The government has decided to exempt tourists from duty on certain items for their personal use as part of the duty exemption rules for goods brought by travellers, small items brought by private individuals, and goods brought as commercial samples.
Under the previous rule, items such as cigarettes were not exempt from duty for tourists. However, the recent amendment allows foreign tourists over the age of 18 to bring in 200 cigarettes, 25 cigars, or 250 grams of tobacco for personal use without paying duty.
The amendment limits the quantity of goods such as cigarettes that tourists can bring into the country. However, if tourists exceed the specified limits, Maldives Customs Service will seize the excess items as bonds. Tourists will have the option to retrieve these items upon departure, after completing their trip.
The amendment is part of an effort to balance the importation of such goods while addressing health concerns. The government aims to reduce the societal health hazards associated with tobacco use by gradually raising the import duty rates. Under the Export-Import Act, the duty rate on cigarettes and traditional cigarettes (bidi) will increase from USD 0.19 to USD 0.52.