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Getting iPhone 12 Pro from Dubai to India

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Deal Cadet
ravi7052

Friends,

I’m traveling to Dubai for a short trip in the third week of March and will be bringing an iPhone 12 Pro for personal use. Here are some questions I have in case if any of you can help -

Where to buy it?

Amazon(AE) has cheaper rates than Apple Store in Dubai/Emirates Mall, also local resellers have good rates too. What do you suggest?

In case of purchasing from Amazon AE can we use Indian Credit Cards and order them to the hotel address?
(WIll it fetch forex transaction charges for online/offline payments?)

Which card I should use to minimize forex charges and get cashback etc.
I’ve almost all top premium credit cards like HDFC Diners, BoB Eterna, SBI Elite, Citi, and basic cards like Amazon ICICI and Flipkart Axis with decent credit limits, etc.

The custom at Mumbai Airport
I’m getting it for my personal use and will unbox it before departure, so is there any chance I can face custom problems at the Airport?

Can I also purchase other stuff along with iPhone e.g. 10g gold or Macbook etc?

I’m on DD for a while and literally like the efforts of Dimers in the community, any help would be highly appreciated. TIA 🙏

48 Comments  |  
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Finance Mentor Finance Mentor
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Not recommended. Warranty will be void, some features won’t work, you won’t get software updates, it might even get deactivated as per new TnC of Apple worldwide without any refund clause.

Deal Cadet Deal Cadet
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Thanks for the suggestion @Ramta_Jogi

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Deal Lieutenant Deal Lieutenant
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Go for it. Chances are one in million that you may need warranty. Hope you have already done done cost implications. plus1 plus1 Cheers

Heard IDFC card has low forex convenience charges.

Deal Cadet Deal Cadet
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Thanks @Manitian

Yes already researched.

Price in 🇮🇳- ₹1,14,900 (After 5000 HDFC Discount)
Price in 🇦🇪- ₹80,820.56 (Price 4056.44 AED, Conversion @ 19.92)

Just need help to save bucks on Forex Transaction Charges.

Generous Generous
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I dont think 10g gold can be carried now? Only gold of value upto rs 50000 can be carried, i read somewhere. Do confirm that before bringing any.

Deal Cadet Deal Cadet
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Yes, Custom says Men can bring up to 50k Gold but need help from someone who’s experienced here.

Deal Cadet Deal Cadet
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You can easily bring all 3 - iphone 12 pro , macbook and gold (10 gms) easily in jewellery form. Just don't bring iphone box and macbook box also. Keep phone in pocket , laptop in backpack and wear the gold if possible. And direct INR to AED will be costly little bit , you can first convert INR to USD and then USD to AED. (I did the same) If directly from card only you want to pay then prefer to use Mastercard (it gives good forex rate) , Diners is worst in forex rates. Lastly as you are a tourist you can claim VAT (5%) too on airport by simply providing them bills of your purchase. There are counters on Airport that will give you VAT refund in cash or in your credit card back. Better to take in cash form as it is instant.
Deal Cadet Deal Cadet
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Thanks, @harshit0509 – This is really helpful.
Most probably I will be purchasing from Amazon AE using OneCard as it offers just 1% Forex Markup.

Any idea if we can get VAT Refund using Amazon Receipt, I don’t think we can do that, It requires some special kind of receipt arrangement with Federal Tax Systems.

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Deal Lieutenant Deal Lieutenant
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In case you are purchasing for personal use, you can carry a MacBook and iPhone without worry. The best thing would be to carry them unboxed. You can carry two laptops, one in cabin luggage and another in check-in luggage.

For iPhone, here in Dubai, you can get an international version as well as the UAE version at a low cost. To be on the safer side, better to go for the international version one. Also, do check in the apple stores regarding updates as you will be using in India.

In my experience, better to buy from Amazon as local shops charge a little more than online. And another thing to be concerned about is, there are a lot of people here who would try to sell you fake products or 2nd hand products. So I normally avoid purchasing expensive items from local shops.

If you use an Indian card here, there will be a conversion charge as well as GST charges. You can use the Indusind Exclusive Select Debit Card. It offers 0% forex charge.

