CHAPTER
XVI
PRIVATE
REMITTANCES
-
Transfer of Assets
- Foreign Nationals retiring from Pakistan.
-
Sale
of imported vehicles.
-
Legacies
and other Distributions of Assets from the Estate of Deceased
Persons.
-
Family
Remittance Facilities.
-
Issue
of Permits.
-
Family
Remittance Facilities - Self-employed Foreign Nationals.
-
Family
Remittance Facilities - Foreign Nationals employed by Merchant
Navy and Persons of Indo-Pak Origin.
-
Convertible
and Non-Convertible Rupee Accounts.
-
United
Nations and its Organizations in Pakistan.
-
Issue
of Travellers Cheques against Family Maintenance Permits.
-
Subscription
to Foreign Magazines, Periodicals etc. and Purchase of Books
of a Learned or Technical Nature.
-
Procedure
for effecting Remittances.
-
Remittances
by Book-sellers/Subscription Agencies on account of Subscription
to Foreign Journals and Magazines etc.
-
Import
by Actual Users.
-
Membership
Fees of Educational, Technical, Professional & Scientific
Institutions.
-
Membership
Fees of Bonafide Social Clubs etc.
-
Correspondence
Courses.
-
Fees
for appearing in Examinations held in Pakistan by ICWA,
London Institute of Bankers, etc.
-
Other
Private Remittances.
-
Method
of Reporting the Remittances allowed by Authorised Dealers
under the above Authority.
1. Transfer of Assets-Foreign Nationals
retiring form Pakistan.
Requests
for remittance of assets received by the Authorised Dealers
from foreign nationals (other than Indian nationals), foreign
born wives of Pakistan nationals, persons of Indo-Pakistan origin
holding foreign passports and stateless refugees, retiring permanently
from Pakistan to their country of permanent domicile or to another
country should be referred to the State Bank in the prescribed
form (Appendix
V-58) alongwith Form
'M' and other supporting documents. The assets include
bank balance, sale proceeds of securities and other items including
real estate purchased by the applicant out of his genuine savings
during his stay in Pakistan. In such cases, the application
should be accompanied by the following documents:
(i)
(a) In respect
of foreign nationals employed in the private sector, a
certified true copy of the service contract and approval
letter from the Board of Investment/work permit/work
visa if applicable under the government’s Investment Policy.
(b)
In respect of persons employed in the public sector,
a certified true copy of their contracts with the employing
agency.
(c)
In the case of self-employed persons carrying on their
business or profession in Pakistan e.g. doctors, lawyers, architects,
consultants etc., a certified true copy of the permission letter
of the Board of Investment. Where a foreign national has been
carrying on his business or profession in Pakistan prior to
3rd October, 1963, the permission letter will not be necessary.
To this effect, suitable evidence will have to be produced by
the applicant to the State Bank.
(ii)
A certificate from the employer showing:
(a)
Net salary and allowances for each year.
(b)
Provident fund and leave salary paid on retirement.
(c)
Bonus and other gratuitous payments for each year.
(d)
Whether cost of passage for self and family is being
paid by the employer.
N.B:
The above certificate should cover the period of
employment not exceeding ten years counting from the date of
retirement from Pakistan.
Where
any of the above payments is not covered by the relative service
contract, a certified copy of the resolution of the Board of
Directors of the company or special sanction of the public sector
agency, as the case may be, will be necessary.
In
respect of self-employed foreign nationals, instead of employer's
certificate, certified true copies of their final income-tax
assessment orders for the preceding two years will be required.
(iii)
A statement of bank account for the preceding two years
prior to the date of the application.
(iv)
Bank certificate showing separately the total amount
of remittances made on account of (a) family maintenance (b)
leave salary and (c) other miscellaneous purposes for the preceding
two years.
(v) Statement
of sale proceeds realised in respect of locally purchased articles.
(vi) A Statement of sale proceeds of
articles imported by the applicant from abroad.
(vii)
Authorised Dealer's certificate showing the amount invested
and the amount realised from the sale of investments, where
the applicant had made investment in N.I.T. Units or other Government
Securities for availing of income tax relief.
