Going from 'Stans to Russia? Please Read!
 

I wanted to post this, so maybe it wont happen to someone else.
Kaz is now part of some trade zone with Russia, and if you go thru Kaz to Ru, they should give you a temp import document for your bike when you enter Kaz from another country (this happened to me coming from Kyrg, at the Bishkek border)
Well, Kaz gave me nothing, and as I went from Kaz to Ru, the guys at the Ru border probably assumed I had it, & didnt give me one.
I'd been to Ru before, but thought maybe it was just some new system, as they put the bike license number in the computer.
BUT, without this paper, you are riding in Ru ILLEGALLY! and if stopped, they can impound your bike til its straightened out!

Once I found out I needed this paper, I went to a customs office, but they said it could only be fixed at a border. Even at the border, there is possibility for impoundment. So I'm riding 3000km across russia, being careful not to get stopped!

Anyhow, I knew someone who knew a customs bigwig, and he called to the mongolian border, & got it fixed to where I could get everything sorted.
So I went to the border, had to write a letter explaining what happened, that the Kaz idiot gave me nothing. They made copies of all my passport stamps, and let me go (luckily, no 'fines' were involved)
Then I had to leave Ru, get a MGL stamp, & re enter Ru, this time I was given the proper docs. Other than costing me a couple days time, riding to the border, & 5 hours AT the border, it worked out. But be careful! I've heard of 2 other people this has happened to also

the paper is a full white sheet, you fill it out yourself, then they put some pretty colored stamps on it, and a bar coded sticker.

Doug

hi,

dont care about it, in russia nobody will spop you and see some papers...

we cross kaz twis, but we only ha
ve the doune declaration..so, really dont care!

cheers from russia,,
bernd and heidi

united customs territory
 

Russia Belorussia and kazahstan is a united customs territiory, so all temp import docs made on every entry point is valid in all 3 coutries.
So you do not need to worry.
Just put an entry stamp on russian visa on the dorder and ride further.
(passport (border) control and customs control are different people from different employers)
:oops2:

Dean
as it says in my post, kaz gave me NO FORM

had they given me the form they were supposed to, it would have been fine. I know of 3 others this happened to, entering at the same border.

I only posted the warning, as it caused me a big headache, and I was trying to save someone else from the same problems.

Doug

Hi,

I entered Kyrgyzstan on 19th July 2011 at Torugart and I received no paperwork other than a stamp in my passport.

I crossed from KGZ-KAZ at Korday on the 9th August where I was asked repeatedly about a "vehicle passport" by both sides and just shrugged. They let me through.

I returned to KGZ on the 11th August (a successful repair at MyMotoTown) where I was asked for my "vehicle passport" by the KAZ people who eventually gave up but this time the KRG people went through the motions and gave me some form in Cyrillic (eventually filled out by them as I didn't have a clue) which I mustn't lose and/or must give to someone in Osh (where I am now).

The point being that the KAZ people were keen on some "vehicle passport" but eventually gave up on me both inward and outward.

I shall pay more attention in future as I have to go through KAZ to get to RU in a few weeks time.

Cheers,

Ian

IDF ... you are talking about a different document

What CIS countries call a vehicle passport or "TechPassport" is the registration docs of the vehicle. A V5, or Carte Gris or ICMV ... Its your standard registration document from your country of origin.

The customs form is a slip of paper you get at the border of Kazakhstan Russia or Belarus to the single customs zone of those 3 countries, which allows you to temporarily import your vehicle, without paying duty. It is issued at the border as is a bar code that is put on the paper, and an expiry date.

In your case, you need to have received that piece of paper, with a stuck on bar code, at the KG-KZ border when you entered Kazakhstan.

Doug's point, is that its too late at the Russian border. They will not issue the paper at the Russian border when you enter from Kazakhstan. You had to get it when you entered the customs zone. Which was when you crossed from KG to KZ.