Finally about the gold part. Yes, a male can carry up to 20gm of gold but the cost should be below 50k. So I would suggest wearing gold. The customs doesn’t check if you are wearing 10 gm of gold on you. One suggestion, do not put the gold in check-in luggage.

I myself will be carrying 16.26 gm of 22k gold while visiting India. The storekeeper told me to wear or keep it in my pocket and suggested to carry the bill but never to show it to the customs. So I will wear the chain and keep the pendant and earrings in my pocket, lol.

Deal Cadet Deal Cadet
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Hey, @rahul2004 Thanks for this detailed help.

I’m planning to purchase some 22k jewelry e.g. Ring Chain etc.
Any recommendations about the store in mall or markets who is genuine and can also provide VAT Refund bill?

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Mobile Guru Mobile Guru
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In case of purchasing from Amazon AE can we use Indian Credit Cards and order them to the hotel address?
You can

WIll it fetch forex transaction charges for online/offline payments?
Yes

Which card I should use to minimize forex charges and get cashback etc.
Niyo/IDFC, OneCard/IDFC. There are other options too but i’m not aware of them

The custom at Mumbai Airport
keep the phone in your pocket & dump the phone box.. or make it corrugated

Can I also purchase other stuff along with iPhone e.g. 10g gold or Macbook etc?
Same technique as above (Take out the laptop and keep it in the bag separately) in the case of macbook (Skip taking your current laptop for the journey)

Deal Cadet Deal Cadet
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“keep the phone in your pocket & dump the phone box.. or make it corrugated

Flat. The word you are looking for is flat.

Corrugated has a very specific meaning and does not apply here. Don’t jhadofy English when you don’t even know the meaning of the word you use.

Deal Cadet Deal Cadet
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i have been there in Dubai from 2016 to 2020, u can bring iphone 12 without worries and also while purchasing make sure it’s international version ( UAE will have different version without facetime ). coming to warranty Apple will have international warranty and unbox the phone and carry like a regular phone. coming to gold don’t carry 24K gold but u can bring 22k gold jewellery by wearing that too 20-30gm is not a problem

Deal Cadet Deal Cadet
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Thanks, Buddy.

Will definitely check with offline resellers. Since you’ve been there could you recommend any genuine store for purchase in Meena Bazaar/Bur Dubai Area?

Do they also provide VAT Refund Bill for iPhones?

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Deal Cadet Deal Cadet
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also try to purchase the phone in Meena bazaar in Bur Dubai area where u can get it cheaper that online

Deal Cadet Deal Cadet
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@Sushrut.B – Bro needs your expertise. I’ve researched on this and found OneCard is the best and charges just 1% for Forex Transactions
5X reward can help here too.

Do you’ve any better alternatives to suggest?

Benevolent Benevolent
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Do enquire in local stores in india for price. Few days ago imported sealed units of 12 pro 128gb were being sold for 87k here. The store that I know of is in Mumbai.

Deal Cadet Deal Cadet
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There has been a price drop in local stores they sell the same global versions.

But the price he will get in dubai won’t match even this locals. It would be around 75K So better go with dubai one.

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Deal Cadet Deal Cadet
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read baggage chapter of customs act

Deal Subedar Deal Subedar
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Bro, I’m interested to hear the conclusion part. After the end of the trip please post your experience and charges incurred.

Also a suggestion. If you have a friend in Dubai you can use his Dubai credit card and pay him here in INR saves some bucks. All the best plus1

Finance Mentor Finance Mentor
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Also @ravi7052 ~ If you have HDFC Infinia credit card (Top of the line) – you get up to 16,500 reward points back on Amazon India every month, equivalent to 16.5K INR on hotel/flight/DTH redemption. Effectively reduces your price of iPhone in India without any of the jhamelas of getting it from abroad.

And If bought with Tata Cliq vouchers (Infinia), it gives a cashback of 33% without any upper limit. You can calculate the savings.

Deal Subedar Deal Subedar
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Where to buy tata cliq gv with 33% with infinia? Only infinia or diner also.

