No Duty, No CPF on first $1,000 says PS of Immigration & Border Services

By Dana Malcolm 

Staff Writer 

#TurksandCaicos, July 17, 2023 – If you are a returning resident to the Turks and Caicos Islands hoping to take advantage of the Government’s deepening Duty Free concessions on your purchases, Magnetic media can confirm you will not pay a customs processing fee on their duty free items.

A cabinet update from a June 27 meeting had prompted slight confusion and now there is greater clarity on how the consumer-friendly measure is proposed to work.

“[Cabinet] was updated on the intention to increase passengers’ duty free allowance on goods imported for personal use through airports.  It is not intended for the exemption to be extended to goods imported for commercial sale and persons receiving the exemption will be required to pay CPF of 5 percent.”

Althea Been, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Immigration & Border Services has said, “Nothing but the allowance amount is being considered, meaning you will not pay CPF unless duties are payable.”

She confirmed that this means residents would only have to pay up the 5 percent CPF on the goods over their $1000 dollar duty free limit.

As stated, the duty free cap of $1000 dollars is only for personal goods. Commercial shippers and residents bringing back goods for their stores will not be able to take advantage of this.

It was instituted as a way to balance out the $10 levy all residents will have to pay each time they return home by air; according to new Tourism laws which come into effect in support of the Destination Management and Marketing Organisation (DMMO).