Common airport customs questions Form

I live in Germany. I got an invite to the Quora partner program the day I landed in USA for a business trip. So from what I understand, irrespective of the number of views on your answers, there is some additional eligibility criteria for you to even get an email invite.If you read the terms of service, point 1 states:Eligibility. You must be located in the United States to participate in this Program. If you are a Quora employee, you are eligible to participate and earn up to a maximum of $200 USD a month. You also agree to be bound by the Platform Terms (https://www.quora.com/about/tos) as a condition of participation.Again, if you check the FAQ section:How can other people I know .participate?The program is invite-only at this time, but we intend to open it up to more people as time goes on.So my guess is that Quora is currently targeting people based out of USA, who are active on Quora, may or may not be answering questions frequently ( I have not answered questions frequently in the past year or so) and have a certain number of consistent answer views.Edit 1: Thanks to @Anita Scotch, I got to know that the Quora partner program is now available for other countries too. Copying Anuta’s comment here:If you reside in one of the Countries, The Quora Partner Program is active in, you are eligible to participate in the program.” ( I read more will be added, at some point, but here are the countries, currently eligible at this writing,) U.S., Japan, Germany, Spain, France, United Kingdom, Italy and Australia.11/14/2018Edit 2 : Here is the latest list of countries with 3 new additions eligible for the Quora Partner program:U.S., Japan, Germany, Spain, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Canada, Australia, Indonesia, India and Brazil.Thanks to Monoswita Rez for informing me about this update.

When you enter Singapore you fill out an arrival card when you are processed by inbound immigration. Part of that card is stapled into your passport and removed (by the immigration official) upon exit.Departure is very easy to find and there is an easy immigration departure point in each terminal. They are polite and very efficient. You go through outbound immigration and into the very best airport in the world - it is a destination in itself - with lots of shops, spas, a swimming pool, cinema, food of every type, gardens, waterfalls and competitions.Security is generally at each gate entrance (although I understand that this might be changed when Terminal 4 opens shortly).

Years ago I worked at document management company.  There is cool software that can automate aspects of hand-written forms.  We had an airport as a customer - they scanned plenty and (as I said before) this was several years ago...On your airport customs forms, the "boxes" that you 'need' to write on - are basically invisible to the scanner - but are used because then us humans will tend to write neater and clearer which make sit easier to recognize with a computer.  Any characters with less than X% accuracy based on a recognition engine are flagged and shown as an image zoomed into the particular character so a human operator can then say "that is an "A".   This way, you can rapidly go through most forms and output it to say - an SQL database, complete with link to original image of the form you filled in.If you see "black boxes" at three corners of the document - it is likely set up for scanning (they help to identify and orient the page digitally).  If there is a unique barcode on the document somewhere I would theorize there is an even higher likelihood of it being scanned - the document is of enough value to be printed individually which costs more, which means it is likely going to be used on the capture side.   (I've noticed in the past in Bahamas and some other Caribbean islands they use these sorts of capture mechanisms, but they have far fewer people entering than the US does everyday)The real answer is: it depends.  Depending on each country and its policies and procedures.  Generally I would be surprised if they scanned and held onto the paper.   In the US, they proably file those for a set period of time then destroy them, perhaps mining them for some data about travellers. In the end,  I suspect the "paper-to-data capture" likelihood of customs forms ranges somewhere on a spectrum like this:Third world Customs Guy has paper to show he did his job, paper gets thrown out at end of shift. ------  We keep all the papers! everything is scanned as you pass by customs and unique barcodes identify which flight/gate/area the form was handed out at, so we co-ordinate with cameras in the airport and have captured your image.  We also know exactly how much vodka you brought into the country. :)

It's just the way things are often done for US citizens returning home. Sometimes you'll get a question or three, sometimes not. They don't stamp your passports anymore when returning home, nor do you have to fill out a pen-and-ink customs declaration ‡ just that kiosk thing. (Did you have to do that?)Everything is visible to the customs agents. They can see when you left the country. They know your passports are legit. They assume the reason you went to Mexico is obvious (short vacation). You don't fit any profile that would set off a red flag to them. Your bags have been scanned for obvious bad stuff, and probably sniffed by dogs. There's really not much for them to ask that they don't already know the answer to.For non-US citizens, it's a different story.

