How to Register your Mobile Devices when Returning to (or visiting) Pakistan (Step-by-Step)?
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How to Register your Mobile Devices when Returning to (or visiting) Pakistan?
Mobile Tax Policy for Foreign Visitors
A ‘mobile tax policy’ for foreign travellers and visitors returning to Pakistan has been announced. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has released the details of duties it has imposed on imported handsets.
Scroll Down for the detailed registration process Video of your mobile device for international passengers.
How to Register Your Smartphone while arriving/visiting Pakistan?
People can register their phones through filling an online form at PTA’s official website or through installing a PTA app called DIRBS (Device Identification, Registration and Blocking System).
The form would demand information such as name, mobile IMEI number, email address, mobile number, CNIC number/passport number/NICOP (for overseas Pakistanis)/B-form number, postal address, etc.
The form submission would create a long number called PSID. PTA may send the PSID to the consumer on his/her email address or mobile phone number through SMS. Phone owners need to mention the PSID number in the form to be submitted at the time of paying import duty at a bank counter or through online banking channels.
If all goes well, the consumers will receive an online message from PTA, saying “your device is approved”, it has been learnt.
The First Way to Register your Mobile Device
The first way to do this when you arrive in Pakistan, you can register your device(s) at the Customs Counter at the airport you land at.
The Declaration Form
To proceed with the registration you need to fill out a form known as the Declaration Form. You can download and print the declaration form beforehand and hand it to the authorities to save time. The form is available at https://dirbs.pta.gov.pk/DeclarationFormforMobileHandsets.pdf
The Second Way to Register your Mobile Device
It is not necessary to register your mobile device at the airport. There are other ways too.
Well, you can also register your smartphone(s) at a Custom House near your location within 15 days of arrival.
Custom House(s) Addresses
The Custom House Karachi is located near the KPT Head Office in Kharadar. Custom House Lahore is located near the AG Office in Anarkali; Custom House Islamabad is located near the KRL Hospital in G-9/1; and Custom House Peshawar is located in University Town off GT Road.
Keep it in mind, Your mobile phone will not be confiscated during the process of registration.
You will be asked to provide a 15 digit IMEI number for your device at Customs and proof of identity (whichever is applicable). Customs will use that information to register the device’s IMEI against your name.
By dialling *#06# you can find the IMEI(s) of your Mobile Device. You can also find the IMEI of your Smartphone on the box of the devices. In case the mobile is dual SIM, it will have two IMEIs.
How much will the Registration Cost?
Well, the good news is the First Device is duty-free!
You are allowed to register one smartphone without having to pay any duty charges.
It is important to note that, you DO NOT have to register or pay any duty charges on mobile devices that will be used on a roaming network (i.e., used with a foreign SIM card), or which will be used in Pakistan for less than 30 days.
And finally, if you are carrying a phone that was used in Pakistan with a local service provider SIM before December 1, you do not need to worry about anything. That device is already registered on the relevant authority’s monitoring system.
In the case of extra devices, you will be informed about the taxes applicable to them based on their pre-assessed value. You will be asked to settle those taxes before your device can be registered.
You can find the converting Calculator on this post where you can slide the pointer to the price of your device and you’ll see the approximate amount of taxes for your device accordingly. In this case, you are a tax non-filer and the exchange rate is assumed to be $1=Rs140.
(Video) The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has shared this video detailing the mobile device registration process for international passengers
Originally published here.
