Benefits of Remittance Card

Overseas Pakistanis remitting foreign currency equivalent to US$2,500 to US$ 50,000 per annum are entitled to the following incentives:

BENEFITS

1. Separate counters for special handling at arrival and departures lounges at International Airports.
2. Free issuance and renewal of passport on an urgent basis.
   The incentives are available for One Year from the date of issuance of Remittance Card.
3. This Division has actually been functioning since December, 2004. The new Division has been given specific goals/targets to improve the welfare of overseas Pakistanis.

SPECIAL ALLOWANCE IN FEDERAL BUDGET 2006 - 07.
The Government has announced special allowances for Foreign Exchange Remittance Card holders.

Baggage Rules, 2006 issued by Central Board of Revenue, SRO. 666 (I)/2006 dated 28.06.2005.

The duty credit as specified in the Table below shall be admissible to a Pakistani national holding Foreign Exchange Remittance Card (FERC) once during validity of the card. The duty credit can also be utilized for the unaccompanied baggage or any purchase from one of the duty free shops.

The duty credit under this scheme shall not be utilizable on import of vehicles.

Utilization of duty credit shall be endorsed by the customs on the passport of an FERC holder in the form. [Click Here to Download the Form].

This facility of duty credit would not be applicable on items with fixed duty as per Para 3 (B) Sr. No. vii of Baggage Rules, 2006 dated 8.8.2006.

Eligibility for Remittance Card

Following is the Eligibility Criteria for Remittance Card.

1. The applicant should be a Non-Resident Pakistani.
2. Remitted amount in Foreign Currency should be equivalent as per table below for issuance of Remittance Cards.

1. Certified by the Pakistani's Mission abroad.
2. Remittance is acceptable which has been made to a Pak Rupee Account or which has been converted into Pak Rupees from a Foreign Currency Account.
3. Receipt from the Bank should be attached. (Receipt from Money Exchanger or any other source, other than the recognized banks, is not acceptable.)

How to Apply for Remittance Card

1. As soon as the remitter achieves the remittance target (US$2,500 to US$50,000 see table ) in the stipulated time frame, he may fill in the prescribed application form (available FREE OF COST from Pak Missions, OPF Offices & OPF International Airport Counters) at and submit it to the OPF Head Office in Pakistan or the Pakistani Mission abroad, along with the Remittance Book in person or through courier service.
2. 
   Remittances would ordinarily be acknowledged / stamped into the Remittance Book through the remitting bank. In case the remitting banks do not verify the transaction in the Remittance Book, the remitter may get the acknowledgement receipt of remitted amount from the bank and get the same acknowledged / stamped into the Remittance Book by the Foreign Mission / OPF.
3. 
   Upon verification, the embassy staff would send the application to the OPF Islamabad on a weekly basis for issuance of Remittance Cards. OPF would return the manufactured cards to the respective missions abroad for their onward dispatch to the applicants.

Procedure of Issuance

All applications received from the Pakistani Mission or directly in OPF Head Office / Regional Offices are processed by the Welfare & Services Division of OPF.

VERIFICATION

After verifying the documents the card of prescribed category is issued accordingly.

TIME FRAME

Normally it takes two weeks to process the case from the date of receipt in OPF Head Office.
Foreign Exchange Remittance Cards are then forwarded to Pak Mission for onward delivery to the Overseas Pakistanis.

VALIDITY PERIOD

The validity period of Remittance Card is one year from the date of issue and card holders are entitled to avail the incentives till the expiry date.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED

Duly Filled Application Form.
Two Colored Photographs.
Photocopy of Passport and CNIC or NICOP or POC.
Photocopy of Remittance Book or Proof of Remittance.
(Attested by Foreign Mission / Remitting Bank / OPF Head Office).

Remittance Book

The Remittances sent by an overseas Pakistani are recorded in the said Remittance Book by the Remitting Bank.

A Remittance Book is supplied Free of Cost to those Overseas Pakistanis who have obtained the application form.

n case the Remittance Book is not signed by the Bank then Pak Mission or OPF Head Office can attest the remittance book, provided proper conversion receipts are attached.

All applications received from the Pakistani Mission or directly in OPF Head Office / Regional Offices are processed by the Welfare & Services Division of OPF.

Renewal of Remittance Card

For renewal the same procedure is applied when initial card was issued.