This caused us major problems when we tried to enter Russia from Kazakhstan a few months ago. We weren't given the cutoms form when we entered Krygystan, and were consequently held up at the Russian border for 14 hours! They wouldn't let us through without it. It was a nightmare. Eventually after lots of to-ing and fro-ing between the borders, we managed to get the Kaz customs to get a form faxed through from Kyrgh which we then filled in and were eventually permitted to enter Russia - by this time it was about 2am and we were knackered and well frustrated.

So make sure you ask for a customs form in when entering Kyrgh. It will make life a whole lot easier.

Just to clarify this guys, its nothing to do with Kyrgyzstan ... you get it when you enter KAZAKHSTAN ... from Kyrgyzstan. The Kazakh customs guys should give it to you on entry to Kazakhstan.

Kyrgyzstan is not part of the customs union

Thanks for these informations!

so this problem can happen as well when entering Kazakhstan from Ouzbekistan, I'll go in Beyneu?

Maybe yes ... just make sure you get the customs import form on the Kazakh side of the border before you ride off

Thanks
 

Hi,

When we entered fron Kirgistan to Kasachstan (Bishkek to Almaty) we did not get the requiered form for the bike automaticly. Having the info from Doug we had to ask several times for the form. It seams to me, that most of the bordestaff there just do not know about this form. Finaly we get the form in a little bureau witch is in the main buildung behind the pasport Control for the pedestrains down a little stair.

Entering Russia nowbody asked for this Form, but when I left to Mongolia they asked for it, and I was happy to have it.

Thanks Doug for the Information.

Greetings Heiko

custom form
 

hi crossed from kazakhstan to uzbekistan in june and got the form and bar code sticker automaticaly , crossed form bishkek to almaty in july went down the stairs to the little customs office (forgot all about this form ) filled in normal customs decleration form and put the bike in the space for your vehicle ,,,, exit russia to latvia NO PROBLEMS (mind you the did have a load of yanks to play with)

zebb

I entered Kazakhstan from Uzbekistan in the Beyneu border, the automatically gave me a custom form, but not one with sticker bar code.

Fair dos. Thank you for the heads up.

I've had some sort of document entering (somewhere) and Tajikistan which costs US$10 and you get a tear off portion of an A5 slip. I've been told not to lose them but no-one asks for them.

This bar-coded thing needs some more attention, then, as I'll be entering KZ from UZ in a few days.

Cheers,

Ian

I entered from Tashkent straight into Kazakhstan about two weeks ago - they gave me temp import paper without asking for (I knew about this problem by then - thnks Doug!), but they don't have printer for the barcode sticker yet. It wasn't a problem when leaving Russia into Georgia though - they asked for sticker, I explained and they were cool with that.
Bart

As long as you get some kind of customs document with the details of the vehicle (reg. number, chassis number) you'll be fine. Most Russian borders issue a barcode sticker, but not all. Some will photocopy your domestic registration document (V5) and put a sticker on that. KZ does not issue a barcode sticker. Just make sure you get some paperwork, and that you understand how long you can keep the vehicle in the three-country customs union area (three months from date of entry).

Daniel

read this thread too late - what to do now in russia without the temporary import permit?
heading towards irkutsk and then mongolia

Im guessing you will enter to MGL on the border south of Ulan Ude?
thats the border where I fixed the document problem.
Once I got there, I found out I wasnt the first, it had happened to a swiss guy the week before.

Heres what I had to do

I had to write a letter stating when & where I crossed into KAZ, and why I didnt have the Temp Imp doc. Theres a nice lady at the border that speaks english. She was there last year & in 09, so probably still there. She helped me out, told me what to write, etc. (if you meet her, tell her Doug from Alabama said hi :))

anyhow, my friend had called the boss there, but it turned out to probably not be neccesary, altho Im sure it didnt hurt.

I didnt pay any bribes or fines, and you shouldnt either. They understand the Kazak border guys arent so bright.

