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I am an Indian citizen. Also, I will be taking my bicycle with me back to the US in August. The price of the bike is around $1600 and it isn't sold in India.

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    *The bicycle is obviously used
    – Prad
    May 11, 2019 at 19:11
  • Although probably not relevant but is the bike required for some race or something similar?
    – RedBaron
    May 11, 2019 at 19:18
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    Nope, just for recreation purposes.
    – Prad
    May 11, 2019 at 19:43
  • IMO you won't have to pay duty because it falls in category of personal effects. Not posting an answer because I can't find any sources that category for Indians, only for tourists.
    – RedBaron
    May 11, 2019 at 19:49
  • @RedBaron That page says "could be imported temporarily". Is the OP visiting, or planning to stay in India and keep the bicycle there indefinitely?
    – Patricia Shanahan
    May 12, 2019 at 2:44

1 Answer 1

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This is too late for the original poster -- sorry! -- but since this is a Q/A site it's worth answering. The Indian customs for travellers booklet says

Used personal effects (excluding jewellery) required for satisfying daily necessities of life

are free. You can try to argue your bike is such but I wouldn't hold my breath.

Also, your allowance is 35 000 rupee which equals 487 USD. How much is a bicycle worth used if new it was 1600 USD? Hard to say.

If you feel it's much more than 500 USD then since you are temporarily importing a rather valuable good, the answer is an ATA Carnet. There are two companies in the USA authorized to issue them, Roanoke trade and Corporation for International Business. The base fee for a good under $10K will be 235 USD. You need to present your carnet outgoing to US Customs and when entering a country, go through the red corridor to show your carnet to the relevant customs authority.

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    For a temporary import of a used bicycle that was worth $1600 new, I wouldn't bother with a carnet. I'd just go straight through the green channel.
    – Michael Hampton
    Aug 27, 2019 at 23:32
  • Edited my answer to reflect this. I have no idea how they would calculate the used value of a bike.
    – user4188
    Aug 28, 2019 at 0:11
  • In most cases, ATA carnets have restrictions on the reasons for the temporary import (e.g. for exhibition), though this varies depending on the country. It may also involve quite a bit of administrative hassle, like showing the merchandise to your home country’s customs or representatives both before and after your trip. Not sure there’s really an easy solution you can actually rely on, though.
    – jcaron
    Aug 28, 2019 at 9:51

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