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Finance Mentor Finance Mentor
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There is no such thing as an international version of any iPhone. iPhone’s are designed for regions and there are subtle differences in iPhones of different regions.

As for the warranty ~ Most got 1 year Intl and 1 year specific to region.

For use of Indian credit card on Amazon Ae site – No, they don’t allow it.

Please do quote from Apple & Amazon TnC if i am wrong……..

I don’t think anybody would even read Amazon & Apple TnC here though

Deal Lieutenant Deal Lieutenant
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I would disagree on point 3.

When I arrived in Dubai, I did not have a local card. So used my SBI Simplyclick credit card.
It worked like a charm on amazon.ae site, as well as a few others.

Finance Mentor Finance Mentor
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Well, let him buy it – It will set an example (good or bad) for future laughing

Entertainer Entertainer
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I think most of the questions are answered but will add my opinion here.

Amazon(AE) has cheaper rates than Apple Store in Dubai/Emirates Mall, also local resellers have good rates too. What do you suggest?

You can buy it on Amazon AE international version with Facetime (Recently one of my friend bought the HK version with physical Dual sim and it works perfectly). Usually, warranty works internationally but in India sometimes Apple care centers won’t provide service. Warranty starts as soon as you activate your phone. Never used Indian CC or DC on Amazon AE so no idea about it but you can order on COD and receive it on hotel address too.

Which card I should use to minimize forex charges and get cashback etc.
Not sure about this.

The custom at Mumbai Airport
I’m getting it for my personal use and will unbox it before departure, so is there any chance I can face custom problems at the Airport?

No problem for this you can carry unbox phone.

Can I also purchase other stuff along with iPhone e.g. 10g gold or Macbook etc?

For Male, you can carry gold worth 50k even if it exceeds better wear it and act normal usually customs officer checks for suspicious people. (P.S. I have never carried but my friends always carry gold with them)
You can carry Macbook but some Macbook pro models are not allowed on flights even in hand luggage so better check before buying one.

Deal Newbie Deal Newbie
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My friend is coming to Sharjah UAE, I wanted to get iPhone 12 delivered to his doorstep, Amazon reviews were not that good, if anyone know any legitimate website or seller’s please let me know

Mobile Guru Mobile Guru
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Flat. The word you are looking for is flat. //

Its not “Corrugated” & it is not “Flat” either.
The word “Flat” has a very specific meaning and it doesn’t apply here. Only Idiots will make an iPhone 12pro Box Flat and carry with them instead of dumping it in a bin 🙂https://cdn0.desidime.com/attachments/photos/670047/medium/images_-_2021-03-07T152626.886.jpeg?1615111095
@luckyk

Deal Newbie Deal Newbie
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Very interesting, but not very clear) Why can’t you do it differently? For example, order all these goods in India from Dubai and receive them as a parcel? Or if you are flying on vacation, but are afraid of problems at the airport, then send your purchases by post service from Dubai to India and track the track number – https://tracktheparce...m/. Then you will return home and pick up the package.

Deal Newbie Deal Newbie
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if anyone know any legitimate website or seller’s in UAE please let me know

Deal Cadet Deal Cadet
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@ravi7052 So finally from where you purchased iphone 12 pro in dubai, in what price and which variant? Pls share the details once.

Deal Newbie Deal Newbie
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import from dubai to india sell

Deal Newbie Deal Newbie
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Hello, sir

i am from India and I try to get iphone 11,64gb verient.i heard a news that the iphone price in Dubai  low and my budget is low around 30,000.. Then I serch in google I get your website…. Please help me to get a iphone, 😔😔

Deal Newbie Deal Newbie
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Hello, sir

i am from India and I try to get iphone 11,64gb verient.i heard a news that the iphone price in Dubai  low and my budget is low around 30,000.. Then I serch in google I get your website…. Please help me to get a iphone, 😔😔

Deal Newbie Deal Newbie
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Iphone 12 pro max

Deal Newbie Deal Newbie
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Hi 

Sir 

I need the iphone plz send me the iphone

Deal Newbie Deal Newbie
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I phone 13 pro

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