The rules regarding duty exemptions for tobacco items imported for personal use have been revised, broadening benefits that were once limited to tourists to include Maldivian citizens too.

Released in the Government Gazette on Monday, the amendment updates the ‘Procedure for Duty Exemption on Passenger Properties, Personal Items, and Commercial Samples.’

The amendment specifically addresses the part detailing items that international travelers can bring into the country without needing a Goods Declaration. In the past, the rule permitted foreign travelers aged 18 and older to import 200 cigarettes, 25 cigars, or 250 grams of tobacco for personal consumption without declaring or paying customs duties.

According to the revised regulation, the exemption now covers all individuals aged 21 and older. The updated duty-free limits for individual use are 200 cigarettes, 20 cigars, or 100 grams of tobacco. Consequently, the provision restricting the concession solely to tourists has been eliminated.

The amendment additionally adds a new clause detailing items that travelers aged 21 and older may carry in with rolling tobacco. These consist of:

Compact, handheld manual cigarette or beedi rolling devices.

As many as 50 separate sheets of rolling paper

As many as 50 filters from cigarettes or beedis.

As many as 50 vacant tubes or pipes intended for rolling cigarettes or beedis.

The regulation states that shisha and flavored tobacco items do not qualify for duty exemptions and need to be declared.

The present administration has implemented strict regulations to reduce tobacco consumption, featuring a prohibition on vaping items in 2024. Moreover, laws have been passed banning the use, acquisition, or trade of tobacco by people born in or after 2007.