scout

Member
Jun 25, 2010
359
0
16
Ubud
Import duty on personal belongs

Metrotvnews.com reports the Indonesian Minister of Finance has issued a regulation stipulating that import duty will be applied on goods brought by passengers, air crew, border crossers and mailed parcels effective January 1, 2011.

The Ministerial regulation (Peraturan Menteri Keuangan Nomor 188/PMK.04/2010), as explained by the spokesman of the Ministry of Finance, Yudi Pramadi, will impose import duties on personal belongings and/or commercial goods exceeding a certain value carried by international air and sea passengers, flight crews, border crossers and shipped items.

The amount of duty to be charged will be in accordance with the duty levels set by the government. According to the report, when more than three kinds of goods are brought by a single traveler the Customs and Excise Office will use the highest duty rate from among the items inspected, apply that rate to all the items.

Yudi said that individual travelers will be allowed to carry duty-free US$250 in personal belongings while families will enjoy a US$1,000 limit. Aircrews will be granted a smaller limit of only US$50 per person. Shipped parcels will be granted a duty-free limit of US$50.

Whenever these limits are exceeded, however, import duties will apply.

It remains unclear how custom's officer will handle tourist visitors traveling with personal effects in excess of these limits with the intention of re-exporting the items out of Indonesia at the end of their stay. This is especially worrisome as many travelers carry personal jewelry, cameras, personal computers and hand phones that easily exceed the relatively small stipulated values.
Bali Discovery
:icon_sad:
 

spicyayam

Well-Known Member
Jan 12, 2009
3,592
342
83
$250 is not a lot as many people now travel with laptops, iphones etc. I really wonder how and if they will actually enforce this. It could be one way to cut tourism numbers back a bit :icon_rolleyes:
 

ronb

Well-Known Member
Aug 14, 2007
2,241
56
48
Ubud, Bali
It seems that the Minister for Finance needs to talk more with the Minister for Tourism. One of Tourism's strategies is to attract tourists who spend more - so for example attract more of the conference/meeting goers who are generally big spenders.

These people often travel as individuals and would have a camera, a phone and a laptop. All of these could be high-end expensive items. So where did they get that $250 limit from? Whoever advised this does not understand tourists at all.
 

spicyayam

Well-Known Member
Jan 12, 2009
3,592
342
83
The JP reports the tax being applied to gifts rather than personal belongings as in the above article.

The question is how will they determine whether something is a "gift" or not. I don't get how the "bank transfer" machines are going to work either.

Fortunately there are no loopholes for bribery :icon_biggrin:

The customs office says it will start checking the luggage of arriving airline passengers for gifts - and levying duties on presents it finds that are worth more than US$250.

Customs and Excise Office spokesman Evi Suhartantyo said on Wednesday that all arriving foreign and Indonesian passengers would have their luggage rechecked by officers after completing current luggage scans.

“If we find that they have [gifts] worth more than US$250, we will charge an import duty,” Evi said.
More officers would be deployed to avoid long lines, he said.

Evi said the office would install bank counters in the customs area so passengers could pay by bank transfer.

There will be no loopholes for bribery,” he said as quoted by kontan.co.id business news portal.
Passengers would not be allowed to pay a duty to bring in more than one liter of alcohol or 250 cigarettes under existing regulations, Evi said, adding that excess alcohol and cigarettes would be confiscated.

Evi did not provide a timetable for implementing the duty
 

T.J

Member
Apr 21, 2010
48
0
6
Tiying Tukul puri, Canggu
I cannot see them being able to implement this ruling however they have now legally covered their ass if they select you out of the line because you look like a well off bule for the ultimate shakedown. We will be entering Bali early January and have A LOT of gear over the $250 mark, so that time I enjoy so much in immigration at the airport may become an extended stay for us. :icon_evil::icon_evil:
 

sunskin

New Member
Dec 5, 2010
5
0
1
Essentially, it's a tax on matter, then. Anything carried into the country you have to pay for? Nuts!
 

hermit

Member
Aug 19, 2010
414
4
18
Bona gianyar
Booze-hunt?

jp reports[/url] the tax being applied to gifts rather than personal belongings as in the above article.

If it is only for gifts,that is a regulation that has been in effect already,so what is new?


customs and excise office spokesman evi suhartantyo said on wednesday that all arriving foreign and indonesian passengers would have their luggage rechecked by officers after completing current luggage scans.

if that is true,it would mean another hour or so waiting to get in.

passengers would not be allowed to pay a duty to bring in more than one liter of alcohol or 250 cigarettes under existing regulations, evi said, adding that excess alcohol and cigarettes would be confiscated.

why???if the intention is to make money from taxation????
This rule seems to be in effect some time also,as a guest of mine had to empty one of her two bottles of liquor,altough she proposed to pay tax on the second one.she did get a neat receipt for the "destruction of a bottle of alcohol".the customs were not interested in her four cartons of cigarettes.


evi did not provide a timetable for implementing the duty

it seems to have started already.
 
Last edited:

tom

Member
Sep 27, 2009
87
0
6
CA. USA
I will move to Indo. in 1 1/2 yrs. Hope to bring some semi valuable stuff. I was once told that within the 1st 6 months of a kitas visa you can import personal belongings duty free. Anybody know about this and how the new law would affect that?
 

scout

Member
Jun 25, 2010
359
0
16
Ubud
Dont worry

I will move to Indo. in 1 1/2 yrs. Hope to bring some semi valuable stuff. I was once told that within the 1st 6 months of a kitas visa you can import personal belongings duty free. Anybody know about this and how the new law would affect that?

Hey in 1.5 years the laws will have changed about six times, so I wouldn't worry too much right now. Just keep your eye on the legislations etc. I brought in 34 boxes of belongs, approx 8 years ago with no hassle, but that was then, and only a small bribe to one customs official who was eyeing off my sewing machine.
:icon_lol:
 

ronb

Well-Known Member
Aug 14, 2007
2,241
56
48
Ubud, Bali
I will move to Indo. in 1 1/2 yrs. Hope to bring some semi valuable stuff. I was once told that within the 1st 6 months of a kitas visa you can import personal belongings duty free. Anybody know about this and how the new law would affect that?
My guess is that the arrangements for bringing personal effects when you are moving here will not change. But it is just a guess.
 

kiwi

Member
Nov 8, 2010
144
0
16
Brisbane
Delays Delays

Twice last year we were subject to all departing passengers having full bag search at check in and again all carry on luggage at the departure lounge, it added another 2 hours to the process. We thought it was just bad luck that we got it twice but again departing in Feb this year same again. With the thought of having to go through something like on entry along with the line for VOA it may put a few people off along with the fact many of us pack gifts for locals who have become good friends over the years.
Bad for the tourist trade bad for locals:icon_sad:
 

zoyra

Member
Jun 24, 2010
204
0
16
Bali
I will move to Indo. in 1 1/2 yrs. Hope to bring some semi valuable stuff. I was once told that within the 1st 6 months of a kitas visa you can import personal belongings duty free. Anybody know about this and how the new law would affect that?

Hi Tom, a reliable moving company should be able to advise you. Regulations keep on changing, and the movers should always have an update. It's their job and you are paying for it. Just to make sure, check several companies (there is no cost, just ask them to do the 'survey') - there is no cost for this. Hope this helps.
 

hermit

Member
Aug 19, 2010
414
4
18
Bona gianyar
I will move to Indo. in 1 1/2 yrs. Hope to bring some semi valuable stuff. I was once told that within the 1st 6 months of a kitas visa you can import personal belongings duty free. Anybody know about this and how the new law would affect that?

I am on a Kitas and imported some boxes last year.The firm that did this from my homeland is run by an indonesian.They were not really interested in my Kitas ,as they pay a standard "fee"per imported container without the customs checking anything.
You have a year and a half to find a similar firm in your country.
Good luck.
 

tom

Member
Sep 27, 2009
87
0
6
CA. USA
Thanks for all the input. i will keep an eye on things.Probable just pack some boxes on the plane. It will be my wife, our two young kids and myself. So should be able to bring several boxes.
 

Tamispecial

Member
Oct 14, 2010
127
0
16
Legian Kaja
of course it's a joke!

BUT, if it is implemented where will the extra tax go?....but silly me....I know where it's going to go:icon_evil:

Talk about desperate measures to get more money......and as was mentioned before a sure way to keep people away from Bali......gila, gila, gila!:icon_sad:
 

Tamispecial

Member
Oct 14, 2010
127
0
16
Legian Kaja
hahaha, very funny metronews!!

It's almost as funny as the so called 30% Balinese architecture to be applied to new buildings..hotels etc...not to mention all the illegal buildings that are going up which are a drain on the already struggling infrastructure........

Dont jump up and down AFTER the buildings have been built!!!:icon_e_sad:
 

matsaleh

Super Moderator
May 26, 2004
2,471
145
63
Legian, Bali
It's almost as funny as the so called 30% Balinese architecture to be applied to new buildings..hotels etc...not to mention all the illegal buildings that are going up which are a drain on the already struggling infrastructure........

Dont jump up and down AFTER the buildings have been built!!!:icon_e_sad:
Agreed... but in the meantime, the Bali government need to tear down a few of the structures that don't meet Bali building guidelines. It's the only way to stop investors paying off officials in Jakarta to turn a blind eye to multi-storey illegal developments. :icon_evil:
 

Tamispecial

Member
Oct 14, 2010
127
0
16
Legian Kaja
Agreed... but in the meantime, the Bali government need to tear down a few of the structures that don't meet Bali building guidelines. It's the only way to stop investors paying off officials in Jakarta to turn a blind eye to multi-storey illegal developments. :icon_evil:

I couldn't agree more......how are we ever going to expect Bali to retain it's architectural heritage when we have such a corrupt government?..it sickens me.....but i guess once Bali looks more like Hawaii or Ibitha then maybe, just maybe something might be done to stop this ever increasing destruction of a beautiful island....

Yes, I am totally against the intrusion of western development on Bali.....enough is enough...stop.......we do not want your ugly western buildings here....if people want your kind of architectural nightmare buildings then let them go to where they belong....which definitely is not here on Bali.

Yes, there is far too much western influence here...and i hate it with a passion.