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Originally Posted by mtncrawler
My first pass at planning had me shipping bike to London - then hopping on a plane with all my personal riding gear along to support my ride. Maybe I need to re-think this.
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No need to re-think it at all, I've done exactly that several times. The customs people look at you, your passport, your residency (and obvious ineligibility to live in the EC), and they wave you through without any difficulty or questions at all.
If all else fails, you could show them a copy of the shipping documents for your motorcycle, thus establishing beyond a shadow of a doubt that the gear you are carrying is intended to support your tour with the motorcycle that you are shipping over at the same time.
Don't be the least bit concerned.
Wanted's concern arises, I suspect, because he will not be accompanying (in person) the gear he is shipping, and perhaps also because he is shipping a significant dollar value of new equipment, which is not as obviously considered 'personal effects' as used equipment is.
The "bottom line" on all of this - in other words, the root concept that customs officials work upon - is the question "Is this stuff personal effects to support the traveller on their vacation, or is this stuff something that the shipper (or passenger) intends to leave behind in Europe, in effect importing permanently without paying the usual duty and tax that is imposed on permanent importations?"
Customs people are well aware of the importance of tourism. They also see enough people come through in the course of their career that they can pretty quickly figure out who is legit and who is trying to game the system.
Michael
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