2.
Sale of imported vehicles.
Foreign
Diplomatic Missions, Diplomatic Officers, privileged persons/organizations,
foreign nationals/contractors/firms etc., doing business or
employed in Pakistan, can sell or otherwise dispose of in Pakistan
their vehicles, which have been imported into Pakistan for official
or personal use, only in accordance with the rules governing
such imports. Remittance of sale proceeds will be considered
by the State Bank under the prescribed rules.
3.
Legacies and other Distributions of Assets from the Estate
of Deceased Persons.
Applications
covering remittance of legacies and other distributions from
estates of deceased persons due to beneficiaries resident outside
Pakistan should be referred to the State Bank for consideration.
Such applications should be made by letter, which should be
accompanied by the following documents and information:
(i)
Name, nationality and place of residence of the deceased at
the time of his death. If the deceased person was resident of
Pakistan, the period of such residence should be stated.
(ii)
A copy of the relative clauses in the Will after Probate has
been granted or if the deceased died intestate, in the Letters
of Administration, in both cases authenticated by a Notary Public,
any Court, Judge or Magistrate in Pakistan or in the country
of residence of the deceased if he died abroad.
(iii)
A full statement of the assets in Pakistan of the deceased together
with a copy of the bank account for the preceding two years.
Any
amounts which are not allowed to be remitted to the non-resident
beneficiaries will be permitted by the State Bank to be credited
to a blocked account in the name of the executor or administrator
with a bank in Pakistan. If any security, shares and real estate
which has been specifically bequeathed to persons resident outside
Pakistan are to be transferred to such beneficiaries, the applications
should also contain full particulars of such securities, shares
and real estate.
4.
Family Remittance Facilities.
Foreign
nationals, who are resident in and have income in Pakistan,
are permitted to make remittances to the country of their domicile
out of their current savings, to cover their commitments for
family maintenance, insurance premia, educational expenses of
their children, legal charges, mortgage payments, loan, interest
etc. Such remittances can be made to the extent of the difference
between the net income of the applicant and his estimated expenses
in Pakistan, as declared by him in the prescribed application
form. This facility is, however, not available to Indian and
Afghan nationals and foreign-born wives of Pakistan nationals.
5.
Issue of Permits.
(i) Permits for monthly remittances
may be issued by the Authorised Dealers, without the prior approval
of the State Bank, to foreign nationals other than those who
are:
a)
Self-employed, or
b)
employed in Merchant Navy, or
c)
of Indo-Pak origin.
Permits
will be issued on receipt of declaration from foreign nationals
in the prescribed form (Appendix
V-59) in duplicate and subject to fulfillment of
the following conditions:
aa)
The
applicant holds a work permit/visa or is employed in a hospital
or educational/charitable institution.
bb)
In case the applicant is employed with Government or Semi Government
institution, a letter from the Department concerned is produced.
cc)
The
pay cheque of the applicant is received directly by the Authorised
Dealer from the employer for credit to his individual account.
(ii) Permits to eligible applicants
will be issued by the Authorised Dealers on a yearly basis.
These permits will be non-cumulative. It will, however, be in
order for the Authorised Dealers to effect remittance of accumulated
amounts upto a maximum of two months. Remittance of accumulations
in excess of two months will require prior approval of the State
Bank. The amount remitted each month should be endorsed on the
application and after the last remittance is made, the same
should be surrendered to the State Bank.
(iii) For renewal, a fresh declaration
in duplicate should be obtained by the Authorised Dealers.
(iv) Salary on which remittance entitlement
is calculated would exclude monetary value of various facilities
such as free house, transport, servants, boarding etc., as also
cash payments towards conveyance, entertainment, house rent
etc. The term net income signifies gross income of the applicant
less all compulsory deductions such as income tax, provident
fund and pension fund, house rent and other deductions which
are of a fixed nature. Bonus or commission receivable by foreign
nationals cannot be added for calculating monthly entitlement
in anticipation of the grant of bonus or commission. The computation
will be made only after the net amount of bonus or commission
has actually been paid by the employer and will be spread over
the subsequent twelve months.
