3 questions on entering US wih foreign motorbike
 

Hi,
we want to enter US in january coming from Mexico with 2 motorbikes registered in Germany, than leaving the bikes in Arizona/California and come back for another trip in dec 2017. after that trip we ship them back from US to Germany in january 2018.
1) Do we need any paperworks to be done before entering US (Insurance, customs, US registration whatsoever...). 2) How Long can we leave the bikes in the US without getting trouble when shipping them back home. Again, any paperworks necessary? 3) Does anyone maybe know a good place to store the bikes for 10 months?
Thanks a lot for Your help.
mar

Hello Mar:

I am not an expert on US Customs rules, so take my comments below as 'general guidance' only.

Concerning paperwork: You will need to have proof of ownership of the motorcycles, proof of registration of the motorcycles (sometimes these two things are combined on the same document), and proof that the vehicles are insured for operation within the United States. I don't believe that you will need any other paperwork.

The USA (and Canada) do not require carnets for vehicles. The Customs officer will admit the vehicle (and rider) if he or she believes that the riders are entering the country for legitimate tourism, and do not intend to leave the vehicles in the USA - in other words, if the Customs officer believes that both you and the vehicles will leave within the allowable period of time, then they will let you in - it's that simple.

Citizens of Germany can enter the USA for stays of up to 90 days without a visa, although they do need to obtain an electronic travel authorization (done online) before arriving.

Your message suggests that you want to stay for longer than 90 days. If this is the case, you will need to investigate getting a tourist visa that allows you to stay longer than 90 days. I don't know anything about that process.

I doubt that you would be allowed to leave the motorcycles behind in the United States for 10 months. That would not be consistent with the general principle that the vehicles are admitted to enable you to carry out tourism during the time you (the human) are entitled to stay in the country.

If you want to leave the vehicles in the USA for 10 months, you may need to investigate the possibility of storing them in a Customs Bonded warehouse during the time between your visits to the country.

Hope this helps - if nothing else, it might give you food for thought and set you down the right path.

Michael

The 4th paragraph from the bottom of the very long web page that the link directly above leads to appears to address the question:

"Motorists visiting the United States as tourists from countries that have ratified the Convention on International Road Traffic of 1949 may drive in the U.S. for one year with their own national license plates (registration tags) on their own national license plates (registration tags) on their cars and with their own personal drivers' licenses."

But, there is still some uncertainty about whether or not the vehicle can be left in the USA whilst the 'visitor' leaves the USA for a while.

Michael

You don't need anything to enter the US from Mexico with your bikes. They will not even make a note that you have them. You can leave them as long as you want.

That seems to be the case. I met a couple from Germany who had shipped their RV to the States, traveled till Autumn, left the vehicle in the country while they flew home during the Winter time. Next Spring they returned to the USA, traveled until the next Fall and shipped their RV back to Europe. Apparently no hassle at all.

If you really want to avoid hassle, bring the vehicles in thru Mexico as planned, then cross the border to Canada when you are done with the US (they do not keep track of foreign vehicles brought in for tourism) and ship to Europe from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Much easier to ship from in terms of bureaucratic paperwork etc.

Charlie

Thanks to all of you. seems like it is no big Problem entering US and leaving the bike there for a year.

does anyone maybe has an idea, where we can leave two bikes in california, Arizona for 10 months?

Cheers
mar

+1 for the posts above me.

I crossed last year from Canada into the US and then US to Mexico and back. Shipped it back from LA to Germany and this was the time they wanted to see some documents (EPA and such stuff) from the import (which I hadn't). But was no problem. Shipping back from Canada might be the easiest solution.

For a place to leave your bike, maybe look at the tenspace thread at ADVrider.com.

Martin