Passengers entering Kenya from January 1, 2025 will be required to declare their mobile phones IMEI numbers. This is according to a requirement that has been instituted by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).
“Passengers entering the territory of Kenya will declare the details and the respective IMEI numbers for their mobile devices intended use, during the stay in the country at the Port of entry on the F88 passenger declaration form,” the KRA said in a statement.
The KRA further went ahead to state that all importers shall be required to submit detailed import entries that will include quantities, comprehensive model descriptions, and the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers for each mobile device.
“Device assemblers and manufacturers must register on the KRA Customs portal and submit a report of all devices assembled for the local market, along with their respective IMEI numbers,” the KRA stated.
These regulations are the latest to be targeted at passengers arriving in Kenya. In 2023, the KRA issued a directive that people arriving at a point of entry in Kenya such as the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) would pay tax for personal items worth USD500 (Sh. 75,000 and above).
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The move by the KRA sparked widespread outrage as Kenyans came out to share their ordeals at the hands of rogue KRA officials at the JKIA who unleashed harassment in the name of collecting taxes on these types of goods.
In one incident, in September 2023, KRA officials reportedly confiscated a wedding dress belonging to a couple who had arrived to have their wedding in Kenya. “The wedding dress in question was valued at $2000, which exceeded the allowable limit of $500 for duty-free items. According to the relevant customs laws, it was indeed subject to duty,” the KRA claimed.
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