aarti@uscvax.UUCP (Aarti Kumar) (08/13/85)
A visitor from India wants to take a Personal Computer back to India. We were wondering if anyone knows the import-laws and custom-duties for taking something like the IBM-PC. I understand that the duties have been considerably reduced but there are still some restrictions (e.g. memory has to be less than 64k) Or is there are some place where one can write to or phone and get some quick answers. Also, do these duties and laws hold if one is a CS student and is taking a computer home with her/him. Thanks in advance Aarti Kumar CSNET : aarti%usc-cse@usc-ecl
tag@Shasta.ARPA (08/16/85)
Any non-resident Indian returning for good can take one computer of any value with spares provided s/he has used it for at least 1 year. I believe this is without duty. There is a ban on sale/lease within 5-8 years. There used to be a provision that non-resident professionals (with an MS or higher from anywhere) could take Rs 30,000 worth of "professional equipment" free of duty - probably still valid. Any Indian of age >= 18 can import a computer. For small systems, value upto about Rs. 25,000 (may be increased to a lakh), the duty is 200%. The system must have an OS, "adequate memory", 2 disks, winchesters or mag-tapes and 1 >= 80-column printer. Subject to "desirability, end application and indigenous angle", the DOE may approve duty of less than 200% for such a system. For info, phone or write an Indian Consulate or Embassy. There is a Consulate in San Francisco. Tim Gonsalves Gonsalves@SU-Sierra.arpa CSL, Stanford Univ.