BOC eases rules on sending duty-free balikbayan boxes valued at P150,000

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Thursday issued a new set of rules for overseas Filipinos to get duty and tax exemption privileges for balikbayan boxes valued at up to P150,000.

“Customs Memorandum Order (CMO) No. 18- 2018, issued on October 11, 2018, supersedes CMO No. 04-2017 which provides for the guidelines on the availment of the privilege by qualified Filipinos on their consolidated shipment of balikbayan boxes,” the bureau said in a statement.

Instead of sticking to a Philippine passport as proof of citizenship, the BOC said it is now accepting other documents such photocopies of:

• the page of a Philippine passport containing personal information, picture and signature (in case of dual citizenship without a Philippine passport, a photocopy of the foreign passport with personal information, picture and signature, plus proof of dual Filipino citizenship

• permanent resident ID or equivalent document in other countries

• Overseas Employment Certificate/OWWA Card

• work permit

• Unified Government ID issued by the Department of Labor and Employment

• any other equivalent document except birth certificate

Three copies of an information sheet, which serves as the packing list, must also be accomplished by the sender.

The first copy will be attached to the topmost portion of the box, the second will be a personal copy of the overseas Filipino, and the third will be given to the Consolidator to be forwarded to the Customs.

Information sheets are downloadable from the BOC website. 

Senders are no longer required to submit commercial invoices of goods inside the package.

The invoices are to be submitted only if these are available.

Each sender must not exceed P150,000 and the items must not be of commercial quantity.

Balikbayan boxes must only contain personal and household effects.

Qualified to avail of the P150,000 duty and tax-free balikbayan boxes are the following:

• holders of valid passports issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and certified by Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) or Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) for overseas employment purposes regardless of profession

• non-resident Filipinos who have established permanent residency abroad but retained their Filipino citizenship

• resident Filipino citizens on student visa, investors’ visa, tourist visa, and similar visas which allow them to temporarily stay abroad.

Balikbayan boxes with no associated derogatory information or red alert after going through the X-ray machine will not be opened and subjected to physical examination, the BOC said. —Dona Magsino/VDS, GMA News