Raj Peddinti
Member
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2011
- Messages
- 18
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Hello All,
Well, It all started the day I ordered the scarlet. At that time, I heard importing pricey electronics to India is complicated. After ordering the camera when I started dwelling the details, I came to know I was wrong. Cus it's not complicated but uber-fuckin-complicated!!
So this is a lil story of mine and the labor pains I had been through to get my scarlet delivered to Hyderabad, India.
I heard from a friend that, in India in order to import a high priced item, one needs to apply for a permit from government called IEC (Import Export Code). So I went to an auditor to enquire what are all required by the time the Scarlet is allocated to me. He told me that, because the camera is for "personal use" and not for reselling or manufacturing, their is nothing needed to be done on my part. I insisted about IEC to him, he has shown me a page in a 2000+ page fine printed book which proved he is right (at least I was convinced looking at the size of the book, of course dint understand a bit of what he has shown me).
Not so satisfied with his answer, I sent messages to few popular guys on reduser who are from india and are seniors to me through reduser. I got a reply from one of the coolest guys I ever Spoke to, The Jeetu Chawla. He spoke to me for around 40 minutes on a week day midst of his dead busy schedule and guided me.So here's what Jeetu Anna told me: IEC is mandatory on your firm's name if you want to let your camera see the light ( anything else in this world can be in dark not a camera!). WTF, I have a good heart but I am weak and I am stupid
hand and I dont have a firm.
So to apply for IEC, you need to have a firm. The quest reached next level, how to start a firm. Okay one more thing learnt: starting a firm is nothing but having a current account in a bank on your firm's name. But the bank needs a government permit for firm and an auditor's certificate. The later is easy and will be given by any auditor ( including the one with the 2000+ page fine printed book I already met). But what about government permit. Worked hard for a week or so and got the government's labor approval on my firm's name. Took an Auditor letter and opened a Bank account on my firm name.It took almost a month for all the above. Half the work is done, I thought ( I dint knew I was too optimistic then).
Intermission (Indian movies will have one)
Next chapter the IEC: Long story shortened, it took me 3 weeks of roaming around government offices, paying agents etc to get the IEC. Huh, my scarlet allocated, money wired to red and red shipped the scarlet.Scarlet arrived and I was asked by fedex to contact a freight forwarding/clearing agent. I did and spoke to one of the reputed agents in city. He assured me that it will not take more than a 3 days as I have IEC+other paper work ready. Its supposed to be paying the 27% customs duty and boom shooting with my scarlet.
Here's the twist and the climax: The customs guys held the scarlet and did not release even after a week ( I don't know the reason yet). After many annoying calls to my agent, finally he came up with an answer. As the prices showing on sales invoice and red.com are different, the customs guys thought that I am a fraud. I tried explaining my agent about the price hike on red items post jan 1st.
I have sent Jim's original price hike thread and Jarred's reminder thread. As he couldn't convince the customs officer my agent took an appointment of the officer for me. I met him, the problem with government officials atleast in india is, they will ask you to explain the issue and I bet one cannot find whether or not he is convinced looking at his expressions. He said he will check it and gave a long glance ( that said ' now get the fuck outta my office' ) and smiled.I dont know what my agent did but after 4 days my scarlet released. I had to pay inr5000 in cash to my agent ( that's apart from his fees).So all is well and baby got delivered (after horrible labor pains though) and almost :cryin:ed in joy.All the while, red supported me with everything I wanted and with loads of patience served me. Especially I can never forget my dearest friend and greatest person Caiti Goossen's help. Every time I used to speak to Caiti or any bomb squad person I used get relieved midst of all tensions about scarlet.
P.S.: I wrote the story in detail as it might help a new guy in India who wanta jump into red bandwagon.
Raj
Well, It all started the day I ordered the scarlet. At that time, I heard importing pricey electronics to India is complicated. After ordering the camera when I started dwelling the details, I came to know I was wrong. Cus it's not complicated but uber-fuckin-complicated!!
So this is a lil story of mine and the labor pains I had been through to get my scarlet delivered to Hyderabad, India.
I heard from a friend that, in India in order to import a high priced item, one needs to apply for a permit from government called IEC (Import Export Code). So I went to an auditor to enquire what are all required by the time the Scarlet is allocated to me. He told me that, because the camera is for "personal use" and not for reselling or manufacturing, their is nothing needed to be done on my part. I insisted about IEC to him, he has shown me a page in a 2000+ page fine printed book which proved he is right (at least I was convinced looking at the size of the book, of course dint understand a bit of what he has shown me).
Not so satisfied with his answer, I sent messages to few popular guys on reduser who are from india and are seniors to me through reduser. I got a reply from one of the coolest guys I ever Spoke to, The Jeetu Chawla. He spoke to me for around 40 minutes on a week day midst of his dead busy schedule and guided me.So here's what Jeetu Anna told me: IEC is mandatory on your firm's name if you want to let your camera see the light ( anything else in this world can be in dark not a camera!). WTF, I have a good heart but I am weak and I am stupid
hand and I dont have a firm.So to apply for IEC, you need to have a firm. The quest reached next level, how to start a firm. Okay one more thing learnt: starting a firm is nothing but having a current account in a bank on your firm's name. But the bank needs a government permit for firm and an auditor's certificate. The later is easy and will be given by any auditor ( including the one with the 2000+ page fine printed book I already met). But what about government permit. Worked hard for a week or so and got the government's labor approval on my firm's name. Took an Auditor letter and opened a Bank account on my firm name.It took almost a month for all the above. Half the work is done, I thought ( I dint knew I was too optimistic then).
Intermission (Indian movies will have one)
Next chapter the IEC: Long story shortened, it took me 3 weeks of roaming around government offices, paying agents etc to get the IEC. Huh, my scarlet allocated, money wired to red and red shipped the scarlet.Scarlet arrived and I was asked by fedex to contact a freight forwarding/clearing agent. I did and spoke to one of the reputed agents in city. He assured me that it will not take more than a 3 days as I have IEC+other paper work ready. Its supposed to be paying the 27% customs duty and boom shooting with my scarlet.
Here's the twist and the climax: The customs guys held the scarlet and did not release even after a week ( I don't know the reason yet). After many annoying calls to my agent, finally he came up with an answer. As the prices showing on sales invoice and red.com are different, the customs guys thought that I am a fraud. I tried explaining my agent about the price hike on red items post jan 1st.
I have sent Jim's original price hike thread and Jarred's reminder thread. As he couldn't convince the customs officer my agent took an appointment of the officer for me. I met him, the problem with government officials atleast in india is, they will ask you to explain the issue and I bet one cannot find whether or not he is convinced looking at his expressions. He said he will check it and gave a long glance ( that said ' now get the fuck outta my office' ) and smiled.I dont know what my agent did but after 4 days my scarlet released. I had to pay inr5000 in cash to my agent ( that's apart from his fees).So all is well and baby got delivered (after horrible labor pains though) and almost :cryin:ed in joy.All the while, red supported me with everything I wanted and with loads of patience served me. Especially I can never forget my dearest friend and greatest person Caiti Goossen's help. Every time I used to speak to Caiti or any bomb squad person I used get relieved midst of all tensions about scarlet.
P.S.: I wrote the story in detail as it might help a new guy in India who wanta jump into red bandwagon.
Raj
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