Import Personally Used Car From Japan

[abiman]

Hello,

I would like to know the procedure and documents needed to import a used car (registered under my name) to Sri Lanka from Japan.

I want to register this car under my name in Sri Lanka.

I searched through AL but haven’t found information regarding this specific situation.

questions are,

If car registered under my name in japan, bought brand new, will the invoice issued by japan car seller be enough to customs for tax purposes. (There is no money send to japan from Sri Lanka to buy this car. I have only commercial invoice issued by car seller in japan and car is used for about 3 years by me.)

Do I have to pay normal tax rate or are there any increased/decreased tax rates for this situation?

If car registered under my name for about 1 year, will there be difference? (Thinking of buying a new car before come back)

Thankyou

Edited October 18, 2013 by abiman

[john cooper]

Thank you for opening this, i was thinking about this

- To get the permit you don't need to be use the car for 3 years because back in 2003 My brother send a car which is not even under his name and never used by him

- To grant the permit you need to have prof to show within 2 years time that you send $20,000 or more to Sri Lanka (This is key requirement)

- Vehicle manufacture year must be less than 10 year old

But this is not available as far as my understanding (Govt stopped the "Blue Permits")

Any Updates guys?

[isam]

Thank you for opening this, i was thinking about this

- To get the permit you don't need to be use the car for 3 years because back in 2003 My brother send a car which is not even under his name and never used by him

- To grant the permit you need to have prof to show within 2 years time that you send $20,000 or more to Sri Lanka (This is key requirement)

- Vehicle manufacture year must be less than 10 year old

But this is not available as far as my understanding (Govt stopped the "Blue Permits")

Any Updates guys?

john cooper, I don't think OP is asking about Blue Permits. And yes the Blue Permits are no longer granted.

[isam]

You can get the information here:

* http://www.gic.gov.lk/gic/index.php?option=com_info&id=415&task=info〈=en
* http://www.gic.gov.lk/gic/index.php?option=com_info&id=415&task=info〈=si
* http://www.imexport.gov.lk/web/images/PDF_upload/publications/pub02.pdf

The information provided in the site and the pdf have a few discrepancies. Probably due to laws being amended from time to time. It is best to contact the Department of Imports & Exports Control and get the latest info.

Edited October 18, 2013 by isam

[abiman]

You can get the information here:

* http://www.gic.gov.lk/gic/index.php?option=com_info&id=415&task=info〈=en

* http://www.gic.gov.lk/gic/index.php?option=com_info&id=415&task=info〈=si

* http://www.imexport.gov.lk/web/images/PDF_upload/publications/pub02.pdf

The information provided in the site and the pdf have a few discrepancies. Probably due to laws being amended from time to time. It is best to contact the Department of Imports & Exports Control and get the latest info.

These links discuss about working visa. Seems like I cant do this. I'm in Japan under long term student visa.

Edited October 18, 2013 by abiman

[isam]

These links discuss about working visa. Seems like I cant do this. I'm in Japan under long term student visa.

Its better you talk to the Department of Imports & Exports Control and see whether you can import the car, if you meet the deposit requirements. It would suggest you have earned while you study.

[abiman]

Its better you talk to the Department of Imports & Exports Control and see whether you can import the car, if you meet the deposit requirements. It would suggest you have earned while you study.

Will DO.

But I'm not allowed to work under my visa and I never sent money home.

I just get scholarship money and using that for car.

Edited October 18, 2013 by abiman

[Komisiripala]

What's the car?

[Hoonigan]

Last time I checked, the Gift Permit scheme was no longer available but the Blue Permits were still being issued.

I looked into this back in January 2013 - quite a bit in detail. Visited customs and Import and Export department as well. I still have the documents with me but not sure how much of it has changed by now. If you want, drop me a PM with your email and I will send you scanned copies of what I got from the officials I spoke to. Those will explain everything regarding the blue permit scheme.

If you import it in the conventional way, the vehicle must be under one year since date of first registration. The amount of taxes/duties applicable are dependant on the engine capacity and the valuation of the vehicle by Customs.

And @John Cooper, the deposit requirement is no londer $20K, it's now $50K and all of that must have been remited 6 months prior to the application for the permit.

Again, this is what I know from Jan 2013. These may have shifted around since then.

Edit: 2013 Jan- initially posted 2012

Edited October 21, 2013 by Hoonigan

[isam]

Last time I checked, the Gift Permit scheme was no longer available but the Blue Permits were still being issued.

My bad. I thought Blue Permit refers to the Gift Scheme.

Thanks to Hoonigan for correcting my mistake.

Edited October 21, 2013 by isam

[Hoonigan]

My bad. I thought Blue Permit refers to the Gift Scheme.

Thanks to Hoonigan for correcting my mistake.

Nah man..the way things are happening in SL, they all may have been scrapped by now so you could technically be right

BTW, what are you guys planning to bring down?

[isam]

Sorry bro. The info is not for me. But for a friend of my sis. Hope they'd bring down something worthwhile for the permit.

[john cooper]

Guys this is crap, who want to send the $50k to SL within 2years time, We working from our a** in this country and to maintain world lagest parliment why we send money to SL. That is the reason i chose not to stay in SL mate this is real reason for all the other people who left the country

[Komisiripala]

Sorry bro. The info is not for me. But for a friend of my sis. Hope they'd bring down something worthwhile for the permit.