(v) Authorised
Dealers will keep proper record of these remittances, as this
information is needed by the State Bank, when foreign nationals
apply for remittance of their savings, on their retirement from
Pakistan.
(vi) The original copies of all declaration
forms (Appendix V-59) will be sent
to the State Bank after effecting the last remittance. Authorised
Dealers must, however, ensure that all expired permits are invariably
sent to the State Bank promptly.
6. Family Remittance Facilities-Self-employed
Foreign Nationals.
In
the case of self-employed foreign nationals e.g., doctors, lawyers,
architects, consultants etc., remittance permit will be issued
by the State Bank. Authorised Dealers should submit applications
of such foreign nationals in the prescribed form (Appendix
V-59), together with a statement of income for the
preceding one year and the latest income-tax assessment order.
Foreign nationals who have been carrying on their business or
under-taking independent profession in Pakistan on or after
3rd October, 1963 will be required to produce permission from
the Board of Investment. Permission letter will not be necessary
in those cases where the foreign nationals have been carrying
on their business or profession in Pakistan prior to 3rd October,
1963. In such cases, however, they will have to produce to the
State Bank suitable documentary evidence to this effect.
7.
Family Remittance Facilities-Foreign Nationals employed
by Merchant Navy and Persons of Indo-Pak Origin.
Applications
for issue of monthly remittance permits from foreign nationals
employed by Pakistan Merchant Navy and from persons of Indo-Pakistan
origin holding foreign passports should be forwarded to the
State Bank duly supported by necessary documents.
8.
Convertible and Non-Convertible Rupee Accounts.
Under
the rules, all Diplomatic Missions accredited to Pakistan, their
Diplomatic Officers and home-based members of the Mission's
staff in Pakistan, as also all international organizations in
Pakistan and their expatriate employees, are allowed to maintain
two separate Rupee accounts with banks in Pakistan viz. (i)
convertible Rupee account and (ii) non-convertible Rupee account.
Operations on these accounts are subject to the following rules:
(i) The convertible Rupee
account can be credited with the following: -
(a)
Foreign exchange received from abroad through normal
banking channel.
(b)
Foreign exchange encashed in Pakistan with any Authorised
Dealer.
(c)
Transfer from any other convertible Rupee account.
Other
credits to the convertible Rupee accounts would require the
prior permission of the State Bank.
The
convertible Rupee account can be debited with the following
without the permission of the State Bank:-
aa)
Payments in foreign exchange abroad.
bb)
Credit to any other convertible Rupee account.
cc)
Transfer to a non-convertible Rupee account.
dd)
Local disbursements.
ee)
Issuance of foreign currency travellers cheques and foreign
currency notes.
(ii) The non-convertible Rupee
account can be credited with the following:-
a)
Transfer of funds from convertible Rupee account.
b)
Remittances received from abroad through banking channel.
c)
Other receipts from authorised sources.
Remittance
from a non-convertible Rupee account or transfers therefrom
to a convertible Rupee account is not permissible. This account
can, however, be debited freely without State Bank's permission
for making local payments.
All
payments to officials of Foreign Missions and International
Organizations are to be made from the convertible Rupee accounts
of the Foreign Missions/International Organizations by credit
to the convertible Rupee accounts of the said officials maintained
with banks. The officials are free to transfer such amounts
from their convertible Rupee account to their non-convertible
Rupee account as they may consider necessary for meeting their
local expenses from time to time.
9.
United Nations and its Organizations in Pakistan.
Operations
on accounts of United Nations and its Organizations in Pakistan
are governed by the instructions contained in para
2 of Chapter VIII. The expatriate employees of the
United Nations and its Organizations in Pakistan are also governed
by the instructions contained in the preceding paragraph 8 . However, in
their case it will be in order for Authorised Dealers to allow
transfer of funds to their convertible Rupee account from the
official Rupee accounts of the United Nations Organizations.
