Hi mosq, were did you get the info about exit point being the same as entry point ?

Cheers
Pete

exactly at the border (Astara town, between Azerbaijan and Iran, near Caspian sea). when agent didn't allow me to write exit point "Anzali" in Carnet, I went directly to the border's chief and asked what the hell is going on.. they said me that this is the rule, that "if you enter to Iran with Carnet then you must exit to the same border point where you entered. If you want to exit to another country, then it means that Iran will be transit country for you, and you need to have transit documents."

As I understood from what they said later: when you do transit documents, some iranian transportation company must "control" your vehicle. they write that your vehicle is under control of "ABC company", give all certificates, transit route table and other stuff and then you can go through Iran. There are several transport companies for your choice and from every company there is an agent at any border point around Iran.
I can post that documents, if someone can read Farsi.

All this sounds too hard and fantastic, and I didn't believe them even I entered Iran, I thought that they fooled me and just took money for nothing... But maybe such customs procedure is true, because Iran like paper works, and for every move you will need a bunch of papers. (for example, when I exchanged 100 USD to Iran Reals at the bank, I posted about 5 signs, then stamped 4 papers, then they made copies and only then exchanged me that $100)..

Late 2008 we had no issues with standard, pre-organised Carnets and entering and exiting through different border crossings.

The "on the border" system sounds far easier and cheaper, but I'd be interested to hear more news of it.

Ben

Hi All

We are still waiting for the Iranian visa which was delayed cos of Iranian New Year so still not gone to get the carnet yet?! Will keep you posted though.

How long does it take to get this visa?!! Elections are coming up in June so perhaps a reason why it's taking so long!

At most, I reckon it took about 3 weeks or so waiting for the approval number to be emailed from Iranianvisa.com, but I was travelling all that time so the wait didn't really affect me. Good luck with it.

Did you get sorted with carnet issue
 

Hi Alan, I guess by the time you get this you may well be gone. If not why, if so, how did you get the carnet issue resolved.

We toured Iran in 2008 with two 2008 KTM 990 Adventures.
We entered and returned from the Gurbulak/Bazargan border.
As Turkish citizens we went to Turkish Touring and Automobile Agency and we paid 75 EUR (non-refundable) and 200 USD (depozit to get back when returning the Carnet) and took our Carnet.

Iran without CPD
 

I think about mosq's experience. I have plan to drive from Turkey to Georgia and then to Armenia (it is no problem with visas for Georgia and Armenia) and next from Armenia to Iran. I think it will be transit to Turkey and without CPD. I don't know anybody try this. Next problem will be how many days we can stay in Iran.

Incidently I was able to contact one Hossein Ravanyar (he says he can organize a Carnet de Passage in Iran) Iran Overland :: Explore Iran Overland - Hossein Ravanyar - Tabriz and he wrote back which I believe many people have tried and failed - looks like he's back in action!

Carnet and Greencard
 

i am sailing from Sharjah to Iran on 08 Nov.
I have my Oasis tickets and they have retained my original Carnet and Cert Of Tourism isued by AA Dubai on behalf of RTA. Oasis have advised me both these docs are required to board and they handle these formalities with the Authorities to speed things up.

Wrt the Carnet Guarentee,Stefano is correct re undervalue and haggle. I put up Dh.25k for a 1 yr old LR Defender after haggling. Best to go in there on a Sat morning when its quiet and relaxed. I have put down a cash deposit and my daughter in law is going to redeem it when I send her the Carnet back. I have put her name on the receipt slip for the deposit. There was no mention of a counter guarentee from her!!!!This may also be your best method if you have a friend you can trust to send the Carnet back to and redeem the deposit for you but remember to have his name put on the cash deposit receipt.

I have arranged Green Card through Home in Holland and Iran is a member of the GC system.

Don't forget to allow approx 4 wks(max) for your Iranian visa.

Enjoy your trip.

Carnet Problems
 

Hi Guys

Some great info.
I will be traveling through Iran at the end of Feb begging of March then into Turkmenistan Uzbekistan Kazakhstan Russia Ukraine Slovakia Czech Republic Germany Luxembourg Belgium France UK.

the Automobile club here have told me that I don't need a carnet as I will be exporting the bike on export plates, I thought this was a bit odd so I called the Iran embassy and they told me that what ever the Automobile Club have said is what I do.

So now I am very confused. The joys of traveling.

Peter

I'd be very sceptical of that. It doesn't really make sense either, wouldn't a car on export plates be even more likely to be sold in Iran? Try contacting Iranian customs, they're the only ones who can give competent answers.

There have been reports of people getting into Iran without a carnet though. The guy I'm thinking of paid something like 200 Dollar for some sort of insurance against him selling the car, but had to wait a day at the border.

They're definitely not going to just let the vehicle in without anything. I'd play it safe and try and get a carnet.

Here's the guy who made it without a carnet: www.brauner-benz.de

Is this true?

Our South African carnet covers every country except Iran. Does anyone have any idea where we can actually get this Iranian temporary vehicle import document, any real experience of doing so. Where to go etc...
That is of course if the country doesn't go up in a big white flash or us Brits get banned because of Britains ridiculous foreign policy of constant meddling in the middle east.

Rurpecht --- www.bigbiketrip.net

:helpsmilie:

I would just take out/replace the last sheet.

I've never had anybody look at the list of covered countries except once, when the Guinean customs official had to discover that Guinea was indeed covered, much to his disappointment, of course.