NEVER EVER contact customs dept on your own. Thats a sure shot way to get hassles in clearance. They are required to release your parcel for 3 months (if I rem right). If not released till then, they can either assess and charge a random duty (most likely) or dispose off the parcel (very rare, haven't heard of any instance). If you do not hear from them till 2 months, then you can send send an RTI application seeking info about your parcel.

Hi nairitb Bro,
I read this forum from the beginning today, you are the member since 2013; this is amazing  . you are helping several others with your experience  . As you mention gift articles were not held and not asked for documents by customs but sometimes they charge duty. How do they assess the value of the articles?

They assess the value based on customs declaration made by the sender. However, as most packages are under-valued, customs ask for Invoice and proof of payment from the recipient in most cases (I am not talking about registered airmails here). Customs officials are not fools They'll atleast have some idea about the price of a particular mobile, quadcopters, rtf kits etc. So they'll know if a parcel has been undervalued or not.

With regard to registered or unregistered airmail packages, the maximum limit is 2kg. So these are widely used for personal imports. As such they are rarely taxed as "personal imports under Rs 10000, not for resale, which is a gift (i.e. no exchange of currency) and sent by post (not courier) are exempt from customs duty". However, the "gift" part is widely misused by us

This forum is all about helping others and sharing knowledge. I am keeping with the tradition

Yes Bro, I am completely agree with you. Custom officials are not fools; they are more intelligent also. Buying cheap electronic items abroad in form of gift is not fair but once in lifetime or one or two times is not a misuse(my opinion). If the frequency is high say more than 20, 30 times in a year is surely a misuse.

Even if they do not mark the parcel as GIFT in case of registered / UNregistered AIRMAIL, the packages are rarely taxed. Only sellers in China, Hong Kong and couple of other countries mark packages as GIFT for which they have received payment, even if the buyer has not asked them to do so. I have not seen sellers in Japan, Europe, USA do this. They mark the package as OTHER. Even some Chinese sellers mark as OTHER.

Hi Mangesh, do you have any status update of your package?

No not yet, I will update on forum if any update from customs.

Hi guys i need help of you people, this is the 3rd time that i am facing an issue with my parcel. recently i purchased a cell phone and its been 2 months there has not been any updates, the problem is this is an ordinary first class mail. I really dont understand whats going on here is the details below please help.

2015-09-13 21:47
MIAMI, FL 33112, Arrived at USPS Facility, Your item arrived at our USPS facility in MIAMI, FL 33112 on September 13, 2015 at 9:47 pm. The item is currently in transit to the destination.
2015-09-12 00:27
KNOXVILLE, TN 37950, Departed USPS Origin Facility
2015-09-12 00:24
KNOXVILLE, TN 37950, Arrived at USPS Origin Facility
2015-09-11 17:07
MOUNTAIN HOME, TN 37684, Departed Post Office
2015-09-11 17:05
MOUNTAIN HOME, TN 37684, Acceptance
2015-09-11 00:00
Pre-Shipment Info Sent to USPS

Please check your tracking status at:

http://www.17track.net/en/

and

http://globaltracktrace.ptc.post/gtt.web/

and post here. If the parcel hasn't reached India, you have to contact sender or USPS. From India onwards, IndiaPost can give further info.

I have checked through every website track and trace 17track after ship and many more.
I contacted the usps they said its ordinary mail and it would not get updated. i called the customs kolkata they don't have any updates at all.

LK126096468US this is the tracking.
Please check.

I have no idea if this is registered or UNregistered mail. Registered mails from US are in the form <L# *** *** *** US>. So it seems like it is registered. But such mails also get updated at the destination country tracking website as well. But in your case, it did not get updated at IndiaPost website.

Since USPS themselves said that it would not get updated, then probably it is UNregistered mail.

If it is UNregistered, you wont get tracking info after the package leaves origin country. Then you are at the mercy of Indian Customs and India Post. I have received 4 out of 8 UNregistered packages till date. They get lost or stolen before they ever reach the local post office.

Hi nairitb , No update since 27.10.2015. IT struck with "Send item to customs (Inb)". can I expect any action this week? or it take further more time.

Do u have any idea how does it usually takes to reach of its ordinary mail.

@RAJA090 If I were you, I would wait till 27.11.2015 for another update. Take a look at the following info in my case:

2015-10-23 15:29
India, KOLKATA FOREIGN LCAO, Return item from customs (Inb), Air, CED KOLKATA
2015-10-11 18:37
India, KOLKATA FOREIGN LCAO, Send item to customs (Inb), Air, CED KOLKATA

Another:

2015-10-05 14:01
India, KOLKATA FOREIGN LCAO, Return item from customs (Inb), Air, CED KOLKATA
2015-09-26 11:22
India, KOLKATA FOREIGN LCAO, Send item to customs (Inb), Air, CED KOLKATA

And a quick one:

2014-12-27 16:37
India, KOLKATA FOREIGN LCAO, Return item from customs (Inb), Air, CED KOLKATA
2014-12-24 12:50
India, KOLKATA FOREIGN LCAO, Send item to customs (Inb), Air, CED KOLKATA

@sajid001 It is hard to give any timeframe in case of delivery by India Post. I received an ordinary parcel within 20 days from the time shipped. That was from England. In another case, it took more than 3 months. This was a China Post package.

12 days, 9 days and for surprise 3 days. Now I think I have to wait for atleast 12 days. Thank you Bro.

Hi Nairitib, have you received any notice from custom office for verification(Invoice/Bank statement) when your parcel stucked for 9 or 12 days?

Nop never. I one instance a package took about 30 days to change status from "Send item to customs" to "Return item from customs". I cant find the tracking number now. So cant post tracking info. In that case also, I did not receive any notice.

Thanks Nairitb, I am asking because on my parcel address line 1 is not included by seller by mistake  , So I was wondering if custom send me notice, It will never going to deliver on my address.

Thanks a lot.

@MANGESH, IF YOU HAVE DOUBT YOU JUST FILE RTI AS INSTRUCTED BY naititb. YOU GET INFOEMATION ABOUT NOTICE IF ANY SEND TO YOU ABOUT YOUR PACKAGE.

I am not able to find that RTI post actually, Can you please post it again?

http://www.rcindia.org/chatter-zone/all-customs-parcel-discussions-for-non-rc-items/msg241060/#msg241060

[Admin Note] Please do not post in all capital letters !

FILE RTI AS USUAL. NO SPECIAL INSTRUCTION. MENTION YOUR TRACKING NUMBER IN THE APPLICATION CLEARLY. THATS ALL. THEY WILL REPLY ALL CURRENT DETAILS AND ABOUT NOTICE ALSO (IF THEY SENT REGARDING YOUR PACKAGE)

If they sent the notice, the local post office will have received it by now since the PIN code is printed. You may enquire at your local post office.

October 3rd week is holiday week. 3 continuous holiday so I think they take few days to clear registered airmail. I heard that all EMS package will be examined completely. If one have IEC licence they give clearance immediately.

Hi nairitb , Can you please post how to file RTI? above link redirecting me to last page of this post