Self-declaration room now operational in TIA

KATHMANDU, Aug 13: The Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA) Customs Office has launched a self-declaration room for cargo to passengers coming from abroad. Passengers returning from abroad were involved in customs evasion and were subjected to persecution when they brought more than the standard amounts of gold jewelry, foreign currency, TVs and mobile phones, and exited without self-declaration.

After the operation of the self-declaration room, passengers will be able to self-declare the goods they have and will be able to pay the customs duty of the excess goods easily, according to the Customs Office of the TIA.

According to that office, passengers coming from abroad get the facility of self-declaration right after passing through the immigration hall before reaching the customs check X-ray machine. For that, the customs office has arranged a self-declaration room with regular employees, Chief of TIA customs office Dr. Tokraj Pandey informed.

He said that before there was no such room, passengers were carrying more goods than the standard and in the event of customs and police action, they would be fined and jailed for double the value of such goods.

According to Dr. Pandey, passengers returning to Nepal from abroad can bring with them gold ornaments, mobile phones and televisions, according to the latest regulations. In the case of women, gold ornaments up to 50 grams do not need to be paid customs. Likewise, in the case of men, there is no need to pay customs on gold jewelry weighing up to 25 grams.

He said that a person can bring up to 200 grams of gold after paying duty at the customs point.

Similarly, in the case of mobile phones, Nepali travelers returning from abroad do not have to pay customs if they bring the mobile phone they are using with them. Chief Pandey said that there is a legal provision for travelers who have worked abroad for more than 6 consecutive months with a work permit to be able to bring one more mobile phone with them without paying customs duty. He said that the customs process should be completed by declaring at the customs office, for one more such a mobile phone.

Pandey also said that there is a provision for Nepali travelers who are listed in the Social Security Fund and have returned after 12 consecutive months after taking a work permit to be able to bring any size or type of television with them, where they do not have to pay customs. However, Nepali travelers who are not listed in the Social Security Fund, but have returned after working for 12 consecutive months with a work permit can bring only a 32-inch television without paying customs.

He informed that in other cases, customs have to be paid for all television as per the rules. Likewise, passengers with foreign currency worth more than 5,000 US dollars must self-declare at the airport. Pandey made it clear that no fees or charges should be charged for declaring the amount.