10.
Issue of Travellers Cheques against Family Maintenance
Permits.
Authorised
Dealers may issue travellers cheques to a foreign national,
holding family maintenance permit or to the members of his family
by deduction from his remittance entitlement for that particular
month, on production of tickets evidencing the date of their
departure from Pakistan within two weeks from the date of issue
of travellers cheques.
11.
Subscription to Foreign Magazines, Periodicals etc. and
Purchase of Books of a Learned or Technical Nature.
Authorised
Dealers may allow remittances, without prior approval of the
State Bank, for subscription to foreign magazines, periodicals,
newspapers etc., and for purchase of books of learned and technical
nature as per ceiling prescribed in the Import Policy.
12.
Procedure for effecting Remittances.
While
effecting remittances Authorised Dealers shall ensure the following:-
(i)
Form 'M' has been duly signed
by the applicant.
(ii)
Remittances
are effected only on behalf of their own clients for not more
than one copy each of the magazines, periodicals, books etc.
(iii)
The invoices, demand notes etc., received from foreign publishers
or book-sellers and distributors are addressed to the clients
on whose behalf remittance is being made.
(iv)
Remittances
are made in favour of renowned booksellers, publishers and distributors
on account of subscription to well-known foreign magazines,
periodicals etc., and books of a learned and technical nature
(i.e. non-fiction) only.
(v)
Remittances are not made for those magazines, books,
journals, etc., whose import is prohibited.
(vi)
A declaration by the applicant showing the amount already
remitted during the current fiscal year is submitted and remittance
is allowed within his entitlement.
13. Remittances by Book-sellers/Subscription Agencies on account
of Subscription to Foreign Journals and Magazines etc.
Authorised
Dealers may allow remittances by book-sellers/subscription agencies
on account of subscriptions collected by them from their individual
customers for subscription to foreign newspapers/journals/magazines
and import of books of technical and learned nature. In such
cases remittances will be allowed by them on the strength of
consolidated invoices issued by foreign publishers or book-sellers
and distributors, subject to the following procedure:
(i) The book-sellers/subscription agencies in Pakistan
should accept payment from their customers only through cheques
marked 'Account Payee Only' and deposit the same in a separate
account, which they will open with their bankers exclusively
for this purpose. Remittances in respect of foreign books and
magazines will be made by the Authorised Dealers by debit to
this account only.
(ii) Authorised Dealers should make
remittances direct to the internationally known publishers and
book-sellers only. As an exception, however, remittances may
also be made to the subscription agents as specified in Appendix V-60.
(iii) The book-sellers/subscription agencies concerned must be
a member of the Pakistan Publishers and Book-sellers Association
and registered with the Export Promotion Bureau as an importer.
The book-sellers/subscription agencies should produce a letter
from the Secretary of the Association certifying their membership.
This certificate will be kept on record by the Authorised Dealers
for inspection by the State Bank.
(iv) Book-sellers/subscription agencies
should ensure that parcels/invoices are addressed by the foreign
publishers, book-sellers etc., direct to the individual subscribers
in Pakistan. In cases where remittances are made on the strength
of consolidated invoices, it should be ensured that such invoices
are accompanied by statements duly authenticated by the foreign
publishers showing the names, addresses etc., of the individual
subscribers. However, in cases where the book-sellers/subscription
agencies are unable to support the consolidated invoices with
the detailed statements at the time of making remittances, the
Authorised Dealers may make the remittance, on the basis of
an undertaking from the applicant that authenticated copy of
the statement will be produced to them within a period of two
months from the date of remittance. It will also be the obligation
of the concerned Authorised Dealer to ensure that the above
statements are filed by respective book-sellers/subscription
agencies with them within the stipulated period. The said statement
should be linked with the relative papers and produced to State
Bank's Inspecting Team on demand.
14.
Import by Actual Users.
Authorised
Dealers may approve applications on Form ‘M’ upto an amount
prescribed in the Import Policy (currently US$ 5,000 per person
during fiscal year 2001-2002) in connection with import of any
importable item or items by actual users on production of the
following documents:-
(i)
Proforma invoice/debit note in original.
