Finally, here’s some good news for people who purchase stuff from online sites like Aliexpress, Amazon or others. PTA has recently made some changes to its “Type Approval” policy and exempted several electronic items from Type Approval / NOC.
It means that people who are buy laptops, desktops, tablet PCs (without SIM), Bluetooth speakers, smartwatches (without SIM), NFC and GPS devices won’t have to get any kind of NOC and may be directly imported as per custom procedures.
Networking Equipment used for ICT applications including switches, firewalls, servers and storage devices are also exempted from NOC.
Do keep in mind that custom procedures will still apply on all these items. You may be asked to pay custom duty if the item is not marked as gift or the value of the item is high.
How to get Mobile Phones and other Devices using SIM cards?
PTA requires issuance of Type Approval of Mobile Phones & Tablet PC with SIM functionality and issuance of NOC for personal use i.e. gift items with a maximum of 5 devices allowed per Year.
These items are allowed only after verification of Type Allocation Code (TAC) from IMEI database. If NOC is requested for more than 5 sets, the applicant will be asked to apply for type approval for the sets.
The complete procedure for getting NOC and Type approvals for mobile phones is detailed in this document. Keep in mind that you’ll also have to pay for the custom duties on the import of mobile phones and other expensive items.
