Up-to-date Visa & Carnet info please
 

Hi All,

Before I go on with this post I want to apologies for posting something for a 4x4 vehicle and not a bike. We will be travelling with a 1985 Range Rover Classic...Moderators, please get out your board rubbers if I've gone a bridge-to-far...:-)

My wife and I are currently living and working in Tanzania (uk & German passports respectively). We have started planning an overland trip back to the uk covering the following countries:

Tanzania - Malawi - Zambia - Angola - DR Congo - Congo - Gabon - Cameroon - Nigeria - Benin - Togo - Ghana - Burkina Faso - Mali - Senegal - Mauritania - Western Sahara - Morocco - Spain - france- UK.

I have read a couple of conflicting reports regarding visas and Carnets...

Upon the completion of our trip we plan to import our vehicle to UK. Obviously getting a carnet would require us to return the vehicle to it's registered country at the end of the trip, in this case Tanzania, in order to get our "deposit" back. Can anyone shed some light on how I can get around this?

I know that you can get temporary import permits for some of these countries but how would this work for the countries that state a carnet is compulsory? Is there a way around this?

I have heard one or two people mention that they did almost the entire (similar trip) without a carnet, it this possible?

Regarding Visas...again there appears to be some conflicting info out there...I know that there are one or 2 countries that require a visa issued prior to arrival. Does this usually just apply to the "normal" visas?? or do some of these countries, issue transit visas at the boarder if we simpy turned up at the border crossing without one?

Thanks in advance for any help you might be able to offer!!

Asante from Tanzania

Danny & Alice

A potential solution to the carnet issue
 

Danny - Is there a motoring association in Tanzania charged with the responsibility of issuing carnets? If not then AA Kenya and AA of South Africa are both members of the International CPD Network, so if there's no local authority, instead maybe you should start with one of these associations.

Then try to persuade the RAC (UK) to issue your carnet. Tell them that you're on a one-way trip from Tanzania to England - and that you intend to permanently import and re-register your Range Rover with the DVLA when you finally get here.

The RAC will / should then get in touch with the motoring authority responsible for issuing carnets for and on behalf of Tanzanian vehicles to enquire if they have any objection to them (the RAC) issuing the carnet.

If there are no objections, on either side, then the RAC can issue the carnet document to you.

Because you are German, I would also consider adopting the same approach with the ADAC, as this could be a cheaper option.

I am in the same position as you btw: i.e. a NZ-registered vehicle on a one-way trip from New Zealand to the UK.

Under the circumstances, NZAA (New Zealand Automobile Association) had no similar objection, gave the required consent to the RAC .. and bingo! I'm now riding my Kiwi bike under cover of a UK RAC issued carnet. I’ll receive my security guarantees etc, returned by the RAC, when I arrive home (UK) later this year. See below.

Cheers

Keith

http://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-M...-Mjz7VHJ-L.jpg

thanks
 

Hi Keith, thanks for your response...that definitly sounds like an option I had not considered, and well worth looking into.

Did the carnet and deposit still cost the same in the end?

Cheers

Danny

Different carnet providers around the world require differing amounts of deposit. There is no uniformity and it seems to depend on how they perceive the risks associated with your travel destinations. The RAC is notoriously conservative with its approach and tends to require guarantees much higher than other issuers. Search this website for a plethora of diatribe on this vexed issue .. you’ll find a lot of it!

Regarding the guarantee: I understand the RAC will now only issue a carnet where the security provision is in the form of an insurance indemnity. The option to deposit the required guarantee with them as a returnable lump sum, or provide a bank guarantee, have both recently been withdrawn .. allegedly (but check with them about this.)

The RAC also requires proof of a UK address - and a legible copy of the applicant’s passport. Will the address requirement be a problem for you Danny? If so, then maybe consider applying to the ADAC instead (because you’re German); or how about your wife applying to the RAC (because of her British citizenship / residency). In whose name the vehicle is registered will play a part here, so tread carefully regarding this aspect.

