South Africa: possible to avoid need for a Carnet when shipping in?
 

Hi Guys Is it possible to temporally import a motorcycle into South Africa at a port (sea or air) without the need for a Carnet de Passage? I’ve followed http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...0-tenere-64769 with interest, but this chap entered the southern Africa customs union at a land border from the north.



I’d like to freight my bike that’s currently in Mongolia to southern Africa/RSA. I‘ve searched quite a few other threads and they all point to the fact that a CdP is mandatory.



Can anyone confirm or deny this with any recent (new?) information?


Many thanks for any input.

Chris

You need a carnet to enter the South African Customs Union (SACU). This consists of RSA, Botswana, Namibia, Swaziland and Lesotho.

You don't need to get your carnet stamped when passing between these countries but you must get it stamped on exit from the Union. You can enter Zambia and Mozambique on a TIP if you want but if you have a carnet anyway you may as well use it as it is less hassle.

So if you enter Botswana from Zambia you'll need to get it stamped, but you won't when you cross from Botswana to South Africa or South Africa to Nambia but you must get it stamped out if you then cross from South Africa to Zimbabwe for example, or from Namibia to Zambia.

There has been an occasional report of people sneaking in without a carnet but this is down to a lax day at the border. It certainly won't be the case shipping in when you will have lots of paperwork to get through.

Hi guys
Many thanks for these replies. Not what I'd hoped for, but (unfortuanately) what I expected.:(

If I'm able to register a RSA bike as a non-RSA citizen/resident I will consider buying a local bike, riding it for a bit and then re-selling it. There's a reasonable selection of bikes for sale on wilddog and gumtree.

cheers
Chris

Hi Chris,
I am pretty sure this is possible as I know a couple of people who have done it although I don't know the process.

It is possible to buy a SA reg vehicle and register it in your name as a foriegn national. I know several people who have done so. I believe you'll need to provide an SA address but you do not need to be a resident. You may be able to use a hotel etc but probably better to find a kind local who is prepared to let you use theirs. I'm sure someone on here can assist.

This kind local will assist :biggrin3:

Kevin
R1200GS-WP
/\/¯¯¯¯¯\/\

Surely easier to ship it to a neighbouring country and spend a few pleasant days driving down to SA if thats where you want to be. Seems much easier than buying locally and mucking about?

Hi roamingyak,
Which neigbouring country/countries to RSA allow shipping in without a CdP?

Hi Everybody
Many thanks for your useful comment. Thanks for taking the time to reply.

Myself and Kevin go back a long way. :cool4: He also checked on wilddog.net.za and registering a RSA bike as a foreigner seems to be very straightforward. I can cross post the reply he received here if anyone's interested.

The sun's out in Yorkshire today: I'm (finally) out for a ride :Beach:

Maputu in Mozambique seems the obvious one to try. I have asked on the overland.co.za email list for you - a few of them live in Moz full-time so might know, though not many South Africans need a carnet etc.

Try asking here about it also: http://www.mozguide.com

here's the thread from Wilddog I mentioned: Can a non-South African resident buy and register a motorcycle in their name?


Thanks for asking over on overland.co.za ref Mozambique.

Another advantage of buying in-country (for somebody like me who wants to take several shorter trips to the region) is your bike will never overstay it's CdP or TIP time limit, as it has neither one nor the other.

"Hi

Moz certainly does not require carnets for vehicles using the land
borders, so I presume that he could get the usual 30 day TIP
(Temporary Import Permit) at the port. For clarity contact a shipping
agent:
MCLI - Maputo Corridor Service Providers - Clearing & Forwarding Agents

Mike www.mozguide.com"

Any one nows about kenya i am going thear from india possibol whid a temporary import thear ass wheal
in nepal att the moment hard to find anything about the kenya regulations

Quote:
Another advantage of buying in-country (for somebody like me who wants to take several shorter trips to the region) is your bike will never overstay it's CdP or TIP time limit, as it has neither one nor the other.



I think you are right, even if you could enter ZA from, say, MOZ without a CDP (which I seriously doubt) you would still have to pay shipping and customs clearing which would be a lot of £££ and a big, big pain in the neck...
Even if you lose a couple of thousand on the resale of the bike you would still be much better off and you get to keep the bike for as long as you want in ZA.

Cheers

Traffic Register Certificate
 

You need an Traffic Register Certificte, for that you can apply for free at the licence office before you register your bike in your name. You need 2 passport photos for the certificate, and an address in RSA. To this address you get each year the renewel letter for you licence disc postet. So you should give somebodys address that can do the renew of the disc if you dont sell the bikes in the 12 month after licencing ! If you wanna sell ask at the licence office for 2 NCO (yellow) forms if you sell fill both in one for you one for the buyer and hand them at a licence bureau in to get the bike out of your name. Buyer must have a south african ID book or a traffic register certificate if you sell to an foreigner.

kind regards

Thomas

I can confirm it is relatively straight forward to buy and register a vehicle as a non South African resident. I have done it twice in the last few years.

One point to note is that if you then sell the vehicle in South Africa, it is very difficult to then transfer your rands out of the country due to currency control issues. Most retail forex dealers will not exchange your rands back into foreign currency unless you can show proof that you bought them in the first place.