PTA's DIRBS Stuff for Overseas Pakistanis

usmankh10

Well-known member
Sep 2, 2009
2,335
0
41
lahore
Just a quick question. Will my phone be PTA approved as per below given situation?
I have OnePlus 6 which was used on Pakistani network till first week of January 2019.
After January I travelled to USA, now i am planning to go back and sell my OnePlus 6. So just wanted to clarify so If I need to pay taxes or not.

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murtaza12

Global Moderator
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Oct 27, 2011
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Just a quick question. Will my phone be PTA approved as per below given situation?
I have OnePlus 6 which was used on Pakistani network till first week of January 2019.
After January I travelled to USA, now i am planning to go back and sell my OnePlus 6. So just wanted to clarify so If I need to pay taxes or not.

Sent from my SM-G973U1 using Tapatalk
If you are in Pakistan right now, check the status of the IMEI on DIRBS website.

If you are out of Pakistan, DIRBS website can not be accessed so send the IMEI to your friends or family so they can check the status and send you a screenshot.

If it says approved, you can sell it here.
 

error

Mobile King !
Sep 26, 2007
1,356
16
43
Lahore
Is there any official confirmation on 1 mobile free on passport import policy change from 1st July ?
From 1st July, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has withdrawn exemption of bringing one mobile phone without payment of duties and taxes for incoming international passengers.

For mobile device registration and to know amount of applicable taxes on it, dial *8484# or visit https://dirbs.pta.gov.pk/drs/


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ahmadka

! Superman v2.0 !
Oct 5, 2007
4,840
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Arkham Asylum
Hi everyone .. I have a few questions, if someone can assist:

My wife recently went to Pakistan with a US based iPhone XS. She registered on DIRBS website (which I also can't access from US), and was asked to enter both IMEI's of her iPhone XS (even though the second IMEI is for the digital SIM feature of iPhone, which I assume no network in Pakistan currently supports). She entered the details, and FBR is charging her a custom of like 31K !!!

I mean WTF !!! She'll only be in Pakistan for 1-2 months, so is this 31K custom really necessary !? ... And wasn't one device free per year ?

EDIT:

Also another question. I myself went to Pakistan 2-3 months ago and stayed there for just 2 weeks. I entered Pakistan then for the first time with my current phone, which is also an iPhone XS, and didn't register it with DIRBS (I didn't know about it). Now I'm back in US, and have been back for 3+ months. Since it's been beyond 60 days since I 'entered' Pakistan, does that mean that now when I next enter Pakistan with my current iPhone XS, I cannot no longer use it there ?
 
Last edited:

murtaza12

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Oct 27, 2011
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Hi everyone .. I have a few questions, if someone can assist:

My wife recently went to Pakistan with a US based iPhone XS. She registered on DIRBS website (which I also can't access from US), and was asked to enter both IMEI's of her iPhone XS (even though the second IMEI is for the digital SIM feature of iPhone, which I assume no network in Pakistan currently supports). She entered the details, and FBR is charging her a custom of like 31K !!!

I mean WTF !!! She'll only be in Pakistan for 1-2 months, so is this 31K custom really necessary !? ... And wasn't one device free per year ?

EDIT:

Also another question. I myself went to Pakistan 2-3 months ago and stayed there for just 2 weeks. I entered Pakistan then for the first time with my current phone, which is also an iPhone XS, and didn't register it with DIRBS (I didn't know about it). Now I'm back in US, and have been back for 3+ months. Since it's been beyond 60 days since I 'entered' Pakistan, does that mean that now when I next enter Pakistan with my current iPhone XS, I cannot no longer use it there ?
She can use her phone in Pakistan for 60 days for free.

After that period, customs payment of 31k is necessary.

Registering one or two IMEIs doesn't affect the amount charged.

One free device per year was removed because many people abused that feature.

As for your second question, I don't know how PTAs timer works so I'm not sure if the 60 day countdown starts regardless if you stay there for that long, or whether you have 46 days left.

DIRBS website is only accessible from within Pakistan, which is a very very stupid rule but that's just how it is.
 

ahmadka

! Superman v2.0 !
Oct 5, 2007
4,840
5
43
39
Arkham Asylum
She can use her phone in Pakistan for 60 days for free.

After that period, customs payment of 31k is necessary.

Registering one or two IMEIs doesn't affect the amount charged.

One free device per year was removed because many people abused that feature.

As for your second question, I don't know how PTAs timer works so I'm not sure if the 60 day countdown starts regardless if you stay there for that long, or whether you have 46 days left.