(ii)
Declaration of the applicant that the amounts remitted
by him during the current fiscal year including the amount of
the present application does not exceed US$ 5,000.
(iii)
Declaration that the item/items so imported are for his
personal use only.
15.
Membership Fees of Educational, Technical, Professional
& Scientific Institutions.
Authorised
Dealers may approve applications on Form 'M' covering subscriptions
or membership fees at actuals to bonafide scientific, technical,
professional and educational institutions abroad. The applications
should contain the following particulars:
(i)
Name and address of the institution.
(ii)
Amount of subscription payable.
(iii)
Period for which subscription is valid.
Remittances
should be made directly in the name of the scientific, technical,
professional and educational institutions abroad.
16.
Membership Fees of Bonafide Social Clubs etc.
No
foreign exchange will be made available for this purpose.
17.
Correspondence Courses.
Authorised
Dealers may approve remittances for payment of fee for correspondence
courses in actuarial science and for those other courses which
prepare students for examinations conducted in Pakistan by professional
institutions of repute abroad like ICWA etc. Applications for
the purpose should be made on Form 'M' duly supported by
a declaration in the prescribed form (Appendix V-61) and the demand
note received from abroad.
18. Fees for appearing in Examinations held in
Pakistan by ICWA, London Institute of Bankers, etc.
Authorised
Dealers may allow remittances on account of fees to be paid
by students to foreign professional/educational institutions
for appearing in the examinations conducted by such institutions
in Pakistan. The above facility also covers fees for all examinations
held in Pakistan for entry into universities, institutions and
courses of studies abroad for which exchange is otherwise allowed
by the State Bank. Remittances for the purpose may be effected
by the Authorised Dealers subject to scrutiny of the following
documents:
(i)
Form 'M' signed by the applicant.
(ii)
Demand Note/Examination Fee notice etc., in original.
The
remittances are to be effected in the names of the foreign institutions
abroad.
19.
Other Private Remittances.
Applications
for remittances by private individuals for purposes other than
those mentioned above should be made to the State Bank on Form 'M'. Details of the
purpose of the remittance should be stated in full on Form 'M'
and appropriate documentary evidence in support of the application
attached thereto. Authorised Dealers should advise all applicants
that it is in their interest to state clearly the purpose of
the remittances, as a decision on the application can be taken
by the State Bank only after considering full facts of each
case. Authorised Dealers must satisfy themselves regarding the
bonafides of each case through their personal knowledge of the
applicant, if any, or evidence which the applicant may be able
to produce. After thus satisfying themselves, the Authorised
Dealers should certify the application and forward it to the
State Bank for consideration. In each case the nationality of
the applicant should be stated and if the applicant is not a
resident of Pakistan, the name of the country of which he is
a resident shall be mentioned. If the applicant is a foreign
national, the period of his residence in Pakistan and his future
intention in this regard should be clearly spelled out. Particulars
of any permit obtained by him for making monthly remittances
to his country of domicile should also be indicated.
20.
Method of Reporting the Remittances allowed by Authorised
Dealers under the above Authority.
While
reporting to the State Bank remittances allowed by them under
the general authority delegated to them in this chapter in their
monthly exchange returns, the Authorised Dealers will bunch
Forms 'M' under each category
separately alongwith the prescribed supporting documents in
each case on the basis of which the remittances in question
have been effected.
Each
bunch of Forms
'M' with the relative documents must have a covering
statement in duplicate as per proforma given below:-
Covering
Statement in respect of Remittances allowed during the month..…...…….......……
for ………...............….
Sl.
No. |
Name
of the remitter. |
Name
& address of beneficiary. |
Amount
remitted in foreign exchange. |
Equivalent
in Rupees. |
Before forwarding the prescribed documents to the State Bank
alongwith the covering statements referred to above, the Authorised
Dealers should see that these are invariably branded with an
appropriate stamp indicating that remittances thereagainst have
already been effected. |