PTA has issued a public awareness reminder aimed at overseas Pakistanis, confirming that visitors to Pakistan can register their foreign mobile devices for free for up to 120 days during each visit to the country, with no Federal Board of Revenue taxes applicable under this temporary registration facility.
The reminder highlights three key features of the overseas visitor registration pathway. Devices registered under the 120-day facility attract no FBR taxes, distinguishing the scheme from the standard device registration process that applies to permanent residents and which carries the combined PTA and FBR tax burden that has been the subject of ongoing debate in the industry and parliament. The registration process is fully automated, requiring no manual intervention or in-person visits to PTA offices. Overseas Pakistanis can complete the registration entirely through PTA’s Device Registration System portal, accessible at https://dirbs.pta.gov.pk/drs, using the Device Identification Registration and Blocking System’s online interface.
The 120-day temporary registration facility has been in place for several years but continues to be underutilised by many overseas Pakistanis who are either unaware of the provision or assume that their foreign-purchased devices will automatically work on Pakistani networks. Without registration, devices brought into Pakistan from abroad are flagged by the DIRBS system and blocked from operating on local cellular networks after a grace period. The PTA’s awareness campaign ahead of what is typically a peak season for overseas Pakistani visits, particularly around Eid and summer holidays, ensures that visiting Pakistanis can stay connected through their own devices without incurring the tax costs that apply to permanent residents purchasing or importing devices into the country. Those requiring assistance can contact PTA’s helpline at 0800-55555 during visiting hours, which run Monday to Thursday from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM and Friday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM.
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