RAC UK won't issue carnet - now bike is in port! HELP!
 

Hoping someone can help.

I live in Australia and have been travelling with my UK bike across the world complete with a carnet from UK. I didn't originally plan to continue to Australia, instead, planning to ship it back from Singapore to UK. Recently it made sense to bring it to oz and carry out servicing etc before returning it back to UK.

I've just shipped it to Darwin in anticipation of receiving a new carnet from RAC in UK. Now that it has arrived and after 3 weeks of waiting, they tell me I cannot bring it into Australia as an Australian citizen using a carnet from UK!!! When I say "they" i mean one woman whom you have to wait to call you back.

So I'm left with a bike stuck in the docks at Darwin.

Does anyone know if I have any possible alternative available to bring it into oz as temporary import? The incompetent RAC idiots in UK cannot help me in any way.

I see my options:
1. Send it back to UK
2. Pay full duties - whatever that will cost -scary!
3. Sell it to UK person coming through Darwin.
4. Any other ideas?

Running out of time here! Any suggestions?

Steven

"I cannot bring it into Australia as an Australian citizen using a carnet from UK"

That is correct - though it is an Australian law preventing you from doing this rather than the RAC making a rule up.

I looked into bringing my UK landy to Oz as a Kiwi and this was a stumbling block.

Add ?
 

In addition to your problem...

If you leave the bike for any 'substantial' time you may well have charges for storage in the special customs area! And they won't be cheap.

Best to make a decision quickly (as you may be aware).

If you planned on returning it to the UK then do that.
Or pay the import duty + sales tax + rego + insurance ... ?

I'd do your plan, return to the UK - as cheap as possible.

Kiwi Contemplation
 

Consider shipping it on to New Zealand. Take a ride around down there.

:thumbup1:

.

How long have you owned the bike? What about doing a personal import on it? The duties shouldn't be too high.

http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/vehicles/imports/

Like vehicle insurance UK carnet for UK citizen/ passport holder.

That is not correct - anyone who is a resident can get a UK carnet

Apolgies if I am wrong but I understood that this

"The carnet is available to anybody normally resident in UK. Non-residents should apply to the motoring club in their country of residence."

meant that the UK was the official place of residence.

Margaret

Carnet for resident
 

I've checked the agreement for cdp.

Carnet is usually available for "residents"of that issuing country, it is not intended for use of residents of another country import there.

I have owned the bike for over 4 years so current position is awaiting a customs agent who tells me they can import and only pay fees and duties. If Im successful I will be able to bring bike in and use for 3 months before exporting again. I wont hold my breath.

Meanwhile, I await further advice from carnet people in UK. Frustrating to come all this way and be blocked at last short stretch.

Watch this space...

Never again with a Carnet !!!
 

Hi,
I travelled 2002 - 2005 with two Carnet de Passage across Asia and India - two carnets, because after only 3 days I had a crash in Latvia with a drunken car driver (after midnight): broken legs, 7 months rehabilitation and then buy one more BMW R 80 GS, and of course one more Carnet.
Only in India I had problems with the custom - not for come into the country from China / Nepal, but only to get out to Pakistan across Wagah-border (Arimtsar / Lahore); there they have a very properly border procedure, even with daily parades, no exeptions possible:
They did not want to let me out of India, because my carnet was valid only one year, but my second start to travel (with a fine new Carnet) was in January 2003, 3 1/2 years before.
I told the custom officers, that of course this Carnet is still guilty, because I must bring back this "old" Carnet with a EU-custom stamp and only then I will get back my 3000 €. All my trying (also offering some money) did not help, I had to let back my bike in India - where it is standing and waiting for me until today!!
And back home in Germany, of course I did not get back my deposit money from the german auto-club ADAC - I had to wait and write and wait, etc. until 2013, then finally I got my money back, 14 years after I made the deposit of 3000 € to the ADAC (of course with no interest money!!)
Therefore never again with Carnet!! - also because I am no longer inhabitant of any country; I am a traveller for the coming ten years; the world is my home (and the roads and garages!).

Norbert Berentz
- actual in Pointe-Noire (Congo - Brazzaville), looking for an angolan visa!