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I will be landing at New Delhi airport. The worth of new laptop (Lenovo Yoga Idea Pad 13) is about $1000 and old one (Macbook Pro) is > 1 lakh INR. I want to leave the new laptop in India. I have a copy of bill with me but not the original bill. I want to know if I have risk of being charged with custom duty.

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Customs rules in India state (the 'free allowance' referred to is for personal items, and the duty-free allowance of alcohol cigarettes):

One laptop computer (notebook computer) over and above the said free allowances mentioned above is also allowed duty free if imported by any passenger of the age of 18 years and above.

  • You can bring your new Lenovo laptop duty-free under this allowance.
  • Since your Macbook was bought within India, you don't need to pay customs duty on it. However, you may be required to provide proof that you bought it in India.

EDIT: It seems that an invoice isn't valid as a proof of purchase. Specifically, you'd need to get an 'export certificate' before flying out of India.

If a passenger going abroad is taking any item (non-commercial, personal, private property) as baggage which is intended to be re-imported into India on a later date, to avoid paying Customs duty on that item during such re-importation, the passenger should ask the Customs at the departure terminal to issue an "Export Certificate" in respect of that particular item.

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Any dutiable item, even if taken out from India, shall attract duty unless accompanied by a valid "Export Certificate" issued in the name of the passenger or in the name of any member of his/her family.

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  • would the same be applicable for a mac mini ? It has no screen and is smaller than laptop. But can perform as well as anything :P
    – tmj
    Commented Sep 4, 2015 at 21:47
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Oh.. Don't bring 2 laptops to india else be ready to pay for the customs. If you NEED to bring, then prepare yourselves export certificate and/or authorization letter from company if bringing your work laptop and/or your receipts if one is older and another is newer of your own. I was given 2 options when reached: either 2k without receipt(basically bribe) or 3k with receipt. I chose economically cheaper option.

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I usually bring two laptops on my return trip to India. I would declare the work laptop that I am bringing to US on the customs declaration form when entering US. (Take a photo of that for safety).

During my return to India, I usually buy one laptop for me or my friends or family and keep it with me as a carry laptop and safely cover/wind the work laptop within clothes, and put in one of the check-in bags (usually in my Samsonite hard-case for safety).

I had done this about 7 times and never questioned once in any of the airports in India. But please remember that any other combination would be questionable. i.e., Two or More new laptops as carry luggage or check-in.

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  • would the same be applicable for a mac mini ? It has no screen and is smaller than laptop. But can perform as well as anything :P
    – tmj
    Commented Sep 4, 2015 at 21:47

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