Duty-Free Shopping After You Land in Pakistan: The US$500 Allowance and the 60-Day Rule
Many people land in Pakistan with their bags already full. So they skip the duty-free shop. But Pakistan's Baggage Rules give you a separate shopping allowance after you arrive. You have 60 days to use it. This guide explains how much it is, what it covers and who gets it, with the rule for each point.
For what you can carry in your own bags, see our Pakistan Baggage Rules 2026 guide.
The rule in one table
| Who | Duty-free shop limit | Time to buy | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pakistani national on a normal visit | Up to US$500 in total | Within 60 days of arrival | Rule 3C |
| Pakistani national returning for good (Transfer of Residence) | Up to US$1,000 in total | Within 60 days of arrival | Rule 4B |
| Foreign national or tourist | No duty-free shop allowance is listed | - | Rule 6 |
"Pakistani national" here includes Pakistanis living abroad, dual nationals and holders of a Pakistan Origin Card (Rule 2(e)).
The US$75 caps
A later amendment added a limit inside the US$500. Purchases of perfumes, toiletries, cosmetics or food cannot go above US$75 in each of these categories per passenger. This proviso appears in the amended copy of the Rules. A December 2017 press report links it to S.R.O. 1250(I)/2017.
So a basket could look like this:
| Item | Value | Within the rule? |
|---|---|---|
| Perfume | US$75 | Yes, at the perfume cap |
| Cosmetics | US$60 | Yes |
| Chocolates and other food | US$75 | Yes, at the food cap |
| Other goods (for example a watch or a small gadget) | US$290 | Yes |
| Total | US$500 | Yes, at the overall limit |
A second bottle of perfume worth US$50 would break the perfume cap, even though the total is under US$500.
What you cannot buy against it
- Big appliances. Rule 3C leaves out the goods named under Rule 3B(viii). Those are a television, deep freezer, refrigerator, microwave oven, cooking range, washing machine and air conditioner.
- Banned goods. Rule 16 bars alcohol, arms, obscene material and fake branded goods as baggage. Nothing in the Rules makes an exception for duty-free shops. See our prohibited items guide.
- Commercial quantity. No allowance applies to goods in commercial quantity (Rule 15(a)). Ten of the same perfume is asking for trouble.
Conditions that can catch you out
- 60 days, counted from arrival. Both Rule 3C and Rule 4B say "within sixty days of the arrival". After that the allowance is gone for that trip.
- First visit of the year. Rule 18 says "all the duty free allowances" are admissible only on the first visit during the year. Read plainly, that includes the shop allowance. If you already used it this year, expect to be refused.
- Short trips. Rule 15(e) says allowances are not admissible to passengers returning after less than 7 days abroad, except for personal-use items.
- It is per passenger. Rule 8 lets a husband and wife combine allowances, but only the Transfer of Residence allowances in Rule 4A. It does not mention the shop allowance.
- Only licensed shops. The Customs Rules describe duty-free shops "licensed under the Customs Act" that sell "to passengers against their baggage allowances" (Customs Rules 2001, rule 350(2)). An ordinary shop with "duty free" on its sign does not count.
What you will probably be asked for
Take your passport with your arrival stamp, and your boarding pass or e-ticket for the flight you came on. In December 2017 the press reported that FBR's Customs General Order 07 of 2017 told duty-free shops to scan the passenger's boarding pass barcode and check identity through NADRA biometric verification. We have not seen the CGO itself, so ask the shop what it needs before you go.
FERC holders: an extra credit you can use here
If you hold a Foreign Exchange Remittance Card, Rule 5 gives a yearly duty credit of Rs10,000 to Rs100,000, depending on the card. The Rule says this credit "can also be utilized" for "any purchase from one of the duty free shops". Customs records the use on your passport (Appendix-A). It cannot be used on vehicles. The card table is in our baggage rules guide, and the same credit can also go towards unaccompanied baggage.
"It is US$1,000 now." Is it? In July 2022 FBR published draft S.R.O. 985(I)/2022. It proposed a US$1,000 shop limit for people who stayed abroad more than 60 days, US$1,500 for Transfer of Residence, and double FERC credits. A draft is only a proposal. The final Baggage Rules notices FBR issued later in 2022 (S.R.O. 1864(I)/2022 and S.R.O. 2201(I)/2022) changed the currency rules in Rule 7A, not the shop limits. We found no final notice adopting the 2022 shop limits. The Pakistan Airports Authority's Islamabad airport page still shows US$500, or US$1,000 for TR passengers. Some 2025 articles repeat the draft figures, so be careful.
Step by step
- Check that it is your first visit this calendar year and that you stayed abroad more than 7 days.
- Note your arrival date. Your 60 days start then.
- Find a licensed duty-free shop. Ask the shop to confirm it sells against baggage allowances.
- Take your passport and boarding pass or ticket.
- Keep perfumes, toiletries, cosmetics and food under US$75 each, and the total under US$500 (or US$1,000 for TR).
