Bringing a Mobile Phone to Pakistan: PTA Tax, Passport vs CNIC and the 120-Day Rule
Three ways to use your phone in Pakistan
| Option | Cost | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Keep your foreign SIM on roaming | Your roaming charges only | Short trips |
| Free temporary registration (one phone, up to 120 days) | No FBR tax | Visits up to 4 months |
| Pay PTA/FBR tax and register for good | Tax set by DIRBS for your model | Staying longer, or leaving the phone in Pakistan |
The free 120-day registration
FBR's Customs General Order 01/2019 (amended in 2024) created a temporary registration for overseas Pakistanis and foreigners on short visits. This includes Pakistanis working abroad and students studying abroad.
- It covers only one handset.
- You need your passport number, arrival date, planned departure date, the phone's IMEI, and a Pakistani SIM issued in your own name.
- FIA's border system checks your arrival date. Your mobile company checks the SIM is yours.
- The phone is locked to that SIM. Another SIM will not get network.
- After 120 days the phone is blocked on local networks.
- Next visit, apply again with the same details.
An IMEI used once under this facility cannot be used again on someone else's passport. Do not lend your phone for this.
How to apply
- Get a Pakistani SIM in your own name after you land.
- Dial *#06# to see your IMEI.
- Open dirbs.pta.gov.pk/drs and choose temporary registration for overseas Pakistanis.
- Enter your passport, travel dates, SIM number and IMEI.
- Wait for the confirmation. PTA helpline: 0800-55555.
Paying the tax: the 60-day deadline
If you want the phone to work beyond your visit, register it with tax. You can apply on DIRBS or dial *8484# from a local SIM. DIRBS creates a payment slip (PSID). Pay it by app, ATM or bank. The phone is then cleared.
Travellers should do this within 60 days of arrival. After 60 days, you pay the taxes plus a fine.
Passport or CNIC?
DIRBS asks for your passport number or CNIC when you register a phone that came in your baggage. Many sellers and blogs say passport registration costs less than CNIC. We could not confirm the current official rates for each option, so we do not quote them here.
Tip: before paying, check the amount DIRBS shows for your exact model. The tax depends on the phone's assessed value and the exchange rate on that day.
Limits to know
- No duty-free phone. Even one phone is taxed if you want to use it on a local SIM long term (FBR, since 1 July 2019).
- PTA lets one person register up to 5 devices a year.
- Stolen, cloned or fake-IMEI phones are blocked for good.
Related: What else you can bring duty-free · Gold limits · Cash limits
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to pay PTA tax if I use my foreign SIM?
FBR's DIRBS guidance says foreign roaming SIMs can be used without a time limit. Tax matters once you put in a Pakistani SIM.
How many phones can I register free for 120 days?
Only one handset per person under the temporary registration.
When does the 120 days start?
It is linked to your arrival date, which is checked with FIA's border records.
What if I miss the 60-day deadline to pay tax?
You can still register, but you pay the taxes plus a fine.
Can my relative use the 120-day facility on my phone after I leave?
No. Once an IMEI has used the facility, it cannot be used again on another person's passport.
How many phones can I register in a year?
PTA allows up to 5 devices per person per year.
Sources
- FBR Customs General Order 01/2019, as amended by CGO 01/2024 Para 2A (60 days), para 2AA (temporary registration, one handset, 120 days), note (5 devices a year); 21 Mar 2024 Official
- FBR — FAQs on DIRBS (2019) Q1–Q2: no duty-free phone since 01.07.2019; Q6: foreign SIM roaming Official
- PTA DIRBS — Device Registration System Official portal for registration and tax PSID Official
- CW Pakistan — PTA reminds overseas Pakistanis of free 120-day registration 15 June 2026; PTA helpline 0800-55555
- Baggage Rules, 2006 — amended consolidated copy (CustomsNews.pk) Shows Rule 3A(viii) mobile allowance omitted by S.R.O. 689(I)/2019 and Rule 3C US$75 proviso
Estimate and information only, not legal or tax advice. Customs and FBR make the final decision. Spotted a rule change? Tell us.