BY Izah Azahari

As the country readies for the resumption of non-essential cross-border travel on August 1, travellers are reminded that a service charge (CaP) of BND3 per person for a one-way trip and BND6 per person for a return trip will be imposed on citizens, residents and foreigners travelling through land border checkpoints, whether by vehicle or on foot under the Exit and Entry Charges Act 2020.

The Exit and Entry Charges Act 2020 took effect on October 1, 2020, and travellers can register, apply and pay for CaP via the Exit and Entry System (EES) at https://login.bdnsw.gov.bn/ees.

Payments can be made online using credit or debit card or through a bank payment counter before cross-border travel.

Travel documents must be valid for at least three months at the time of application and vehicle licence must be valid during the travel. A QR code will be issued upon payment.

Categories exempted from paying CaP include occupants of vehicles belonging to the Government of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam or a government of another country when in use for official purpose; military vehicles; firefighters, ambulance and police vehicles; and vehicles for funeral purposes.

Also exempted are children aged two years and below; consular officers and consular employees under the Consular Relations Act (Chapter 118) and members of their families; and a diplomatic agent under the Schedule of Diplomatic Privileges.

However, those listed in the exemption category are still required to apply for EES Pass, and an overpayment is non-refundable.

Eligible travellers can also apply for the Frequent Commuter Pass (FCP), and those entitled include Bruneians or Malaysians studying or working across the border, and must have travel records of at least 15 trips per month (entering or exiting) via the land control post.

The FCP payment rate for students studying across the border are BND30 for one month, BND90 for three months and BND180 for six months, while the FCP payment rate for employees working across the border are BND50 for one month, BND150 for three months and BND300 for six months.

An exit charge and an entry charge shall be payable on every occasion any person intends to enter or leave, Brunei Darussalam by land respectively under Section 6 of the Exit and Entry Charges Act (Chapter 232).

Where a person has committed or reasonably believed by the controller or any officer of Customs to have committed an offence under Section 6 of Exit and Entry Charges Act (Chapter 232), the controller or officer of Customs may prohibit such person from entering or leaving Brunei Darussalam under Section 12 of the Exit and Entry Charges Act (Chapter 232).

The controller or any person authorised in writing on behalf of the controller may compound any offence against Exit and Entry Charges Act (Chapter 232) by collecting from the person reasonably suspected of having committed that offence a sum not exceeding BND500 under Section 16 of the Exit and Entry Charges Act (Chapter 232).

-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin