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Customs Procedures for warehousing of goods (bonded warehouse)
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Warehousing is a method that enables the payment of taxes on imported goods to be deferred by storing
them in warehouse premises or under an inventory system authorized by Customs. The Inland Revenue is
the section within Customs with the authority for the administration of private bonded warehouse.
It keeps documentary and physical control over the movement of goods imported into the country upon
which payment of applicable taxes (incl. trades tax, GST and levies) are deferred by storing in licensed
bonded warehouse. It allows the importer to hold imported goods in the country and the applicable taxes
are deferred until such time that the goods are ready to be removed from the Bond. Such a facility
can be very beneficial to companies.
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What are bonded goods?
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Bonded goods refer to goods placed in a bonded warehouse upon which taxes
have been deferred. This deferred payment facility distinguishes bonded goods
from other imports.
Presently there are only a few items that are allowed under bonded warehouse facility. These goods are:
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motor vehicles
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Alcohol
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Tobacco
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Fuel
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How to apply for a license bonded warehouse?
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All bonded warehouses have to be appointed and approved before coming into operations.
All applications must be made in writing to the Seychelles Revenue Commissioner.
The applicant must submit the following information:
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The location of the proposed warehouse
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The design of the proposed warehouse
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Security arrangements that will be in force
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Types of goods intended to be warehoused
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The person who will be in charge of the bonded warehouse ( warehouse keeper)
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What are the procedures for bonded warehouse?
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When Customs receives the application, the proposed location and building will be inspected
to check that requirements are in order. If the proposal meets all Customs requirements,
an agreement will then be drawn with all Customs terms and conditions for that would be in
force.
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Is there an administrative fee for bonded warehouse?
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The owner of an approved bonded warehouse is required to pay an administrative fee of
Rs 10,000 per year. The owner must also take out a bank guarantee which should be
sufficient to cover the maximum tax liability of the goods that will be stored in
the warehouse at any given time.
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What is the duration for warehousing or re- warehousing of bonded goods?
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Goods are allowed to be warehoused for a maximum period of one year, after which they
must be cleared from the warehouse or re-warehoused. Goods which have been re- warehoused
should be cleared within two years from the date of the first entry into the warehouse.
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How bonded goods are monitored by Customs?
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Every movement of goods to or from a bonded warehouse needs to be covered by the
appropriate Bill of Entry (unless the goods are to be destroyed as in accordance,
with regulation 164 of Trade Tax).The applicable tax must be paid before goods are
removed from the bonded warehouse.
Periodic spot checks are carried out to ensure that the physical stock tallies with the records. The
number of spots check will be determined by Customs depending on the risk level attached to the bonded
goods and the type of goods. These spot checks are very important to ensure that the warehouse conditions
are being abided to. Any breach of the conditions of approval is a considered a serious offence and might
result in severe actions under the appropriate Regulations of the Trade Tax regulation 1997.
A warehouse keeper needs to submit a monthly stock return of each category of goods in the bonded
warehouse, and it has to be submitted within seven days at the end of each month showing:
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the opening balance;
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goods received with the Bill of Entry number;
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goods issued with the Bill of Entry number; and
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the closing balance.
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Where do I go for more information?
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For further information or clarification on warehousing of goods, please contact
Inland Revenue at the Customs Division on Tel: 294911
or contact us at the following address:
Seychelles Revenue commission
PO Box 50
Onion Mall
Victoria
Tel: 293737
Email: Commissioner@src.gov.sc.
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