Let me know how it works out for you

Doug

Oh, and this year, when I went to russia, I 'procured' a blank temp imp doc, if I can, I will scan it & post a picture of it

Happened to me exactly as Doug described two day ago.

What happened to me few weeks ago in Kazakstan-Uzbekistan border near Caspian Sea was i was filling Custom declaration form for my bike in custom in Kazakstan side I was told by custom officials that i need to have xerox copy of passport.

I started to question (in Russian language) where i am supposed to get it now so they said that you can get it from next window/Slot in desk (where they had copymachine put next to window) but it costs money.

I started to yell in russian that why i need to buy copy as i have been several times in Russia and Kazakstan and nowhere else i have had to buy copy of passport.

Custom officals looked like very pissed, took my passport without saying anything, took passport copy and and tosses papers and passport back to me.

Obiously they were just trying to rip from "rich and stupid" tourists some extra income because no other border i have had to pay from copy of passport and i have used i 4 different ones so far in Kazakstan and that was only one where they asked money from passport copy.

made it to UB crossing at the border south of Ulan-Ude into Mongolia without the customs declaration. That nice young asian-looking lady is still there and was somewhat helpful. However there was also a putin-look-a-like blond haired guy who wanted to be bribed - we tried to avoid him though. As long as you deal with the lady you will be fine. She knows very well about the problem since many people coming from kazakhstan don't get a declaration.

We didn't have to write a report but had to fill out another declaration on exit.

Same thing for me. I read this thread before going but completely forgot to insist on a form when entering Kazakhstan from Kyrgyzstan. I exited Russia at Tashanta and when asked for the form assumed I had lost it. Customs bloke just looked unimpressed, got me to fill out the normal customs exit form and let me go. No letters/bribing/waiting. Of course there is a chance that he assumed I was part of the rowdy drunken orgy known as the Mongol rally that happened to be there at the same time and he just wanted me to leave as quick as possible.

Some tourists are rich and stupid, and other are just obnoxious and unpleasant.

Maybe it didn't occur to you that there might be no budget for advanced technology like copy machines at every border crossing, and that this outpost might have bought/leased this copy machine as a convenience for travellers (so they didn't have to ride back to the next town for copies), but still have to pay for the thing. Or maybe they wanted a little beer money, who cares? You don't say how much they asked for copies but make it sound like they were asking for $50 or something.

I personally am generally very pleased when I get to some govt office that requires copies and they will make them for some nominal fee. Saves me a lot of trouble, and it doesn't bother me at all if it costs me some nominal sum.

+1. :thumbup1: This ain´t bribery.

Cheers
Chris

I am very unpleasant and obnoxious to pay any money which goes into pocket of goverment officials, policemen or support any other illegal money gathering. Any person doing it fails to realise it encourages such an action and all travellers are seen as walking payday, source of extra income and demands of payment tend to raise every time.

Why do you think it was illegal for them to ask for compensation for copies? :confused1:

Do you think that they are required by law to provide copies to travellers? I find that extemely doubtful. I have been to plenty of govt offices that require copies but that could not be bothered to get a copy machine, so they send you across the street, across town, to the next town, etc. to get your copies. Very very inconvenient.

Are you sure that the Kazak govt paid for the copier?
Or maybe the money that they asked you for went into their post's budget?
If so, maybe it paid for the copier for their internal use and they make it available to travellers as a convenience?
Or maybe they lease it, since there are probably not many copy machines in the area?
Or maybe you expect them to pay out of their own pockets for the paper, maintenance costs, etc.?

And you were yelling at the Kazakhs because the Russians gave you free copies? Last time I checked they were different countries and I don't know why you would expect practices in Russia to also exist in Kazakstan.

Do you really have the slightest clue why they asked for money for the copies, or that their request was not wholly legitimate? I'll answer for you--no, you don't.

Gee I wonder why they got mad when you started yelling at them??

