Traveling to Taiwan & Japan..do i need to declare Camera kit

[kireeti]

Hi,

I am based out of India.
I bought a 5DM3 + lenses in May'13. I will be traveling to Japan & Taiwan for business purpose and planning to take my Camera kit with me.

What I am worried about is do I need to declare the Camera + lenses before boarding of flight for International travel ?
The Customs officers might think I have bought these in Japan/Taiwan on my return ?

RD

 

[Drizzt321]

If you're that worried, bring along a copy of your receipt so you can show you purchased them before your trip. Not sure the particular rules for Indian border customs, but at least in the US I've heard it's not usually a problem as long as you don't bring obvious things such as camera/lens boxes which indicate you bought them.

 

[Don Haines]

I do not know how it works in India, but here in Canada you can declare your camera gear before you leave the country.

For example: If I am travelling to the US and I want to bring my camera with me and not have any problems getting back into Canada with it, I go to the Canada Customs office at the border or airport and tell them that I wish to register my gear. They take out a card, write down the model numbers and serial numbers of the gear, register everything, and hand me the card. When I return to Canada, If customs notices my camera gear and asks about it, I show them the card as proof that it was bought in Canada. You could do the same thing with sales slips with serial numbers on them as proof, but it is a lot easier to let them do the work and to record it onto their cards.

I would expect a similar system in India.... Call up or visit customs at an airport and ask them.

 

[surapon]

Hi,

I am based out of India.
I bought a 5DM3 + lenses in May'13. I will be traveling to Japan & Taiwan for business purpose and planning to take my Camera kit with me.

What I am worried about is do I need to declare the Camera + lenses before boarding of flight for International travel ?
The Customs officers might think I have bought these in Japan/Taiwan on my return ?

RD

Dear kireeti
Sorry, I do not know the India's Laws, But In USA, I must have the forms ready to inspection, In and out of USA---Incase of the security and the duty staffs have any questions.
The best way = to make a copy and fill out the forms below, and keep with you all the time, Plus the Receive/ Invoice that you have when you buy the equipments.
I have been around the world so many times in past 20-30 years, and I never have any problems of the duty port at all.

Good Luck
Surapon

 

[kireeti]

Thank you all for your suggestions.

 

[IMG_0001]

As said by Don Haines, here in Canada, you can have your gear registered at the customs prior leaving. I've travelled a bit with my camera gear without doing so and the only time I actually had to declare camera equipment on return was when I had bought a lens during a six months stay in Europe and I declared it on purpose.

If you can't find a custom registration before you leave India, I've also been suggested to register all my equipment with my house insurance company and that they could provide me with some kind of form that would make it safe for crossing borders. This would have the additional benefit of making sure you don't have problems with your insurer in the event of a claim with regard to photographic equipment.

Mind you, I did not do that either and had no problems...

Have a nice trip.