Port City duty free to have allowance of $5000 a year

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka passport holders returning from abroad and resident diplomats, would be allowed to buy up to 5000 US dollars of goods at a duty free mall in the China-backed Colombo Port City according to regulations issued by its governing authority.

Sri Lanka passport holders would be would be allowed to buy one laptop, tablet, desktop and two cameras a year, according to rules issued by the Colombo Port City Commission.

The allowance would be independent of any other allowance at airports.Other goods include 36 pieces of apparel, 10 kilograms of confectionery, two bottles of perfume and 5 units of make up products.Tourists would have no a value limit but would be subject to a volume limit per visit.

They could however purchase more to be picked up at the airport.

Duty-Free goods cannot be re-sold or exchanged by the permitted customer in Sri Lanka.

Its sole purpose is for self-consumption and use among the family members.Sri Lankans travelling abroad could also buy goods outside of the limit to be picked up at the airport.

The duty free outlets could also sell online unlimited quantities to overseas customers.

The Colombo Port City would be a dollarized (multiple currency) special economic zone.