I nearly accepted an executive role with a big company in Chicago several years ago.I passed through a first round of interviews and enjoyed the time I spent with everyone, including the President who would be my direct manager.I was asked to return to interview with the CEO. I prepared diligently and looked forward to meeting him.Like most people in his position, he was direct and to the point. He wasted no time with pleasantries and dove right into my resume. He was a driver in every sense of the term, asking challenging questions with a brashness matching his title.Every question felt like a right hook and my answers felt like counter punches just to get off the ropes. This was all fine and partly expected. I might be running a large business and he was putting me through the paces.After 45 minutes of avoiding his knockout punch, he seemed satisfied and even started to smile. Up to this point, I liked his direct approach and actually enjoyed the challenge.He opened up and asked what questions I still had. This is when my perception changed.I asked him about the sales force.“Our sales team is typical. Always complaining about something and incapable of independent thoughts. We haven’t figured out a way to get by without them so we live with what we’ve got.”I asked him about how the organization used feedback from customers in product design.“Customers are the worst place to get feedback. They don’t know what they want, especially our customers. Half of them are on the verge of bankruptcy so their feedback isn’t exactly helpful.”I asked him about priorities and he quickly wrote down some words on paper and asked me to rank them. I did this strange exercise and he seemed pleased.“That was actually an intelligence test. Most people fail it.”Then he spent ten minutes telling me about all the bad decisions his Presidents make, including the one I would be reporting to. It was uncomfortable and clear that he didn’t care much for his management team either. Why he felt the need to share this with me is still a mystery.So, he disliked his managers, sales team and customers.Splendid.The interview ended with him telling me that his company needs more people like me, a clear signal that I was getting his blessing.I called my wife from the airport before my flight back home and she asked how it went.“I think I did well but I can’t shake a bad feeling I have.”“What’s that?”“That CEO is an asshole.”By all other accounts, this was a great opportunity. It was a growing company located in a city we wanted to move back to. The role was well suited to my background and the compensation package was generous.I passed.Six months later, the manager I would have reported to left that company. Free from the burden of covering up, he now confessed to me that my gut feeling was spot on.“That guy was an asshole. We were all miserable.”I have worked for many managers over the past 20 years. With each new boss, I adjust my approach, focus and communication style to match what they are looking for. In doing so, I have not found a manager I couldn’t work with.But, I have only had a few truly great bosses.To put it simply, I believe a great boss is likable and demanding. You can trust them and you respect them. They are fun to work with while also being someone who brings out the best in you.I believe that you can see what kind of manager someone is just by paying attention in the interview. A likable boss is going to be likable in the interview. A demanding boss is going to be a demanding interviewer.I taught managers how to interview for years and challenged them to think about how they wanted to be perceived. Job applicants have choices and evaluate interviewers as prospective managers. There are four types of interviewer and more often than not, interview style matches their management style.The FlakeThis person seems distracted, unprepared and generally overwhelmed. They dive into the interview without building any rapport. They check their phone throughout the interview and let distractions get in the way. They were probably late in starting the interview. Their questions are bland and they rarely follow up on anything you say. They seem satisfied with asking a list of questions and dutifully jotting down notes throughout the conversation. Accepting a job with The Flake means entering a world of chaos, void of any organization. You’ll need to be a self starter as they will not challenge you. They can barely keep up with their own tasks. You will want to make sure you have autonomy as responsiveness will be an issue if you can’t make your own decisions.The Glad-HanderThis person loves to talk. They are talented rapport builders and make a great first impression. They smile often and pra warm environment for the interviewee. The rapport building seems to go on for the entire interview and the Glad-Hander never seems to fully shift into interview mode, choosing banter over a specific line of questioning. Watching as an observer, you might not be able to tell who the interviewer is because they find themselves doing much of the talking. The Glad-Hander rarely gets into enough detail to know much about your effectiveness and track record. Working for the Glad-Hander can be fun as they have an outgoing personality and love to interact with their team. If you are a high achiever, you should be aware that you might not be challenged and will most likely work with others in the same boat. This manager values relationships over performance which can lead to a team filled with people who measure their worth by how much the boss likes them. This can also frustrate a high achiever as pay might not fluctuate based on performance.The JerkThis is a tough interview from start to finish. This interviewer takes pride in being known as “the toughest interviewer in the office”, as if that matters. They ask deliberately difficult questions to show you how smart they are and delight in watching someone stumble through the process. They share very little about themselves personally, rarely smile and pay more attention to their notes than you as a person. You have little time to ask questions of your own and don’t learn much when you do. Their inner cynic comes out and you catch glimpses of how they really feel about their team. Most of their insights are negative in general. You should expect little encouragement from this manager but ample criticism. Your conversations will always be about business and your peers will feel the same. If your interview was socially awkward, expect the office climate to be the same.The Role ModelThis interviewer is welcoming and makes a great first impression. They make you feel comfortable from the start and engage with you in friendly banter. The conversation feels easy as the two of you find areas you might have in common. A solid agenda is set and the interviewer is transparent in what they are looking for. Questions are specific and the interviewer follows up frequently to understand the full story. Questions are challenging and you feel like you get an opportunity to share your best accomplishments. It is obvious that someone who does not bring their A game would struggle with this interviewer but they never seem to make you feel overtly uncomfortable. The role model offers opportunity for back and forth, though it is clear who is in control of the interview from beginning to end. You are offered a chance to ask questions and the interviewer answers those questions in an honest fashion, offering a real glimpse into the good and bad the candidate might be walking into. This interviewer is just as fun to work with as they were to interview with. Your peers will like this manager personally and work hard to deliver. The Role Model will constantly push you as your manager but offer all the support you need to win.The next time you get out of an interview, pull up the graphic above and ask yourself two questions.Would I like and trust working for this person?Would I feel challenged and grow working for this person?Answer yes to both or no to both and you have an easy decision. If your answers are somewhere in between, weigh out the pros and cons. Only you know what you need from a manager and everyone is different.There is no definition for a “bad manager” but just like pornography, you will know it when you see it.

What part of it is giving you trouble?

LED/LCD TVs are not covered in the 35000 exemption. The going customs rate is ~36% of the value of the TV.Carry a bill of purchase with you, and try and convince the customs official to charge on the basis of your purchase value (although the rule says that it should be a percentage of market value in India).Also, if you are not a returning tourist, but were abroad for 6 months or more, tell them that you had purchased it for use there, and now that your assignment is over, you are bringing it back home (note, the bill should not contradict this, neither should your passport)Used CRT TVs are legally exempt if you have been staying abroad for more than 365 daysRef: 36.05 % duty on import of high-end TV sets