Q.1. I am a Pakistani national. What allowances will be admissible when I’ll return to Pakistan?

Ans. Pakistani nationals returning from abroad are normally categorized as “non-tourist passengers”. Allowances admissible to such passengers depend upon the length of stay abroad during the calendar year. In addition to personal wearing apparel and traveling goods, the passenger can bring free of duty and taxes gifts valuing US$ 225 maximum, if stay abroad is less than six months, and valuing US$ 450 if the stay abroad is over six months during a calendar year. These gift allowances would be halved on second visit during the same calendar year and no allowance shall be admissible on third and subsequent visits. No gift allowances are admissible to dependent children under eighteen years of age traveling with their parents except articles of personal wearing apparel, toys etc. Gift allowance means reasonable number and quantity of goods other than personal allowance for making gift or souvenirs free of customs duty and does not cover air-conditioner, cooking range, deep freezer, gas appliances, microwave oven, refrigerator, sewing machine, television, video cassette player, video cassette recorder or washing machine under the recently issued instructions, the duty free allowances further include one mobile telephone. Customs duty and other taxes on this mobile telephone shall be collected at the time of activation.

Q.2. In which currency, I have to pay the duty/taxes?

Ans. You can pay duty/taxes in Pakistani currency or in foreign exchange as is convenient to you.

Q.3. I am planning to bring a Personal Computer or a lap-top. Can I bring it?

Ans. You are allowed to bring two personal computers or lap-top computers alongwith printers, monitors, key boards, mouse and cable thereof.

Q.4. What special allowances are admissible to Overseas Pakistanis?

Ans. The Government of Pakistan has recently introduced changes to enhance special allowances for Overseas Pakistanis which are as follows:-

Such overseas Pakistanis who have remitted two thousand and five hundred or more US dollars to Pakistan through the normal banking channels during one year preceding their date of arrival may avail duty free allowance over seven hundred US dollars. This facility, however, will be admissible once in a calendar year; and Such overseas Pakistanis who have remitted ten thousand or more US dollar to Pakistan through normal banking channels during one year preceding their date of arrival may avail duty free allowance of twelve hundred US dollars. However, the said facility will be admissible once in a calendar year. The above referred special allowance can also be availed from duty free shops.

Q.5. Is there any restriction on taking currency into or out of Pakistan?

Ans. You can bring any amount of foreign currency. However at the time of departure, a passenger can take only an amount of US$ 10,000 maximum. For Pakistani currency upto Rs 3000/- is permissible to be brought in or taken out of Pakistan by the passenger travelling abroad to a country other than India. In case of India, the restriction is that of Rs 500/-.

Q.6. Can I bring my pet dog with me to Pakistan?

Ans. You may bring your pet dog subject the following conditions:-

*

Accompanied by a Health Certificate with particular reference to Rabies.
* Animal Quarantine restrictions Payment of livable duty and taxes

Q.7. What is the status of bringing liquor into Pakistan for one’s own consumption?

Ans. Liquor is prohibited in Pakistan and shall not be allowed as it is liable to seizure and confiscation. In case of non-Muslim, holding foreign passport and declaration of such liquor to customs staff, the same will be detained pending departure and will be returned at the time of departure of the passenger.

Q.8. I am coming to Pakistan without any dutiable goods. How can I pass through green channel?

Ans. In case, you have no dutiable item and accordingly nothing to declare, you may avail the facility of green channel available at the International Arrival Hall.

Q.9. If I declare my dutiable items to Customs on arrival in Pakistan at the “Voluntarily Baggage Declaration Counter”, am I supposed to open my package(s)?

Ans. Since the Customs staff has to verify and record marks and number of the item(s) for the realization of duties and taxes, appropriate officer may have to examine your baggage in the interest of the passenger.

Q.10 How much gold jewellery is admissible to me if I am coming after a stay of more than six months abroad?

Ans. Gold jewellery is admissible to the lady passengers only valuing upto US$ eleven hundred if the stay abroad is more than six months.

