Vehicle Importation Procedures / Fees [Merged]

**bogart** · July 16th, 2003 02:44 PM

Bringing a car into the Philippines? BIS shows you how

Many balikbayans and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) want to bring home their personal cars to the Philippines. Here are tips from the Bureau of Import Services (BIS) of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Know these tips and avoid fixers who will only take you for a very expensive ride.

Not just any Tom, Dick, and Harry is qualified to bring in a used car. BIS says, you have to be a balikbayan (a Filipino working and residing abroad) or a holder of a 13A or 13G Visa. A 13G visa is given to a former Filipino citizen, while a 13A visa is issued to foreigner married to Filipino citizens.

Only those who have worked or are working and residing abroad for at least one year are allowed to import their personal used cars into the country. This one year residency requirement, the BIS says, can be accumulated over a period of three years.

The car must be registered under the name of the importer for at least six months prior to the submission of the application to the BIS.

Application forms for prior approval have to be filled out completely and legibly. The BIS form are available at Philippine consulates, the BIS office, DTI regional offices, and can be downloaded from the website at http://www.dti.gov.ph/bis.

These forms have to be filled out and processed prior to importing a car. Other documents to be submitted include a notarized Affidavit of Undertaking, authenticated copies of all the pages of your old and new passports, car title or registration, Alien Certificate of Registration, Immigrant Certificate of Residence, a 2x2 picture and payment of the BIS's processing fee of PhP1,500 for cars and PhP900 for motorcycles.

With complete documents, a certificate of prior approval can be issued within three days.

Not all types of cars are allowed entry. According to the BIS, only left-hand drive vehicles within 3,000 kilos gross weight are allowed.

Vehicles must also meet Philippine safety and emission standards.

The BIS requires payment of taxes and duties on the imported car and the personal appearance of the importer before a car can be released by the Bureau of Customs.

The BIS also advises importers to send their car to the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) at the North Harbor. Processing the entry of your car will be easier with the presence of a One-Stop-Action Center located at the MICT. For further questions please call the Import Action Division of the Bureau of Import Services at tel. no. (632)890-5418.

**1D4LV** · July 16th, 2003 03:38 PM

imho, kung ako naman eh balikbayan na 13a o 13g visa holder eh pagbalik ko dito, dito na lang ako bibili ng oto. mas mura. mas less hassle.

**jesi** · July 16th, 2003 03:49 PM

Originally posted by happy_gilmore
imho, kung ako naman eh balikbayan na 13a o 13g visa holder eh pagbalik ko dito, dito na lang ako bibili ng oto. mas mura. mas less hassle.

Exacto. They never the amount of tax. It is 100% of the value of the car [not more than five years old]. If older than five years old, max depreciation is 50%. So the least tax you will pay is 50% of how much the car cost when purcahsed new. It is not worth it, pwera na lang kung talagang luxury car...

**20vanda01** · July 16th, 2003 03:56 PM

I have a friend of mine from TX was able to ship his expedition for his mother (who is here in Phil), it cost him $5000 for the complete processing including shipping charges. He shipped it 4 weeks prior he came to Philippines. On his 3 days in Philippines, he already got teh Expe out from Paco, Manila. 'Yong shipping lines di ko na matandaan, pero from TX, tapos dumadaan ng CA to pick more shipping. Bale kahit ano daw ilagay mo sa loob ng car, kahit TV, ref (kung magkasya) mga damit etc, basta sa loob lang ng car, and then ilalagay sa isang container.

**jesi** · July 16th, 2003 04:10 PM

Originally posted by 20vanda01
I have a friend of mine from TX was able to ship his expedition for his mother (who is here in Phil), it cost him $5000 for the complete processing including shipping charges. He shipped it 4 weeks prior he came to Philippines. On his 3 days in Philippines, he already got teh Expe out from Paco, Manila. 'Yong shipping lines di ko na matandaan, pero from TX, tapos dumadaan ng CA to pick more shipping. Bale kahit ano daw ilagay mo sa loob ng car, kahit TV, ref (kung magkasya) mga damit etc, basta sa loob lang ng car, and then ilalagay sa isang container.

Wow, that was really great. I was going to ship my old car three years ago and they told me that it wasn't worth it dahil sa taxes. That is why I ended up buying used na lang diyan...

**NightRock** · July 16th, 2003 04:40 PM

Ang tanong dyan Yung TAX.. sana kung mababa lang ang TAX nila pwedeng pwede.... Kaso mga ganid yang mga tao dyan mga TAX ina nila

**1D4LV** · July 16th, 2003 04:51 PM

tsaka yung tax assessment dito is inconsistent. dami ka ilalabas na pera dahil sa lagay. ang haba pa ng red tape.

although i had never experienced importing a car here, ang dami ko namang experience importing mid-range to mainframe computers papasok ng pinas directly from IBM US. grabe ang haba ng proseso, tapos ang tax is almost 100% nga.

**bogart** · July 16th, 2003 06:06 PM

Originally posted by jesi
Exacto. They never the amount of tax. It is 100% of the value of the car [not more than five years old]. If older than five years old, max depreciation is 50%. So the least tax you will pay is 50% of how much the car cost when purcahsed new. It is not worth it, pwera na lang kung talagang luxury car...

ganun ba? :sad:

kala ko di aabutin ng USD1000 to bring a car here.

inawitan ko pa naman yung Toyota Tacoma ng father ko.

in-email ko nga sa kanila yung article eh.

anyway, back to dreaming. :sigh:

**jesi** · July 16th, 2003 06:27 PM

If it was that low, car industry sa Pilipinas will surely die. Dahil halos lahat naman eh may kakilala sa states kahit papaano. People will surely take advantage of that.

I was told then that shipping alone [from Oakland, Ca] is $2500. Wala pa processing and tax. Kaya iyong $5000 na sinabi ni 20vanda01 for the Expedition is really low.

**yebo** · July 16th, 2003 08:30 PM

if you really want to do this, don't bring a car from the states. rather, bring in a car from the middle east like saudi arabia. buy from the "baladiya" or junk yard. perfect condition porches, benz, jaguars, etc for less than 20% the blue book price. bring it in by door to door. these are formerely cars that those damned saudis got tired of and since there is no second hand car market in saudi arabia to speak of, they just leave it in the middle os the dessert when they want to buy a new one.