Filipinos abroad who are planning to send balikbayan boxes to the Philippines, please take note of these 3 requirements that you will need to supply when you send your package. These 3 things are the important items so you do NOT have to pay any taxes (provided that the total value is less than 150,000 Pesos).
Please be guided accordingly so that you will not have too much hassle or inconvenience when you go to the cargo shipment office.
Balikbayan Box Items OFWs Should Provide to Get Tax-Free Benefits
In general, you can still send balikbayan boxes to our country, but if you want to get them tax-free, you need to bring the following:
- Information Sheet (get a copy from the cargo forwarding company or download a copy here)
- Photocopy of Passport
- Invoice/Receipts (for brand new items above 10,000 Pesos)
Other Clarifications about the New Rules on Balikbayan Box
Bureau of Customs Commissioner, Nicanor Faeldon, has posted a message on his Facebook account which shares some clarifications on these new balikbayan box rules.
1. Senders of balikbayan boxes don’t need to fill out an information sheet declaring all the contents in the box or produce a receipt, if they are willing to pay duties and taxes for the goods being shipped.
2. Contents in balikbayan boxes are exempt from taxes provided they don’t exceed more than P150,000 in total value.
3. Declaration of goods is important because it is for the “protection” of the sender, to ensure that the parcel gets delivered.
4. Receipts are not required for used items, groceries, “gifts” and other goods worth less than P10,000.
5. When filling out the declaration form or “information sheet,” there’s no need to be very precise with the costs. Estimates are fine. For example, if the t-shirt included in the box was originally purchased for P500 and has already been used, the sender can declare the price as P100.
6. Receipts are required for items that are brand new and worth more than P10,000 each.