Khaberni - Ahmed Harb, an Egyptian lawyer residing in Saudi Arabia, filed an official complaint with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration and the Affairs of Egyptians Abroad, protesting the abolition of the customs exemption on mobile phones.
Harb explained through his official Facebook page that the complaint was filed in a legal and civil manner, with the aim of voicing the concerns of the Egyptian expatriate community and urging the relevant authorities to reconsider the decision, to achieve a fair balance between the interests of the state and the rights of its expatriate citizens.
He pointed out that the mobile phone is no longer a luxury, but has become an essential tool for managing daily life affairs, whether at work, communicating with family, or official transactions, emphasizing that the current decision negatively impacts a broad segment of Egyptians living abroad.
He added, "Imposing customs duties on personal phones makes the expatriate feel targeted, despite their direct contribution to supporting the national economy through financial remittances. This decision does not yield a tangible economic return, and may discourage some from sending remittances, which conflicts with the state's policy aimed at attracting foreign currency."
Harb urged all Egyptians living abroad, who agree with the complaint, to share the post in support of the request, emphasizing the importance of voicing their concerns in an organized and civilized manner.
He confirmed that he had delivered an official copy of the complaint to the Egyptian Consul General in Riyadh, in preparation for taking necessary actions in coordination with the relevant authorities in Cairo.
The decision by the Egyptian Customs Authority to impose a tax on all phones purchased from abroad and to halt the registration process at airports caused widespread anger and calls for exemptions for workers abroad.
The new decision was applied almost a year ago, but starting from today, the exemption granted to travelers to register one device once every three years, which was aimed at limiting registration to phones purchased for personal use to avoid taxation, has been cancelled. Now, all phones will be taxed or otherwise services will be suspended after a three-month period from their entry into the country.
The Customs Authority mentioned that the decision comes in the context of encouraging industry following the entry of 15 global companies into the Egyptian mobile phone market with a production capacity of 20 million devices annually, which exceeds the local market needs. It also referred to a 90-day grace period available to all before paying the taxes or suspending services on the phone, exempting mobile phones belonging to Egyptians residing abroad and tourists.