- If you have an FERC card, ask to use the credit and check that it is endorsed on your passport.
- Keep the receipt.
How this fits with your other allowances
Rule 3B(viii) separately allows "further allowances" of up to US$500 for goods in your bags on your first visit of the year. Rule 3C is listed as its own paragraph. The Rules do not say in words whether the two can both be used in full on the same trip. Our arrival guide explains how the airport allowance works at the red and green channels.
What we could not confirm
- The US$75 amendment itself. S.R.O. 1250(I)/2017 is not in FBR's online SRO list. We saw the proviso only in the amended copy of the Rules and in a press report.
- Using both US$500 allowances. Whether Customs lets you use the Rule 3C shop allowance and the Rule 3B(viii) baggage allowance in full on the same trip.
- Rules 18 and 15(e) at the shop. How strictly shops apply the first-visit and 7-day rules to shop purchases.
- Shop procedure. The boarding-pass and NADRA checks from CGO 07 of 2017 are from a press report. Which shops are licensed, and where they are, is not listed in the Rules.
- The 2022 draft. We found no final notice, but we cannot rule out one we did not see. If a shop quotes US$1,000 for a normal visit, ask which S.R.O. it relies on.
- Going over the limit. The Rules say goods beyond the allowances pay duty and taxes (Rule 14). We found no official note on how a shop handles a purchase above the limit.
This guide explains the rules. It is not legal advice. Customs and the licensed shop make the final decision.
Frequently asked questions
How much can I buy at a duty-free shop after arriving in Pakistan?
Up to US$500 in total, within 60 days of arrival, under Rule 3C of the Baggage Rules. Perfumes, toiletries, cosmetics and food are capped at US$75 each. If you are returning for good under Transfer of Residence, the limit is US$1,000 (Rule 4B).
Is the duty-free shop limit now US$1,000?
Not for a normal visit, as far as we could find. US$1,000 (and US$1,500 for Transfer of Residence) was proposed in FBR draft S.R.O. 985(I)/2022. We found no final notice adopting it, and the Islamabad airport page still shows US$500 and US$1,000 for TR passengers.
Can I buy a TV or fridge with the duty-free shop allowance?
No. Rule 3C leaves out the goods listed in Rule 3B(viii): television, deep freezer, refrigerator, microwave oven, cooking range, washing machine and air conditioner.
Can foreigners use the duty-free shop allowance?
Rule 6, which lists the allowances for foreign nationals and tourists, does not include a duty-free shop allowance. Dual nationals and Pakistan Origin Card holders count as Pakistani nationals under Rule 2(e), so they can use Rule 3C.
Can my wife and I combine our duty-free shop allowances?
Rule 8 lets a husband and wife combine only the Transfer of Residence allowances in Rule 4A. It does not mention the shop allowance, so treat it as per passenger.
Can I use my FERC duty credit at a duty-free shop?
Yes. Rule 5 says the FERC duty credit can be used for any purchase from a duty-free shop in Pakistan, once per calendar year. Customs endorses the use on your passport.
Sources
- Baggage Rules, 2006 — S.R.O. 666(I)/2006 (FBR copy) Rules 2(e), 3B(viii), 3C, 4B, 5, 6, 8, 14, 15, 16, 18; notified 28 June 2006 Official
- Baggage Rules, 2006 — amended consolidated copy (CustomsNews.pk) Rule 3C proviso: perfumes, toiletries, cosmetics or food capped at US$75 in each category
- FBR — draft S.R.O. 985(I)/2022, draft amendments to the Baggage Rules 4 July 2022 draft: US$1,000 shop limit (stay over 60 days), US$1,500 for TR, higher FERC credits. Proposal for objections only Official
- FBR — S.R.O. 1864(I)/2022, amendments to the Baggage Rules 10 October 2022 final notice: rule 7A and Appendix-C only Official
- FBR — S.R.O. 2201(I)/2022, amendments to the Baggage Rules 12 December 2022 final notice: rule 7A(2) currency tables and Appendix-C only Official
- Customs Rules, 2001 — FBR consolidated copy Rule 350(2): duty free shops licensed under the Customs Act sell to passengers against their baggage allowances Official
- Pakistan Airports Authority — Islamabad International Airport, Custom Rules & Baggage Allowances Duty-free shop: within 60 days, US$500 standard, US$1,000 TR (read 22 Oct 2026; page still lists a phone allowance removed in 2019) Official
- Customs Today — FBR restricts duty-free shopping to $75 22 Dec 2017: S.R.O. 1250(I)/2017 US$75 caps; CGO 07/2017 boarding-pass barcode and NADRA biometric checks
- Business Recorder — FBR takes step aimed at further liberalising baggage rules 7 July 2022 report on draft S.R.O. 985(I)/2022
- PkRevenue — Unlock your baggage rights when entering Pakistan 19 Apr 2025 report of FTO information quoting the 2022 draft figures (US$1,000 / US$1,500)
Estimate and information only, not legal or tax advice. Customs and FBR make the final decision. Spotted a rule change? Tell us.