ISLAMABAD-The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has launched a mobile application named Pass Track with regard to the currency declaration for international travellers.
The mobile app “Pass Track” has been modified to facilitate passengers to declare currency while traveling to and from Pakistan even before coming to airport. The State Bank of Pakistan has issued notification dated 08.11.2022 to revise the cash carrying limits for outbound passengers. Accordingly, FBR vide SRO 2201(I)/2022 dated 12.12.2022 notified the revised cash carrying limits.
The maximum limit per person per visit has been reduced to $5000 and the annual limit has also been set at $30,000. Similarly for people below 18 years of age, the maximum cash limit for a person has been set at $2500 per visit while the annual limit has also been revised down to $15000. For those traveling to Afghanistan, the maximum limit for carrying cash in foreign currency is $1000 per person per visit, while the maximum limit per year is $6000.
Any incoming passengers when in possession of foreign currency exceeding US$10,000 or equivalent is also required to file declaration. Moreover, Pakistani currency can be taken out with a maximum limit of Rs 10,000. Moreover, SBP has also made it mandatory for every person carrying foreign currency to file a declaration with Customs. In order to make it convenient for international passengers, Pakistan Customs has obtained help from National Information Technology Board (NITB) to develop a web-based mobile app to electronically file the declaration.
According to the FBR, the app is available on App store and Play store for downloading. The Web version of the App is also available. It is accessible from all over the world. The app provides step by step guidance to the travelers making it easier for them to file declaration. Any person can register on the App using his/her mobile number. Declaration form is available both in Urdu and English languages. Passenger will provide personal data once, and on next visit, the system will auto populate the form on logging in. App will show previous declarations in the calendar year and available annual limit. Data immediately becomes available in Customs system to Departure & Arrival Monitoring officers. A feedback/complaint mechanism has also been incorporated in the APP to cater to any mistake/correction. The PASS Track APP is part of FBR’s resolve of making all out efforts in creating a culture of compliance through technology based solutions and eliminating human intervention.
Speaking on the occasion, FBR Member Customs Mukarram Jah Ansari said that people were not aware of taking foreign currency out of the country. “The currency declaration is required to take money out of the country. A digital application has been developed for the currency declaration,” he added. “During the last one year, $45 million of foreign currency was seized. If a person is carrying even a small amount of money, he has to submit the currency declaration,” he stated.