From July 20, Uzbekistan will introduce new requirements for the limit on duty-free import of goods for personal use. Now individuals will be able to use this rule only if they comply with the minimum period of stay abroad, the Customs Committee said with reference to the April 19 government resolution.

According to the new rules, in order to use the duty-free limit:

• individuals returning on foot or by car must have stayed abroad for at least two days;
• individuals returning by plane - at least three days.

If the period of stay is less than the above or the individual has traveled abroad three or more times during the month, the duty-free rules shall not apply. In this case, the goods are deemed to be over the limit, and a single customs payment of 30% shall be levied on their full value.

For example, when importing a smartphone worth $1,300, for failure to comply with the terms and conditions of duty-free import, one will be required to pay $390 in customs duty.

How is the period of stay abroad required to apply duty-free rules determined?

In April, the Customs Committee said that the information systems of customs authorities have been integrated with the databases of other ministries and departments. This allows to determine in real time how long a person has been outside the country. The new system will not lead to additional delays for passengers, the department assured.

At that time, the majority of individuals (76%) crossed the border by road, 20% by air and 4% by rail.

It was reported then that information exchange had been established with almost 50 airlines, and information about passengers, their baggage and the length of stay abroad was received by customs authorities even before the flight arrived in Uzbekistan.

“This, in turn, will allow customs control to be carried out promptly during peak flight hours,” the committee noted.

The green and red corridors will still be in effect. However, even when choosing the green channel, if there are signs of surpassing the limits or operational information, customs officers have the right to conduct an inspection and apply the appropriate form of control.

Previously, control was carried out on a selective basis and in the presence of signs of non-compliance with the conditions of their movement.

The same resolution has reduced the duty-free import standards for individuals from May 1:

• for air transportation - to $ 1,000 (previously it was $ 2,000);
• for transportation by rail and water transport - to $ 500 (previously $ 1,000);
• when crossing the border by car or on foot - to $ 300.

Also, for goods delivered to individuals through international parcel services, the limit was reduced from $ 1,000 per quarter to $ 200 per month. For goods received by mail, the limit has remained at $ 100.

Previously, a 2% customs duty of the base calculated unit for each kilogram of international courier shipments has also been introduced. This rule applies to the delivery of goods from foreign marketplaces and to shipments between individuals.