Q.11 If I do not have the money to pay duty/taxes levied on my dutiable goods, what should I do?

Ans. You may deposit your dutiable item (s) against a proper “Detention Receipt” and can get the same released within one month on payment of duty/taxes. However, if the goods are left under Customs custody for a period of over one-month, the same are normally auctioned by the Customs in terms of Section 82 of the Customs Act, 1969.

Q.12 I am planning to bring a long-range cordless telephone set with me for my personal use. Shall I have to pay taxes or the same would be released against duty free allowances?

Ans. Long-range cordless telephone sets are not cleared by the Customs and detained pending production of Licence/NOC from Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, Islamabad. Import of Long Range is restricted under Section 29(1) of Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) Act, 1996.

Q.13 At the time of arrival I had deposited my goods with Customs to take along the same at the time of departure. What should I do at the time of departure?

Ans. You may contact the Customs staff at the International Departure with the Original Detention Receipt. The Customs staff after necessary procedural formalities would escort the goods to the airline counter or up-to the aircraft for ensuring re-export of the same from Pakistan by the passenger.

Q.14 I want to carry some religious book(s)/printed material out of Pakistan. How can I avoid the sniffing of dogs?

Ans. In such cases, you may ask the Customs staff for physical examination of your packages with specific request regarding religious printed material.

Q.15 I want to take out of Pakistan my DVD/TV set etc., which is out of order for repair purpose. What course of action should I take?

Ans. You may tender a written request in duplicate in the name of Incharge Shift International Departure who would endorse the marks and number of the item on the same against which at the time of arrival, you may get the item released without payment of duty/ taxes.

Q.16. Can I bring a mobile phone in my baggage at the time of arrival?

Ans. Under the Passenger Baggage Rules, 2001, one Mobile Phone can be released subject to the payment of Customs duty and other taxes i.e. Rs.2000/- at the time of activation by Mobile Phone Company

Q.17 I am returning home from India? What are the allowances admissible to me under the Passenger Baggage Rules?

Ans. At the time of arrival from India, Pakistani nationals are entitled to an allowance equivalent to US$ 100 only in respect of the articles of personal use or for making gifts. This allowance shall be halved on the second visit and shall not be admissible on the third or subsequent visit during the calendar year. Bicycle, sewing machine and electric fan shall not be allowed to the Passengers returning from India.

Q.18 What allowances are admissible to a Muslim Citizen of Pakistan returning from pilgrimage i.e. Saudia Arabia or the holy places in Iran and Iraq?

Ans. A pilgrim is entitled to personal allowances and goods (Tabarrakat) of the value up to US$ 100 as duty free allowances. A pilgrim may on payment of customs-duty and other taxes, import articles of personal, professional or household effects not exceeding one hundred US dollars.

Q.19 I want to avail Transfer of Residence (TR) facilities. Can I get to know the relevant provisions of the Baggage Rules?

Ans a- To claim the Transfer of Residence facilities, your stay abroad should not be less than two years.

A family on transfer of residence shall be allowed to import, or bring as accompanied or un-accompanied baggage, the following items as duty free allowance, namely:-

An item which was exported from Pakistan is being re-imported subject to satisfactory identification.

In case of a qualified person, equipment, instruments, apparatus required upto C&F value of seven hundred US dollars.

Two personal computers or laptop computers along with printers, monitors, keyboards, mousses and cables thereof; and

Old and used furniture or fixture, cutlery, crockery, kitchen utensils, rugs, carpets, household linen, reading or writing aids and other duty free goods including electrical items other than those which are taxable under all circumstances. The list of these items is given in answer to question No.1 above.

Q.20 What concessional duty allowances will admissible to Pakistani families on Transfer of Residence?

Ans. A family on transfer of residence shall be allowed either to purchase free of duty and taxes locally manufactured two air conditioners, two refrigerators or

deep freezers from Duty Free Shop outlets on payment in Pak currency or in foreign exchange or to bring the following items on payment of concesional rate of customs duty specified in Column-3 of the table as under:-