Imported vehicles’ age to be determined by manufacturing date

[Naveed Yaseen]

ISLAMABAD: Ministry of Commerce has said that the age of vehicle shall be determined from manufacturing date for allowing its import under gift scheme, personal baggage scheme and transfer of residence scheme.

This practice was being followed since 1988 and now this condition has been made part of the Import Policy Order 2008, an official at the ministry explained to Daily Times.

In this regard, the ministry has issued SRO 195 (i) 2009 for implementation of this decision. The said SRO has amended the Appendix-E of the Import Policy Order 2008. The Personal Baggage, Transfer Of Residence And Gift Schemes (Import Of Vehicles) Rules, 2007 state that (a) “Vehicle” means passenger car, bus, van, trucks, pick ups including 4X4 vehicles; (b) “Family” means parents, sister, brother, husband, wife and children whether married or not, but excluding children under eighteen years of age; © “Last Two years” for the purpose of eligibility to import or gift another car, means a period of seven hundred days from the date on which Goods Declaration for the last import under this Order was filed; and (d) “Pakistan National” means a citizen of Pakistan residing abroad and includes a person having dual nationality, and a foreign national of Indo-Pakistan origin holding Pakistani origin card; but does not include minors.

Subject to the conditions stipulated Pakistan Nationals are eligible to import or gift a vehicle provided that students receiving remittance from Pakistan; non-earning members of families of the Pakistan national and those who have imported, gifted or received a vehicle during the last two years are not eligible. Vehicles may be imported as personal baggage or on Transfer of Residence or as gift.

Vehicles more than three years old shall not be allowed to be imported under gift, personal baggage and transfer of residence schemes, but this condition shall not apply to secondhand or used vehicles having security features, if imported under these schemes. Provided that buses not older than 5 years shall be importable under Transfer of Residence Scheme.

Minimum stay abroad for import as personal baggage shall be 180 days within the last seven months preceding the date of application. Minimum stay abroad requirement for gifting a vehicle or importing under transfer of residence shall be at least 700 days during the past three years.

A vehicle may be gifted only to a family member normally resident in Pakistan.

In case of cars with engine capacity of 1800 cc and above and 4x4 vehicle in new condition to be imported either under personal baggage or under gift scheme, the duty and taxes will be paid out of foreign exchange arranged by Pakistan nationals themselves or local recipient supported by bank encashment certificate showing conversion of foreign remittance to local currency.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...2009_pg5_8