Your sisters hot friend?

[Watchman]

Guys this is crap, who want to send the $50k to SL within 2years time, We working from our a** in this country and to maintain world lagest parliment why we send money to SL. That is the reason i chose not to stay in SL mate this is real reason for all the other people who left the country

Who'd want to send money to Sri Lanka? How about 1000s of people who work overseas to earn some money so that thier families can have a roof over thier heads or thier kids can have a better education. They send the money to thier families, not as a donation addressed to "The Parliament, Sri Lanka". And this scheme is to reward those who contribute to the country/economy by sending in foreign reserves. What's wrong with that? If you don't want to send money to Sri Lanka that's perfectly fine; you don't have to bitch about this scheme that doesn't even apply to you.

Not everyone packs their bags and desert the country lock stock and barrel and then tries to scrape away whatever heritages in Sri Lanka.

Edited October 22, 2013 by Watchman

[VVTi]

Guys this is crap, who want to send the $50k to SL within 2years time, We working from our a** in this country and to maintain world lagest parliment why we send money to SL. That is the reason i chose not to stay in SL mate this is real reason for all the other people who left the country

You worked from your rear end? Really? What line of work were you in while in Sri Lanka?

[Hoonigan]

Guys this is crap, who want to send the $50k to SL within 2years time, We working from our a** in this country and to maintain world lagest parliment why we send money to SL. That is the reason i chose not to stay in SL mate this is real reason for all the other people who left the country

Dude you're looking at it backwards.

1. The $50K doesn't have to be sent within 2 years. It just needs to be accumulated over time but the $50K should be complete 6 months prior to the application for the permit. And they cannot be local deposits and MUST be remitances from overseas.

2. If you (like most expatriate workers) use an NRFC account, you are not taxed, AT ALL..even if you use any other investment option, your money is still yours. You are not giving it away to the government.

3. If you do a little math, this scheme can cut down the duties you pay by a huge margine, depending on the age of the vehicle. It can be very useful to someone who used a car abroad for a while and want to settle back in Sri Lanka

4. AFAIK this is the only way a car as old as 10 years can be imported to SL legally. (That vintage RR was an exceptional case right?)

While Sri Lanka has it's issues, there are far worse places to be. And it's not like NZ doesn't have it's issues.

I currently live in a place where the per capita income is one of the highest in the world, violence is next to non existent, no tax, vehicles are dirt cheap (compared to SL) and fuel is cheaper than water. But I still count the days till I move back to SL. I'm sure you have your reasons to pack up and go but I call BS on the reasons being the "world's largest Government".

[Hoonigan]

Your sisters hot friend?

Like the way you think

[Komisiripala]

This country isn't perfect. I'll give you that. But if you want change the status quo, then stay and change it. Getting up and going and improving someone else's country is not going to make your country any better.

Maybe we won't see the hange in our generation, at least our kids will be able to live here and have the life we dream of

[Rumesh88]

I currently live in a place where the per capita income is one of the highest in the world, violence is next to non existent, no tax, vehicles are dirt cheap (compared to SL) and fuel is cheaper than water. But I still count the days till I move back to SL. I'm sure you have your reasons to pack up and go but I call BS on the reasons being the "world's largest Government".

Life must be very boring! What do they telecast for news then? No wonder you are counting the days

[Hoonigan]

Life must be very boring! What do they telecast for news then? No wonder you are counting the days

I s#it you not, the morning radio news today was speaking about a bloody telephone call one of the ministers received

[john cooper]

You worked from your rear end? Really? What line of work were you in while in Sri Lanka?

Same work mate

[Komisiripala]

If it ever gets too boring, all we have to do is inform the vice and virtue police about hoonigans hard drive. Things would get very dicey. Very fast. Sphincers tight!!

[Hoonigan]

If it ever gets too boring, all we have to do is inform the vice and virtue police about hoonigans hard drive. Things would get very dicey. Very fast. Sphincers tight!!

Imagine that being on the news! Better move to NZ and start working from the rear end with John Cooper.

:D

[VVTi]

Imagine that being on the news! Better move to NZ and start working from the rear end with John Cooper.

:D

I worked in your neighborhood a few years ago... there was this German guy who came as an intern who was getting nookie more than us... (you know how hard it is to get nookie there, right?) The other guys in office, including his German compatriots was seething with jealousy, when he asks us to count the hickies after every damn weekend. So I got a Sri lankan fellow who was a friend of mine to called him with the worse Saudi accent pretending to be from the Ministry for Prevention of Vice and promotion of Virtue and accuse this guy of fornicating and living a life of sin contrary to ISlam... and that they are on they way that very minute to haul his fornicating ass to jail. That was such an amazing moment watching him turn white, pale yellow, then red and then finally cry and run the the boss admitting to everything and begging him to save him, in German.

Sadly we still din't get nookie even after that... only thing that happened was he didn't get any too.. ROFL.. good times.

But we laughed and drank home made kasippu that night till we were all blind the next day!

[VVTi]

Same work mate

Interesting... Maori clients, Islanders or pakheas?

Admins. the last word is the Maori word/slang for whiteman in NZ... Not what you think it is...