Kathmandu: The government has tightened restrictions on electronic goods including mobile phones brought by citizens coming to Nepal from abroad.
The airport customs office has now started giving customs exemption to only one mobile phone brought by the person coming from abroad.
But now the airport customs will be charging 2.5 percent excise duty and 13 percent value added tax on bringing more than one mobile (used or new). The customs office previously did not pay customs duty when bringing in one used phone and one new phone.
But in the law, there is a provision that only one set that is in use or brought for personal use will not be charged customs duty.
Practically, the customs office was giving some ease to the passengers. But recently, after sending expensive phones to travelers coming to Nepal as porters, the office has started collecting tax for bringing more than one item.
This means that even if you bring in a used or new item from abroad, you will get a customs exemption.
But in the case of having 2 items with you, one of them has to be filed for customs. If a passenger brings with him one used old mobile phone and another new mobile phone, he can get customs exemption on the new one and also pay the customs duty on the old one.
Passengers will have to pay 2.5 percent excise duty and 13 percent VAT on more than one mobile phone.