Duty exemption on personal use goods for up to MVR 10,000

Maldives Customs Services has announced that effective today, goods brought in for personal use up to MVR 10,000 will be exempt from duty charges.

Previously, the duty exemption applied to goods worth MVR 6,000, but changes were brought yesterday to the policy on exempting duty from goods brought in by those travelling, personal use, and business samples.

The amendment states that if the Free On Board (FOB) price determined by Customs increases MVR 10,000, a goods declaration form must be submitted for imports. Duty will be charged on what remains after MVR 10,000 is exempted from the FOB.

Even in the instance that FOB is lower than MVR 10,000, if Customs believe that it is a commercial quantity, then the goods declaration form must be submitted and duty will be charged, the policy said.

It further said that in the case of goods brought in by post, each tracking number will be considered a separate shipment. Goods brought in the same postbag under the name of a single recipient will also be considered a single shipment.

Medicines for a period of six months brought with prescriptions will also be exempt from duty.