Customs Formalities: Egypt to Sudan with expired Carnet
 

When I crossed into Egypt from Libya, my 3 month visa obtained in Ldn was ignored and I was only given 1 week. Which was then applied to my Carnet as well.
It is now proving a pain in the arse to get either of these extended. (even with A.B's help)
If I do not get this extension I will have overstayed my welcome by 16 days by the time I leave. (1 day over the grace period)

I know this will be a 100LE fine for myself, which is cool, but what about my bike?

Can anyone advise on what the customs formalities at Aswan are like so that I can figure out how to handle this?
or
Has anyone had similar experiences of having to cross borders with expired Carnets?

Cheers
Geoff

Geoff

I wouldn't want to risk the bike. It might be that the Egyptian customs at the Sudan border wouldn't be fussed about the dates, but we saw a huge compound full of confiscated vehicles at Cairo airport, and were told that they can be confiscated for fairly minor infractions.

We did extend our vehicle registration by 2 weeks at the Traffic Office in Cairo, although they initially claimed they didn't have jurisdiction because the original had been issued in a different governate (Libya border). This was in 1997, so the rules may have changed.

If you've already tried the Traffic Office and the Tourist Office for extensions, I'd try very hard to get out of Egypt before the registration expired, even if you have to go to Jordan and come back in.

Good luck!
Susan

geoff
from my own experience, i strongly suggest you get your visa extended at the big monolithic building near the hilton hotel. the bike papers can be extended at car customs, near to the airport (as mentioned by susan). you will also need a paper from the traffic police saying you have no traffic fines outstanding. the traffic police 'office' is on the way to the airport on the left.

the visa thing should take a few hours, the bike papers extention (including exchanging the licence plates you got at the border for cairo plates) will take at least a day, most likely 2!! get yourself a runner who knows the system, bring lots of drinking water and biscuits!

the bike will need to have a chassis number and engine number 'tracing' (the chappie at car customs who does this is called shukri. give him a kick from me). the whole experience is absolutely horrid, but better than having your bike impounded! i do not joke here.

pls see these 2 links for a more humourous/sarcastic description of my stunts in cairo and egypt. i won't be going there again.
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/chr...ht/1999_12.php
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/chr...ht/2000_01.php

enjoy sudan and south from there,
ChrisB

Just some feedback to your replies.
I finally got sick of the Egyptian beauraucracy and decided to try and sort things out at Aswan.

Fortunately, after 3 days of to-ing and fro-ing in Aswan,
I was given a 3 week extension to my visa the day I left the country!

In my opinion there are 2 problems with Egypt's processing sytem:
1. They have instigated too much paperwork.
2. None of the government officials are prepared to take any responsibility for their actions. Hence 1 above.

Geoff