Smartphone through Airport Customs

[opinionhated]

Thinking of buying a OnePlus smartphone in India and travelling with it back to SA. What's the deal with customs.

Any experiences? Lose the packaging? Insert SIM? May one to get rid of the phone I'm SA as it's a bit of an impulse buy.

 

[Napalm2880]

Toss the packaging and insert a sim. No need to give the gov any more money than it deserves.

 

[PsyWulf]

As I understand from my last convo with the lovely customs people,you can carry 2 cellphones per person no questions asked (assume no packaging)

 

[hackus17]

Yup just make it look like you have it as a used phone for a while. A relative of mine came last week with a new cellphone. He tossed a cover on, kept it with him, kept the chargers and stuff in the bags like it was regularly used and had no issues

 

[opinionhated]

Sweet. Thanks.

 

[Frequent visitor]

As you have a permitted allowance, it all depends on the value.

 

[Lord Farquart]

I trevelled with 4 phones to SA in December and 5 out. Inbound I had the packaging in check-in. In both instances the phones were in carry-on and were scanned on the conveyor. Out of SA, a bag of old coins were flagged in SA and Doha. But after inspection by officials, I was allowed through. The phones did not raise anything.

 

[SkyWolf]

If I remember correctly, the sars office there didnt worry about declaring your cellphone, I think you can have a few phones & you wont have to declare it before leaving, (I've seen someone who carried 4) so bringing back one shouldnt be a problem especially since its for you personally & you didn't have to declare before leaving the country anyway.

 

[jax_maxit]

As already mentioned, it's ok to bring phones to SA. In December (2018) I bought a Xiaomi 6 in Dubai and returned to SA with the phone in my pocket and the packaging/box in my carryon.
I've been through ORT customs a number of times with new phones I bought overseas. I was pulled aside once for further inspection, when they went through my luggage. Nothing happened to me. On that trip I had a Samsung Tab S and a Motorola smartphone that I'd bought from Phuket. Both were new, but out their boxes.