FWIW I did try the ADAC, but got knocked back very quickly by them and advised to deal with NZAA. That's when I approached the RAC and subsequently cut the deal I now have. It was no doubt more expensive than I might otherwise have paid to NZAA, but under the circumstance I believed I had little other choice (because the bike will never return to NZ to get the guarantee discharged.)

Best of luck

Keith

Carnet
 

Hi Keith,

The vehicle is registered under my name and luckily I can provide a proof of address in the UK as we do ALL of our banking there etc plus my Last german passport was issued in london! I looked on the RAC website and actually didn't think that the £1350 odd gbp's was too bad based on a £3000 vehicle value. plus after the refunds etc, it would only actually cost us in the region of £750. Was quite suprised actually!!

I have sent the AA in Kenya and the RAC emails yesterday and am waiting to hear back from them. The AAK might prove to work out a fair bit cheaper which would be nice but will wait and see.

The Kenya AA have sent me a very brief response suggesting that they could provide us with a one-way carnet, but they have also said that they will have a deeper look to confirm this, so could turn out not.

The whole thing is super confusing, and a pain in the whatsit to say the least so I really appreciate the time you've taken to offer advise based on your personal experience...it would appear that this would be the best course of action for us as well if the RAC agree....will wait and see what both these associations can offer and keep you posted.

how far into your trip are you now?

Danny

70,102 kilometres so far.

Taking the scenic route: from Kerikeri, Northland, New Zealand → to Pokhara, Nepal. :mchappy:

Best of luck with your planning.

Keith
.

Thanks again
 

Hi Keith,

Your trip sounds EPIC!! nicework!! :-)

Just wanted to thank you again for pointing me in the direction of the RAC, I was unaware that they would consider a foreign vehicle for carnet...as it happens they have agreed to issue us a carnet for our trip at a decent price and with an insurance indemnity, so ALL IS GOOD!! :-)

The Kenyans wanted a FULL 250% cash deposit so I very politely told them to "ahem" bugger off!!

Asante Sana from Tanzania:-)

Happy Travels

Danny & Alice

Dan
I was going to PM you with a few idiot questions about Tanzania but I've not been on here long enough to send PMs. Perhaps you could PM me?
I realise there are no dumb questions and this forum is about information exchange but my Q's are pretty simple. If we end up in a huge dialogue, I'll create a thread
Just to say I'm in Kampala with variable internet connectivity until Weds next week so apologies if I don't reply immediately
Oh and Keith - "70ks and still travelling"....Respect!!!
Chris (Pike)

Dan

I just can't seem to reply to your PM. I get a splash screen saying PM sent but it doesn't appear in my outbox. Very strange. If you aren't bored of me yet, perhaps you could send me a mail address but I'd completely understand if you thought that to be insecure!

Technology, huh?

Chris

Yes, you can do the whole trip without a carnet. Your biggest difficulty will be Ghana and Senegal.

Yes, most countries issue visas at the border. Prior visas required for Angola and Nigeria.

Nothing is ever 100% certain in Africa.

Yes, posable without a carnet, Senegal as noted above will be problematic, just don't go! Not having a carnet means a 'discussion' at most borders and usually a fee for a Temporary Import Permit (TIP). Some recent threads on here about it, search.

Ignore the advise above about visas though, that is the wrong impression for overland travel. You will need a visa in advance from:
- Angola - hard to get
- Democratic Congo - supposed to be issued in your home country now
- Congo - seems possible at the border?
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...a-border-61418
- Gabon - maybe, not sure if it applies going north:
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...s-border-69710
- Cameroon
- Nigeria
- Benin (might be possible at the border at the southern most crossing on main road?)
- Togo (might be possible at the border at the southern most crossing on main road?)
- Ghana
- Burkina Faso - can get at border, but check current situation when close
- Mali
- Senegal (new biometric visas in advance - nothing special, avoid country imho)
- Mauritania

As of last year, Horizons Unlimited is now multi tasking. Grant and Susan now officially embrace 4x4s and pedal cycles as the mindset of the 3 are similar and members often cross all 3 disciplines anyway.
:thumbup1: