2006-12-18
In reply to queries from many of our kababayans on the procedure for bringing a car into the Philippines, the Philippine Consulate General is pleased to share the following tips from the Bureau of Import Services (BIS) of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI):
Only balikbayans or holders of 13A or 13G Visas are qualified to bring in a used car. 13G visas are given to former Filipino citizens, while 13A visas are issued to foreigners 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 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 forms are available at the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto. They may also be downloaded from the BIS 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 the following:
With complete documents, processing time is three (3) working days.
Not all types of cars are allowed entry. 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 the Bureau of Customs can release it.
The BIS also advises importers to send their cars to the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) at the North Harbor. Processing of the entry of imported cars at MICT is easier with the presence of a One-Stop-Action Center.
For further questions, please call the Import Action Division of the Bureau of Import Services at tel. no. (632) 890-5418.
( originally posted on 25 June 2001 )