Govt to impose 18 percent tax on mobiles brought by foreign-returnees

KATHMANDU: People returning to Nepal from abroad will be allowed to bring only one mobile phone with them.

Anyone bringing more than one phone will have to pay an 18 percent tax to the Customs Department for the second mobile.

According to the provision, a person can bring one mobile from abroad.

“If you bring more than one phone, the Customs Department will impose a tax or even confiscate the phone,”’ said Yamraj Pandey, spokesperson of the Tribhuvan Airport Customs Office.

According to him, if a person brings more than two phones, they will be confiscated.

“The government will then sell those seized mobiles by inviting tenders,” he said.

The Department is preparing to tighten the rules for importing mobile phones from December 30.

According to the new rule, a person bringing a mobile phone from abroad has to pay 18 percent tax, including 5 percent customs duty and 13 percent value-added tax (VAT).

‘The foreign currency of the mobile phone that is being imported into Nepal will be converted into current Nepali rupees and a total of 18 percent tax will be imposed on it, according to Pandey.

The Customs Department will then issue a notification letter for the mobile.

The Nepal Telecommunication Authority will then register the Mobile Device Management System (MDMS) system in the phone.