FBR to Allow Temporary Import of Vehicles in Pakistan

The government has established a new regulation that permits foreigners traveling to Pakistan for leisure or business to bring their vehicles with them for a duration of three months. However foreign owners must pay duties and taxes at the current rate if the vehicles are kept in Pakistan for more than three months.

According to reports, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has developed the “Temporary Import of Vehicles Amendment Rules, 2023” and has requested input from all interested parties within 15 days. After 15 days, no feedback will be considered. The FBR will publish a gazette notification to put the rules into effect after taking the gathered feedback into consideration.

Foreign tourists, businessmen, and foreign nationals visiting Pakistan for health or transit purposes will be allowed to bring their automobiles, according to the proposed rules. Those who stay in Pakistan for more than three months, however, would not be eligible for temporary car import, and duty and taxes will be charged at the existing rate.

The proposed rules also detail how to export the temporarily imported car. At the time of export, the officer in charge of the customs station of exit will stamp the importer’s passport and check the details linked to the vehicle being imported into Pakistan on the importer’s behalf. The vehicle’s export will be registered in Pakistan Customs’ computerized system, and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) would be notified.

Furthermore, the rules require the officer in charge of the Customs station of entry to record and reconcile the data of all cars imported and entered through that station during the month. Any vehicles left in Pakistan for more than three months will be identified, and actions would be made to recover the charges and taxes owed. If the duty and taxes are not paid, the vehicles will be confiscated in accordance with the law.

Source: The Express Tribune