newspaper editor, has worked abroad and travelled to over 55 countries. Presently settled in Delhi, he can be reached at kb@kulbushan.net)