ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has made baggage rules more liberal, enhanced special allowances for Foreign Exchange Remittance Card (FERC) holders, and revised the baggage allowance for foreign nationals and tourists to allow them to bring any items (excluding mobile phones) of the value up to US$800.

The FBR has notified SRO 985(I)/2022 to issue draft amendments in the Baggage Rules, 2006, here on Wednesday.

The following allowances shall be admissible to foreign nationals and tourist: Personal wearing apparel and clothing accessories; and any other item (excluding mobile phones) of the value not exceeding eight hundred US dollars, new rules revealed.

Under the draft rules, the FBR has also decided to revise allowances for Pakistani nationals not availing the transfer of residence.

The following shall be various allowances for the Pakistani nationals not availing transfer of residence: Items of personal use allowed duty-free on any visit; (i) personal wearing apparel and clothing accessories; (ii) one laptop computer; and (iii) any other item except mobile phone, following allowances shall be admissible: The value of duty-free allowance would be up to 400US$ in cases of stay abroad is up to 30 days.

To facilitate incoming passengers, FBR decides to amend customs baggage rules

The value of duty-free allowance would be up to 800US$ in cases of stay abroad is between 30 to 60 days.

The value of duty-free allowance would be up to 1200US$ in cases of stay abroad is over 60 days.

The rules further said that the duty-free allowances of the aggregate value upto one thousand US dollars in case the goods are purchased from one of the duty-free shops in Pakistan within sixty days of the arrival, and provided that the stay abroad of the passenger is more than 60 days.

The FBR has also revised the allowances for Pakistani nationals availing transfer of residence. The Duty-Free Allowances included personal household goods generally used by a family. second hand or used professional equipment in use of a registered Pakistani practitioner during stay abroad, having proof of registration in the country abroad and duly recognized by the concerned regulatory authority or association: Provided that an inspection certificate from an internationally recognized inspection agency in the exporting countries to the effect that such equipment is free from bacteria and other material injurious to human health, is furnished at the time of import of the equipment; any other item (excluding mobile phones) of the value not exceeding fifteen hundred US dollars; and weapon of a non-prohibited bore for the personnel of armed forces, customs, police or any other law enforcement agency.

Second, purchases from a Duty Free Shop revealed that the duty-free allowances of the aggregate value up to fifteen hundred US dollars are admissible in case the goods are purchased from one of the duty-free shops in Pakistan within 60 days of the arrival.

The FBR has also revised the special allowances for Foreign Exchange Remittance Card holders. In addition to the allowances hereinbefore provided, the duty credit as specified shall be admissible to a Pakistani national holding Foreign Exchange Remittance Card (FERC) once in a calendar year. The duty credit can also be utilized for the unaccompanied baggage or any purchase from one of the duty free shops. The duty credit under this scheme shall not be utilizable on import of vehicles. Utilization of duty credit shall be endorsed by the customs on the passport of an FERC holder.

The duty credit for the FERC holder (silver) would be Rs20,000 where the amount remitted through normal banking channel is US$2,500 or more.

The duty credit for the FERC holder (silver plus) would be Rs40,000 where the amount remitted through normal banking channel is US$5,000 or more.

The duty credit for the FERC holder (golden) would be Rs60,000 where the amount remitted through normal banking channel is US$10,000 or more.

The duty credit for the FERC holder (golden plus) would be Rs100,000 where the amount remitted through normal banking channel is US$ 25,000 or more

The duty credit for the FERC holder (platinum) would be Rs200,000 where the amount remitted through normal banking channel is US$50,000 or more.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022