- Passengers travelling to Pakistan must register their mobile phones as soon as they land at any of the airports in the country
- Failure to register would meam their handsets would not work.
- The Pakistan government in December last year introduced a ‘Mobile phone tax policy’
- It allows overseas Pakistanis to bring one phone without paying customs duty, but that phone needs to be registered upon their arrival
Dubai: Passengers travelling to Pakistan are advised to register their mobile phones as soon as they land at any of the airports in the country — or their handsets would not work.
The Pakistan government in December last year introduced a ‘Mobile phone tax policy’ allowing overseas Pakistanis to bring one phone without paying customs duty, but that phone needs to be registered upon their arrival at the airport.
They do not need to register the phone if they avail thesemlves of the roaming service while using the foreign country’s SIM card.
For example, person travelling from the UAE to Pakistan can use the phone without registration — if he or she uses the UAE’s SIM card in Pakistan.
What passengers say
“This is another hassle for us as we have to wait in queues at the airport to complete the phone registration process,” said Shahid Alvi, a Sharjah resident.
He said it is even a bigger hassle if you are travelling with family including small children.
He said the government should allow phone operators to complete the registration process.
However, Tahir Muneer, a Dubai resident, had a pleasant experience at the airport.
“It’s very easy as it takes only three to five minutes to complete a simple form to register the phone at a dedicated counter.”
IMEI
He, however, advised passengers to carry a pen and also write down the device’s International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) on a piece of paper to make the registration process quicker.
The upside of knowing your phone's IMEI number is that it can help, if your mobile device is lost or stolen.
For people bringing in phones from abroad, as per personal baggage rules, then one phone per person per annum is allowed duty free and up to a maximum of 5 phones in a year can be brought in.
The duty on the remaining four will have to be paid if you require service in Pakistan beyond 30 days.
Minister explains
Pakistan’s Minister of State for Revenue Hammad Azhar while clarifying the new policy for people travelling into Pakistan from abroad said earlier in a series of tweets: “One phone is allowed to be registered as duty free. No registration/duty needed on any phone (s) using roaming. No registration/duty needed if phone (s) to be used in Pakistan for less than 30 days. Also, no registration or duty required on any phone that was activated or ever used in Pakistan before December 1, 2018.”
One phone is allowed to be registered as duty free. No registration/duty needed on any phone (s) using roaming. No registration/duty needed if phone (s) to be used in Pakistan for less than 30 days. Also, no registration or duty required on any phone that was activated or ever used in Pakistan before December 1, 2018
Why was the new policy introduced?
The government is basically attempting to control the influx of smuggled mobile devices through a system called ‘DIRBS’— Device Identification Registration and Blocking System.
Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said the government has decided to install DIRBS to block the smuggled phones after December 31.
This basically means that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority keeps an eye on all mobile phones brought into the country and makes sure they are taxed properly under the tax regime defined by the government.
What is the process to register your phone?
You can register your device(s) at the customs counter at the airport.
The registration process is entirely voluntary, but if you dont register, it will not work.
You can download and print the declaration form beforehand and hand it to the customs authorities at the airport upon arrival to save time. You can also ask for a copy of this form at the airport counter.
You will be asked to provide the 15-digit IMEI number of your device
Customs will use that information to register the device’s IMEI on the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s network.
It is better to write your EMEI number on a piece of paper even before travelling because it is too small to read on the back of the phone for some with weak eyesight.
Alternatively, you may choose to leave the airport and have your mobile device registered later at a Customs house near your location within 15 days of arrival.
In case you register your phone outside the airport, it requires lot more documentations. You will have to provide a passport copy, national identity card copy and passport page with arrival stamp on it.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has also shared a video on its website detailing the mobile device registration process for international passengers if you need further help.
The purpose of asking for the CNIC number or passport number is to help customs keep an eye on the number of devices you have brought into the country in one year.
The first device is duty free, and you are allowed to bring in a maximum of four more devices after paying duty.
There is no fee for registering a phone and there is no customs duty on the first phone registered.
One mobile phone per person is allowed. For example, if a family of five is travelling, one phone cane be registered for each of them without any customs duty.
When you do not need to register a phone
You are not required to register or pay any duty charges on mobile devices that will be used on a roaming network (a foreign SIM card).
You do not have to register or pay any taxes devices that will be used in Pakistan with a local SIM for less than 30 days.
You do not need to register if you are carrying a phone that was used in Pakistan with a local service provider SIM before December 1, 2018.
If you are purchasing a new phone or carry any phone that you wish to install a SIM in and activate after 1st December 2018, make sure to send its IMEI number to 8484 to know about its legal status.