DIRBS website is only accessible from within Pakistan, which is a very very stupid rule but that's just how it is.
Thanks so much for the info dude. I think it makes more sense to have a cheap Android phone bought from Pakistan, to use in Pakistan when there. 31k is quite a lot :/

I think its a good move by the government to phase out grey market phones, etc., but the execution is TERRIBLE! ... In the US when such a change is coming that general public needs to made aware of, they start posting stuff about it in public places 2-3 years BEFORE the actual date that rule becomes effective. The execution of this DIRBS is so stupid ... I didn't even know about this shit when I was there, and now my phone is potentially banned for no obvious reason ... Awesome! (y)
 

Greed

:o
Dec 26, 2008
574
4
23
Saddar. Lahore.
I heard the tax is going to be lowered (for a >$500 phone you will have to pay around 11k and not 41k). Can anyone comment if this news is authentic?

I am holding on to buying a new phone just in case I buy one and pay this absurd tax and then it diminishes.
 

ahmadka

! Superman v2.0 !
Oct 5, 2007
4,840
5
43
39
Arkham Asylum
Is there anyway to predict the DIRBS custom cost of a phone before bringing it to Pakistan ?

I'm coming to Pakistan soon for a month long trip, and seeing that my iPhone XS is probably blocked now by PTA (as I entered Pakistan for a 2 week trip back in June, and my 60 days are over), I was thinking of getting a used iPhone 5s or something for use in Pakistan ?

But I don't want to pay like 20,000 PKR or something for something as old as an iPhone 5s, so want to confirm custom first.
 

murtaza12

Global Moderator
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Oct 27, 2011
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Is there anyway to predict the DIRBS custom cost of a phone before bringing it to Pakistan ?

I'm coming to Pakistan soon for a month long trip, and seeing that my iPhone XS is probably blocked now by PTA (as I entered Pakistan for a 2 week trip back in June, and my 60 days are over), I was thinking of getting a used iPhone 5s or something for use in Pakistan ?

But I don't want to pay like 20,000 PKR or something for something as old as an iPhone 5s, so want to confirm custom first.
I don't know how DIRBS will estimate cost on a used phone.

Best would be to buy a cheap used 5S or something along those lines when you actually get to Pak. It will probably be less than 20k and you can check it's approval status right there when you're buying it.
 

murtaza12

Global Moderator
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Oct 27, 2011
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Was trying to make an account on Dibrs to register a non approved phone. Guess what! Your CNIC is already registered. Try another one. WTF??????:confused::confused::confused::confused::confused::confused:
Contact PTA and tell them someone used your CNIC to make a DIRBS account.

They will disable that account and you should be able to create one yourself.
 

DietyDevil

Well-known member
Feb 4, 2008
2,293
4
43
Peshawar
hello Guys.Need to get the other sim approved.One sim was approved before DIRBS Implementation,the other one isn't approved.Could someone please guide what to do?

the set is poco dual sim..brought from dubai...

- - - Updated - - -

@murtaza12
 

DietyDevil

Well-known member
Feb 4, 2008
2,293
4
43
Peshawar
@murtaza12

Salaam bro.I just bought Realme 6 Pro brand new set.I checked it in device verification system,it says imei is valid but not approved/registered wtf.Isnt this phone supposed to be approved or do i need to do something.Thanks in advance.
 

murtaza12

Global Moderator
Global Mod
Oct 27, 2011
10,721
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@murtaza12

Salaam bro.I just bought Realme 6 Pro brand new set.I checked it in device verification system,it says imei is valid but not approved/registered wtf.Isnt this phone supposed to be approved or do i need to do something.Thanks in advance.
If it's an officially sold device, it should be approved by default.

Where did you buy it from and do you have the receipt and warranty card?
 

xbox360 fan

xbox360 fan
Jan 14, 2010
377
0
21
rawalpindi
@murtaza12

I had an Iphone 6s plus which was brought by my cousin from USA back in July 2019 . When I tried to registered my Iphone the tax was huge around 36k so never paid any tax . Around week ago I had an software update on my iPhone , lucky me I have a sim inside my phone and suddenly after an software update my phone started working . Did pta unlocked my iphone temporary ? did it happened to anyone else ?
 

murtaza12

Global Moderator
Global Mod
Oct 27, 2011
10,721
121
69
@murtaza12

I had an Iphone 6s plus which was brought by my cousin from USA back in July 2019 . When I tried to registered my Iphone the tax was huge around 36k so never paid any tax . Around week ago I had an software update on my iPhone , lucky me I have a sim inside my phone and suddenly after an software update my phone started working . Did pta unlocked my iphone temporary ? did it happened to anyone else ?
It may be a temporary deadline extension for you to pay the DIRBS fees. I think they have extended it to some date in June or July, after which it will be blocked again.
 
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