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DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR MISSIONS

Goods admitted free of import duties and taxes:

• Objects and products imported, for their personal use and that of their families, by foreign Heads of State staying in Gabon;
• Articles intended for the official use of diplomatic missions, consular posts or international organizations, in particular for what is necessary for their administrative functioning (supplies, fuel, furniture and office equipment as well as other articles of a functional nature such as publications, emblems, seals);
• Small quantities of goods to be exported as samples to embassies or consulates;
• Films intended to be shown or viewed in diplomatic or consular premises or in the premises of international organizations.

Vehicles and service boats intended for the official use of embassies and international organizations are imported temporarily free of charge, subject to a declaration of importation under the NTD regime, exempt from a bank guarantee.

• The members of the staff of the Missions and Consular Posts are distributed as follows
• Diplomatic agents (Heads of Mission, Counselors, Secretaries and Attachés) and career consular officers (Consuls General, Deputy Consuls General, Consuls, Deputy Consuls and Vice Consuls).
• Administrative and technical staff (Members of the Mission's staff employed in the administrative service of the Mission).
• Service personnel (members of the Mission's personnel employed in the domestic service of the Mission).

They benefit from the exemption for furniture, personal and family effects imported at the time of their first installation, and from the exemption for objects imported during the duration of their functions and intended for their personal use as well as for that of their family members.

MEMBERS OF PERSONNEL OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.

The members of the personnel of the International Organizations benefit from the exemption for the furniture, personal and family effects imported during their first installation.
The personnel assimilated to the Heads of Diplomatic Missions or Diplomatic Agents benefit from the same customs exemptions as those granted to diplomatic agents of comparable rank.
Experts or representatives of member countries or international organizations to an international organization may benefit from the same facilities as those granted to members of diplomatic missions.

COMMON PROVISIONS

The privileges provided for both types of personnel are subject to the condition of reciprocity on the part of foreign countries that are not signatories to the Vienna Conventions.
The granting of privileges, beyond the limits set, is also subject to this condition of reciprocity on a general basis. They also apply to diplomatic representatives exchanged by the States of the Customs and Economic Union of Central Africa, within the Union.
The benefit of the above-mentioned customs privileges is subject to the condition that the members of the family of the diplomatic agent, the members of the administrative and technical staff as well as their families, and the service personnel are not nationals of the accrediting State, do not have their permanent residence there or have not been recruited there.

Goods and articles admitted free of duty may not be transferred or lent, whether free of charge or for a consideration, to persons not enjoying the privileges and immunities provided for, without payment of the duties and taxes from which they have been exempted, in force at the time of the transfer or loan.

Motor vehicles and boats belonging to diplomatic agents and assimilated to the personnel of International Organizations and to consular officials are placed under temporary admission IM5 exempt from bank guarantee.

This permit is valid for one year and can be renewed as needed.

Members of the staff of diplomatic and consular missions and international organizations are exempt from baggage inspection unless there are serious grounds for believing that the baggage contains either objects other than those intended for the personal use of the persons concerned, or objects the import or export of which is prohibited by law.
In this case, the inspection must be carried out only in the presence of the person concerned or his authorized representative.

Decisions on duty-free admission are taken by the Director General of Customs and Indirect Duties of Gabon, after consulting the Department of Foreign Affairs.