Motoreiter: Provide me link to page or reference to text which says people entering to Kazakstan has to provide custom photocopy of first page of passport when arriving!

Have you ever been in border between Uzbekistan and Kazakstan?

I think you havent been so i can tell you that that photocopy machine was least expensive item in that new custom building and by judging how building looked liked i can assure you material nor machine was rented or leased by the custom people.

Funniest thing was that after I demanded explanation why i have to pay from copy as never i have elsewhere had to do it, they took copies without saying anything and tossed papers back to me, including photocopy they took. I asked that isnt this what you wanted and handed it back and they mumbled something i did not hear.

If you wish to continue this Motoreiter i am happy to do it in private messages but i have no need or wish to argue with you as your attidude has been in several messages not only aggressive but also insulting.

Tirpse

I have not been to that particular border, but have been to all of the countries involved and have travelled extensively in the CIS, including crossing borders.

If I've been aggressive and insulting, it is because I have had the same impression of your behavior from your posts: I just don't consider it appropriate or necessary to yell at someone for asking you to pay for a copy of your passport. I really cannot understand your outrage over this incident and do not agree with your comment that anyone that would have paid for a copy is part of the problem.

You've called his request "illegal" but have no evidence that it was in fact illegal other than to say that other posts in the country/region do not ask for compensation, but that hardly means that it is illegal to do so.

If you were so outraged by this request you could have simply refused to pay and been prepared to wait until you could convince them to let you through without paying.

So. When entering Kaz, you get 3 months with your bike on a temp import permit.

When you travel into Mongolia, do they issue a new temp import permit when you go back into russia? Does the 3 months start again?

If not, what happens if it takes you longer then 3 months? I plan on taking my sweet time this summer. Starting in may in Az getting to Magadon in early Sept.

Thanks!
Noah

when you leave russia, your 3 months ends, the issue a new one when you re-enter, for another 3 months
there is a way to get it extended, but like everything else in russia, its a pain in the ass & time consuming. its much easier to cross a border & return (providing you have a multi entry visa)

If you get to Vladivostok and its close to expiring, I'm sure Yuri (customs broker) can fix it for you. I have his contact info if you need it. He's a good guy.

I dunno what happens when you are longer than 3 months, I've heard of people that had no problems, others that had problems. depends on the mood of the border guard I think.

Doug

Perfect. I plan on spending a fair amount of time exploring Mongolia so it will reset then. Thanks!:clap:

please keep in mind that the rules there change often. this was how they were doing it the last couple summers, in the years before, it was a little different.
Just ask them at the border, usually the guys are pretty helpful

Customs Declaration Form - Download
 

Last summer, even crossing at a well-organized border station from Narva, Estonia into Russia, there were some difficulties with obtaining English copies of the customs forms. So things became much more of a run-around than they could have been. Here is a link to the exact version of the customs form that I was eventually given to fill out. A4 paper, I believe, printed double sided. I only saw the first two pages, as the last couple in the link are for taking more than $10,000 in cash/cheques into Russia. Hah!

Next time, I'll print my own copies in advance.... and even fill them out to speed things up. If they are not exactly what they use at the time, or at that particular crossing, at least they will know what I'm looking for. And if the only problem is that they don't have any available in English, well, you can just get a Russian version of the form and fill it out using the English version as a guide.

If I remember correctly, I needed two completed copies (ENTRY box checked at the top) going in. One they kept for their own records, and one was given a barcode sticker and was given back to me to travel with. I needed to surrender the barcoded version upon exiting Russia, as well as fill out another copy (EXIT box checked) listing the bike again, my money status and items that were leaving with me. I had only listed my bike, electronics and cash going in, and so only listed the bike, electronics and somewhat less cash coming out. But in this thread, the obviously important part is at the bottom of the first page where all the bike details are given. Shows that they acknowledged the bike going in, and coming out.

Hope this helps.

Sam Longiaru
Kamloops, BC

For reference, you only need to detail cash if your cash amount held on entering Russia is in excess of 10,000 USD worth of whatever currencies.

I can not imagine any bikers carrying that sort of cash on person so unless you are one of those rare people, ignore declaring cash and general electronics for Russia.

Generally important is to mention precisely only car/motobike with VIN number, engine volume, year of production etc. Cameras/electronic etc if not profi one - does not matter. So mention only vehicle and keep this paper in safe place during visit in Russia its called "vremenny vvoz" = temporary import.
If vehicle is not Yours is needed notary translation of agreement of owner that You will use his car in Russia!! Same with lease vehicles.

In crossing point "Burachki" Latvia/Russia (road M9)they had forms in Russian, English and German (info from 1 month ago). But forget about such things deep in Asia. Generally shape of these docs is similiar and if You dont understand cyrylic its wise to get additional forms in europe for example russian and english. It will be easer on road back from Mongolia/Kyrgystan/Uzbekistan.

Good lack

This has been probably brought up and i have mentioned this allready few times but when you leave Russia-Kaz custom area at lest in Russia you dont have to fill anything anymore. Just hand out carcoded custom declaration form and thats it.

News on borders between Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Russia
 

Hi,

I am planning to go from Tajikistan to Russia via Uzbekistan next week.

Are there any latest news on the required border papers?

Has anyone traveled recently this direction? (Last Post was a couple of years ago)

I traveled 3 years ago from Iran to Tajikistan without any border issues. But how is up north?

Thanks for advise

Harry

Uzbekistan isnt relevant.

The only question of relevance is where will you enter the customs zone? (RU-KZ-BY). I am assuming Kazakhstan.

At the point you enter the zone you MUST get a copy of the the barcoded customs declaration. (you fill out two, they keep one, they barcode the other and give it to you)

You are required to keep it with you, produce it and give it back at the point you leave the customs union.

July 6 2014, i crossed KG-KZ Kengen border, i had to ask for the "motorcycle document" to enter russia which they openly gave. and then July 8 2014 at Semey - Rubtsovsk border they didnt ask for anything,

not sure if im a one off, but i was a little disappointed that they didnt ask for the document...

edd

The document isn't for entering Russia. You are already in that "zone". They will ask for it when you leave russia, kazak or Belarus.

I crossed this same border last summer. The document they gave me was wrong.. so when I was trying to exit Russia into Mongolia south of Ulan Ude, it took a few hours. Luckily, the "wrong document" they gave me at the Kengen border was the same "wrong document" I received from kazak customs in Aktau. So it was easy to play the "I thought it was correct" card. Good luck.

Does anyone know if the Custom Union (Russia/Belarus/Kazakhstan) has been extended to include some of the Stans?


I vaguely remember I read some stuff about Kyrgyz joining... is this still just under discussion only? Can't find much on google....


cheers,

Kirgiz in
 

From last year (August 2015) Kirgis is in Custom Union.
When I entered in July 2015 they used union form yet but we have to pay some money.
I think that now it is much better (although it was not any problems with Kirrgiz border).

Thanks Bartoz! Very useful to know! We will make sure to keep our Russian custom forms from the moment we get into Norther Russia until the moment we get to Kyrgyz.


Our bikes will be brought back by truck from Bishkek, so the truckers will need those.

The customs coalition includes Kirgistan too now.
So you will get a 15 days visa on entry every time you cross the boarder.
Very quick and easy. No problems at all. No immigration registration needed for visa on entry users.

I just came from KAZ to Kirgistan and back. Took about 20 min. at Bishkek and Kegen boarder post.
The road to Kegen is very bad but very scenic, I enjoyed very much!!

But also before you did not need a visa for Kirgistan and you could stay longer than 15 days !!!

You can still stay up to 60 days in Kirgistan.
I just said that on every entry into KASACHSTAN you´ll get a new 15 days visa.
So if you enter from KASACHSTAN to Kirgistan after those 15 days, and reenter Kasachstan, it´s another 15 days in Kasachstan.
Be careful if you take the Bishkek boarder into Kirgistan. After around 3ß-40 meters, there is a stop sign, which you hardly can see. It´s hidden by means to provoke a violation of this stop sign. The cops are sitting nearby to stop you, show you a video of your violation and get the bribe. They can get cery rude. So by all means stop there, put both feet to the ground, so there is no evidence of a violation of traffic rules.
The police in KAZ and Kirgistan will stop you only if you made a mistake and want to be bribed. If you didn´t violate any rules/laws, don´t pay any bribe, if you did, there is no other way than to negotiate the amount.

I got caught here as well. Shifty bastards...

I assume it was on the Kyrg side ?

We had a funny encounter with the cops there. We pulled over next to the cops' office right after the border and asked to one of them, who was standing there, if he knew about an insurance seller. He motionned us to stop and get up to the office. So we parked there next to police cars and went up to speak to the head cop - I assume, as he was bullying the other guys. Nobody spoke English so we tried to get the message trough with a few words of Russian. Eventually he showed us to his desk and a credit card machine. :confused: Are the cops selling insurance ? after some discussion, it turned out he wanted to fine us. Ok, so what's the offence ? he shuffled through a book and showed us one line, that said "speeding over.." so we went "no way, are you crazy ?". He thinks again and then points to another line: "illegal parking".. and our car doh! So I bursted into laughs and started to make fun of him in English, which he didn't understand, but he got the point :rofl:. He still asked for a credit card, which I don't get, since if we pay then he gets no money..? I guess that's the first move before settling for half-price in cash.

Anyway, we just left and that was it. No harm done but those Kyrgyz police are totally out of control :taz:. Good fun though.

Laurent

PS: there's no insurance seller there, and maybe nowhere else ? we didn't care and the cops, as crooked as they are, never checked, so it's a good bet that insurance isn't mandatory. Anyone know for sure ?

Now that Kygrygzstan has been included in the customs zone, does this mean that the white barcoded temp import form as mentioned at the start of the thread should now be obtained on the way into Kyrgyrzstan?

Does it still only last for 90 days?

Cheers

You will obtain it when you enter to Custom Union, and it will be for 1 year.

Hi all! Has someone entered in Kyrgyzstan from Uzbekistan or Tajikistan this year? Are customs officers giving one year of TIP, like you get when you enter to Customs Unión by Russia?

Regards.

My friends crossed yesterday from Tajikistan to Kyrgyzstan at Bor Dobo. They had temporary import papers for CU valid for 6 months.
They did not asked for 12, as they don't need them, so I don't know if it is possible to obtain it at that border (you should, but nobody reported back about that).
If you cross there, please ask and report back to us,
thank you

I crossed yesterday from Tajikistan to Kyrgyzstan and get 1 year of temporary Import document.
And for more info, officer told me that is posible extend it an extra year in customs office at Bishkek with some paperwork. I will try to get more info about at the end of July.
Regards!

Great!
At what border did you crossed?
Did you had to ask for 1 year or they just gave you that time on the permit?

From Karakol to Sary-tash, sorry, I don't remember the name of the border.
As soon as the officer ask me if I was going to Kazakhstan, I told him that my bike will stay at Kyrgyzstan and I will need 1 year of TIP. I just explained to him.

Gents, I drove into Russia with my bike and told them that I would leave Russia within 2 weeks. I did but entered into Kazachstan where I parked my bike for about a year. I did not get any TIP... This year I will drive from Kazakhstan into Kyrgyzstan and Tadzjikistan. Am I in trouble for not having the TIP and if so what can be the consequences? Appreciate your help. Thanks Leo

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lose your bike or if your lucky pay a *FINE*

Seriously? There must be something I can do about it. I was even called by Russian customs twice and received a letter. I sent them an email in Russian explaining that the bike did not disappear but that it is parked in Almaty until summer this year. I was not even aware about this TIP and told the truth when I entered Russia that I would leave within two weeks. When crossing into Kazachstan there was no trouble whatsoever. Any advice?

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Go to the border and find out?
Take all the details, emails and shit like that and just hope for the best.
That's the only advice I can give apart from next time get a TIP for the bike.

Good luck.

Ok. Just checked the entry customs document that I got and checked with some locals and they say I should be fine as long as I get out of the customs union before August this year. Should be fine then. Thanks.

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And keep the stamped temporary import paper from you exit of the custom union.

Just in case that you get in trouble by the next entry you can proof that you did exit !!!!

Hi, cautionary tale here. Make sure, as Klaus said that you keep copies of the docs.

I rode to Kyrgyzstan via Russia and Kazakhstan summer 2016.
So when I entered the Russian/ central Asian custom zone, I had the TiP that I kept all the way to Kyrgyzstan.
Kyrgyz is now in the custom zone. Our bikes were transported by truck back from Kyrgyz to the UK.

Few months later I got a letter for the Russian custom office in Moscow asking me details of our bikes whereabout, as they still had the bikes as within the custom zone.

I got all the transport docs from the transport company ( they are absolutely NOT to blame here I must add, they were brillant).

Anyway, I sent all docs, including clearing custom docs, by email to russia, to prove the bikes left the custom zone a long time ago, and have not heard since from them, so I guess all is clear.

But better keep copies of docs or you could be sent a big bill to pay!

Hm good to hear. I thought I was " special" being contacted by the Russian customs. They sent a letter, I guess the same that you got, and called me twice so far. I explained that my bike is still in the customs union but they seemed very interested to hear where it is now and when I will leave. Anyway will make sure I can prove once I have left the union. Thanks again.

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Travelled to Kazakhstan this summer and entered the Russian custom union into Russia from Georgia where I received TIP. One of our group was taken for ‘routine’ questioning but crossed the border later but they failed to take him through the process and unbeknown to him and us, he hadn’t received a TIP. No problem entering Kazakhstan from Russia, they assumed he had been through the process and all was well......until he tried to leave Kazakhstan near Shymkent into Uzbekistan. The Kazakh border control would NOT allow the bike to leave the country. The attitude was the bike was illegally imported as he had no TIP! No solution offered. His option was to ship out if possible or ‘throw a match in the tank’ as he said. I had to curtail my trip for other reasons so we made our way to Almaty. I was advised that the bike was regarded as ‘personal belongings’ so could not be shipped overland unaccompanied, so had to be airfreighted at £££ cost. My colleague however benefitted from my bike accompanying his plus the shipping company had a great relationship with a very sensible custom officer at the airport who saw sense and accepted the unfortunate situation that the Russian border control had not discharged their responsibility and issued the TIP. Not sure what would have happened without him...... I was also told possibly by someone unqualified that my bike could not be left in Kazakhstan, planning to ship out again and store so if anyone can advise would be great!


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maria41, please can you give some detail how you managed to ship back to the UK overland? I was told that the bike was regarded as personal belongings and could not be shipped unaccompanied?? As a result I had to airfreight which was very expensive. I plan to ship the bike out again and hopefully leave there for a while but will need to ship back (not air!) at some stage ....or ride back!!!! thanks for any detail you can give me.


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Hi sorry for long delay to answer, I was travelling for few months and just back home from Africa.

Lots of bikes are trucked back and forth from Europe to the Russian custom union. It is no problem at all.

We used ADVFACTORY. In summer 2016 they had shipped about 40 bikes back and forth. Check their website. Some paper work is required but easy to organise this online and send pdf files of the bike docs and stuff like that. Very easy.
Also worth asking Muzto.ch in Osh ( Kyrgyzstan) as they sometimes organise transport back to Europe fo stranded travellers ( when their bike cannot be repaired locally ).
Good luck :thumbup1: