The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has unveiled a draft amendment to the Customs Rules 2001, aimed at easing temporary vehicle import regulations for tourists.Â
According to the proposed regulations, tourists must declare upon entry that they will not sell their vehicles during their stay. If a vehicle is not exported within the initial three-month period, its owner must provide a bank guarantee in advance to extend its stay by another three months.
Under the proposed changes, tourists can keep their vehicles in Pakistan without duty for up to three months, contingent on meeting specific criteria outlined by the FBR.
The amendment also stipulates a 14-day limit for vehicles re-entering Pakistan, except for those used by foreign tour agencies, which are eligible for another three-month period within the same year.
Further accommodations are made for exceptional circumstances such as the illness of the vehicle owner or accidents. In these cases, vehicles can remain in Pakistan for up to six months, provided a new bank guarantee is furnished.
Failure to comply with the bank guarantee requirements will compel the tourist to forfeit the vehicle to Customs authorities. Additionally, tourists can opt to pay the customary duties to the Ministry of Commerce for an extended stay beyond the allowed period.
The FBR is currently seeking input from stakeholders on these amendments to refine the rules and balance tourist flexibility with regulatory control.
