central america tourist visa and temperary inportation document for my bike.
 

Im currently in guatemala and I was given a 90 day tourist visa on entery however they would only permit me 40 days for my bike.
Im studying spanish here for about four weeks and then traveling south for el salvador, honduras and nicaragua.
I was in a pub here last night and a drunken person informed a dunken me that the 90 day visa is not just for guatemala but for all the afor-mentioned countries, Is this correct?
I have managed to find out I can be granted an extra 90 days and this would be fine to see me through these countries however what about my bike? can any one tell me if I will be granted a new temperary inportation documet as I cross into each of these countries and if so, how long for each?
thanks in advance for any replies!
david.

p.s a big hello to all the bikers Ive met so far on this trip!

The odd thing about this new ruling is the motorbike and the associated 40 days is just for Guatemala, this will get renewed when you leave Guatemala and enter Honduras or whereever you go next.

But yes the 90 days does cover all those countries, maybe an option when ur done studying spanish is backtrack into Mexico, renew ur visas and re enter giving urself a fresh amount of time

Ride safe always

Paul

central america
 

remember all the four countries , guatemala,el salvador,nicaragua and honduras they have what is called ca-4 which means local people can go through any of those four countries without any customs paper work but that is just for local people you will need to show your papers in el salvador border and get a permit just for that country. if you need help send me and email
i travel often to guatemala and honduras I can help you out no problem.:scooter:

CA import permit
 

Not to hijack this thread, but I also thought there was one permit for Guat, El Sal, and Hond. If this is not true does that mean it is not possible to leave the bike and fly out.

El Sal visa req't list http://www.elsalvador.org/home.nsf/consularinfo
also see
http://www.elsalvador.org/home.nsf/tourism

Hi Jacob,

Enjoy your time on the road. It sucks being back home, I'm even starting a job in a week:( . Check out this thread on the HUBB:

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...n-travel-22973

Their is at least one more thread on the same subject. The short story is that you need a new vehicle permit for each country, and need to show your passport to get across the borders of the CA-4, they just don't stamp it. You get a ninety day visa, good for your combined time in the four countries.

Ride safe!

Andy

yes you are right, you are supposed to use the same permit for any of those 4 countries , sorry if i told you wrong and to answer your question yes you can do that if the permit for your bike is still valid you can travel back home and return for your bike and keep on traveling. no problem.:thumbup1:

Wheeew
 

Andy, just start planning your next trip. :)

Well, I need to see it in writing so for those interested here is a U.S. government statement. I am assuming none of the countries note in the passport how you entered the country. So if you left briefly without the bike they would have no reason to question it and you would be safe as long as you got back and got the bike out of before the import permit expired.


In June 2006, Honduras entered a “Central America-4 (CA-4) Border Control Agreement” with Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua. Under the terms of the agreement, citizens of the four countries may travel freely across land borders from one of the countries to any of the others without completing entry and exit formalities at Immigration checkpoints. U.S. citizens and other eligible foreign nationals, who legally enter any of the four countries, may similarly travel among the four without obtaining additional visas or tourist entry permits for the other three countries. Immigration officials at the first port of entry determine the length of stay, up to a maximum period of 90 days. Foreign tourists who wish to remain in the four country region beyond the period initially granted for their visit are required to request a one-time extension of stay from local Immigration authorities in the country where the traveler is physically present, or travel outside the CA-4 countries and reapply for admission to the region.
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_p.../cis_1135.html

[QUOTE=BklynDakar]Andy, just start planning your next trip. :)

Well, I need to see it in writing so for those interested here is a U.S. government statement. I am assuming none of the countries note in the passport how you entered the country. So if you left briefly without the bike they would have no reason to question it and you would be safe as long as you got back and got the bike out of before the import permit expired.

Honduras stamps your passport and charges you $42 to enter with your bike. They then stamp your passport again when you leave...a waste of valuable passport space on my opinion ;)

Followup
 

Note that there is this comment in the bulletin that I missed the first time but another rider noticed.

In isolated cases, the lack of clarity in the implementing details of the CA-4 Border Control Agreement has caused temporary inconvenience to some travelers and has resulted in others being fined more than one hundred dollars or detained in custody for 72 hours or longer.


- many countries stamp you in and out, that is proof you did not stay too long.

Met DavivR in Costa Rica 18 April 2007
 

David,
Just wanted to say what a pleasure it was to meet you in Costa Rica this past week. We were riding the two Orange KMT's, I had on the "reflecto Vest". Sorry we did'nt get a chance to talk more.
Keep the Shiny side up. Feel free to contact me if you ever get back to the south east USA.
Ziggy