Used Personal Effects

The term 'used personal effects required for satisfying daily necessities of life' has not been defined in the Baggage Rules. Therefore, it is is the judgment of the customs officer in deciding the nature of the items. There is no published list as it can include a whole range of items.

Generally, the term includes items like all used items of personal wear including shirts, suits, shoes, shoe brush & polish, blouses, sarees, undergarments, pants, neckties, handkerchiefs, dentures, gloves, cosmetics in use, towels, toiletries, bedding, blankets, used bedding, umbrella, walking sticks, used shoes, hair dryer, hearing aid, shaving kit, spectacles, one watch etc. Any other item can be included, based on the merits and on a case-to-case basis.

Various electronic items, furniture and 'white goods' cannot be brought as personal effects. Specially, the items mentioned at Annex I and Annex II cannot be brought as personal effects.

For Tourists

In the context of Baggage Rules for tourists, personal effects would include the following:

- Personal jewelry
- One camera with film rolls not exceeding twenty.
- One video camera/camcorder with accessories and with video cassettes not exceeding twelve.
- One pair of Binoculars
- One portable color television (not exceeding 15 cms in size)
- One music system including compact disc player.
- One portable typewriter.
- One perambulator.
- One tent and other camping equipment.
- One computer (laptop / notebook).
- One electronic diary.
- One portable wireless receiving set (transistor radio).
- Professional equipment, instruments and apparatus or appliances including professional audio/video equipments.
- Sports equipments such as one fishing outfit, one sporting fire arm with fifty cartridges, one non-powered bicycle, one canoe or ranges less than 51 meters long, one pair of skids, two tennis rackets, one golf set (14 pcs. with a dozen of golf balls).
- One cell phone.

The above items are in addition to the personal effects allowed for Indian residents.

Scrutiny of Personal Effects

The above items must be taken back abroad when the tourist returns.

Even though the baggage rules allow only used personal effects, it is not the intention of the customs department to verify the newness of every product which a traveler brings, as long as it is not a prima facie new item in their original packing which can be disposed off readily.

No endorsement will be made on the passport regarding the items tourists bring. However, customs officer is responsible for ensuring as far as practicable that the passenger is a genuine tourist and that he/she intends to take the items back abroad during his/her return. In order to do that, the customs officer may scrutinize the passport and visa of the passenger for his/her duration of stay, previous visit etc. and may ask some questions regarding his/her job abroad, purpose of visit in India etc.

Usually, passengers having return tickets are given quick clearance as a return ticket is considered as a proof of the passenger's intention to return abroad within a short time. In case a return ticket is not available with the passenger (or as additional evidences), the passenger may produce proof like live visa for staying abroad, valid job contract, proof of holding property abroad, proof of overseas bank balance, foreign citizenship/passport or any other such convincing proofs etc. as evidence of his/her intention to return abroad within a short period.

Sources: www.cbec.gov.in

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