Duties/taxes-free vehicles import: FBR proposes changes in motor vehicles rules

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has made it mandatory for Customs officials to communicate particulars of the tourists, who have temporarily imported duties/taxes-free vehicles into Pakistan, to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

The FBR on Wednesday proposed changes in the “Temporary Importation of Motor Vehicles Rules” so that the person temporarily importing a vehicle shall not be allowed to leave Pakistan unless he has exported the vehicle, or an import permit has been obtained and the Customs duties and other taxes in respect of that vehicle have been paid.

Through an SRO 454(I)/2023 issued on Wednesday, the FBR has issued draft amendments in the Customs Rules, 2001.

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Under the revised rules, the number and other particulars of the passport of an importer and of the vehicle imported by him shall be recorded at the customs-station of entry using the Customs Computerized System and the officer in-charge thereof shall communicate them to the FIA.

A tourist who imports a vehicle against carnet-de-passage or a bank guarantee may be given delivery thereof by the officer-in-charge of the customs-station of entry without payment of Customs duties for its retention in Pakistan for a period of three months if such tourist makes a declaration at the customs-station of entry to the effect that he will not constructively or substantially transfer the ownership of the vehicles to any other person during his stay in Pakistan, rules said.

About the endorsement relating to export, the new rules said that when a vehicle imported is later exported, the officer-in-charge of the customs-station of exit shall make a stamped endorsement on the passport of the importer of that vehicle accordingly against the endorsement relating to its import and retention in Pakistan and shall record the export in the Customs Computerized System and communicate it to the FIA.

The revised rules also talked about the legal provisions relating to the reconciliation of carnet vehicles. At the end of each month, the officer-in-charge of customs-station of entry shall carry out reconciliation of all vehicles entered through that customs-station.

Any vehicles which are outstanding after the expiry of the retention period shall be identified and all necessary steps shall be taken for the recovery of duties and taxes thereon, as well as for the seizure of such vehicles, the FBR added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023