Temporarily cancelled TIP central America
 

Hey people,

I was wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction in terms of temporarily canceling a TIP somewhere in central America.
I'm in Nicaragua with my motorcycle at the moment and I'm on my way to the north. The only thing is that I have pressing family matters to attend to (in the form of a heavy operation for which I want to be home, just in case) somewhere in the near future. During this time I want to leave the motorcycle in central America but the TIP would have to be temporarily cancelled.

Can someone tell me what my options are in this case?

I don't think you can "cancel" temporarily, however you may be able to suspend the TIP - talk to the Customs people.

Yes, the correct term is to suspend the permit.
You might find a bonded warehouse to suspend and store your bike legally.
Or you might find someone in the motorcycle biz who knows the steps to suspend the permit.

Sorry, I don't have a hot lead.

At least some of the Central American countries don't mind if you leave your bike while flying home for whatever reason as long as you return and exit with the bike before the TIP ends. If you're just going home for a brief period, that might not present any problem at all.

I ran the question through two AI systems: Perpexity (no help) and Gemini (See below)

What are the steps to suspend a motorcycle temporary importation permit in Panama?
(From 2014 - ADVRider.com

fasteddiecz, Apr 25, 2014

Cody,

The place near the airport I have seen some bikes bonded in is at GIRAG. They are the same people that fly bikes from Panama to Colombia. They are located near the Tocumen International Airport "By the cargo portion of the terminal".
My buddy on his RTW should have their info on his blog www.mylucinda.com We took his bike their to have it shipped.

There is also another holding facility in Chilibre where you can place your bike in bond.

PM if you have any questions.

Ed

Overland Nicaragua Travel: This website says you can't leave the motorcycle behind while you leave the country [WikiOverland, Overland Nicaragua Travel]. This implies there's no mechanism to suspend the permit

What are the steps to suspend a motorcycle temporary importation permit in Costa Rica?

In Costa Rica, suspending your motorcycle's temporary import permit (TIP) is possible! Here's what you need to do:

Store

1. your motorcycle in a bonded warehouse (Almacen Fiscal):
   
2. Find a bonded warehouse: Look for "Almacen Fiscal" facilities near your location. Contact them for rates and availability.
3. Prepare documents: Bring your motorcycle's TIP and your passport to the warehouse.
4. Complete paperwork: Fill out a form provided by the warehouse to initiate the TIP suspension process.
5. Customs contact: The warehouse will likely contact Costa Rican customs to confirm the TIP suspension.
6. Receive confirmation: Once approved, the warehouse will provide you with a documented suspension notice. This document will state the remaining days on your TIP once you retrieve your motorcycle.

Important notes:

• The warehouse will charge storage fees, typically ranging from $3 to $8 per day depending on the facility and if it's indoor or outdoor parking [WikiOverland, Overland Costa Rica Travel].
• This process essentially freezes the remaining validity period on your TIP while your motorcycle is stored.
• Additional Resources:

While not an official source, these travel blogs offer detailed explanations on the process:

• [Freedom With Bruno, Storing your vehicle in Costa Rica at an Almacen Fiscal – Part I]
• [Monkeys on the Road, How to keep your vehicle in Costa Rica longer than 90 days (almacen fiscal)]

Remember, it's always recommended to confirm details with official sources like Costa Rican customs for the most up-to-date information.

PS: Search this forum on HU. I recall someone posted a comment a while ago about suspending the TIP and storing a motorcycle near the airport outside of San Jose, Costa, Rica. ~Peter Bodtke

ChatGPT added this bit of info:

Peter's note: I have never suspended a TIP myself. The steps describe the do-it-yourself process, that might work in any country. If your Spanish is not strong, a DYI approach may be challenging. Using a service could solve an issue where you are out of the country and the suspension needs to be extended. For sure, your are going to want to store they bike in a secure place. It is not clear to me if the people storing the bike need to meet any requirements. The motorcycle cannot be ridden while the permit is suspended.

To suspend a motorcycle temporary importation permit in Panama, you typically need to follow these steps:

1. Prepare Required Documents: Gather the necessary paperwork, which usually includes your motorcycle's importation permit, your identification (passport), and any other relevant documents.
   
2. Visit the Customs Office: Go to the nearest customs office where your motorcycle was originally imported. This is usually the main customs office in major cities like Panama City or Colon.
   
3. Request Suspension Form: Ask for the form specifically used for suspending temporary importation permits. This form may be titled something like "Formulario de Solicitud de Suspensión de Importación Temporal de Vehículos."
   
4. Fill Out the Form: Complete the suspension form with accurate information. You may need to provide details such as your personal information, motorcycle details (make, model, VIN), and the reason for requesting the suspension.
   
5. Submit the Form: Hand in the completed form along with all required documents to the customs officer. They will review your request and may ask for clarification or additional information if needed.
   
6. Pay Any Applicable Fees: There might be administrative fees associated with suspending the permit. Ensure you inquire about these fees and make the payment as required.
   
7. Receive Confirmation: Once your application is processed and approved, you should receive a confirmation or receipt from the customs office stating that your motorcycle's temporary importation permit has been suspended.
   
8. Comply with Requirements: Understand the conditions under which the suspension is granted. Typically, this means the motorcycle must not be used in Panama during the suspension period. Violating these conditions could lead to penalties or cancellation of the suspension.
   
9. Periodically Check Status: If the suspension has a specific duration, make sure you are aware of when it expires. You may need to renew the suspension or re-import the motorcycle before the expiration date.

It's advisable to contact the customs office directly or visit their official website for the most current and detailed information regarding the process and any specific requirements that may apply in your situation.

Follow this link: https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hu...ion-long-94659

Something else to consider depending where in CA, Mexico might make more sense. The whole state of Quintano roo is a free zone that doesnt require a TIP. So if you are near enough or are considering storing the bike for a longer amount of time this would be good, because you just need to find a long term parking place and pay for that but not have to worry about TIP, etc. Another possible plus is Cancun often has cheap flights to Europe, and North America. Baja and parts of Sonora in Northern mexico are also free zones, but sounds like thats probably too far to travel to make sense. Within CA Costa Rica is definitely possible and I think Panama and Nicaragua are also possible the issue is that depending on how long you want to do this for the cost can add up because I think they all require it to be kept in a bonded warehouse (which can get expensive) rather than just regular parking.

Mexico doesn't care if you leave the bike behind, as long as your TIP is still current. When I was last there, the same was true in Guatemala--in fact, they'd instruct you not to close out your TIP if you were returning anytime soon.

In Panama I flew myself and my bike separately from Tocumen Airport to Colombia. Not only did no one require that I close my TIP, but I had to insist on doing do (because I knew I'd be back in 6 or 8 months). That meant walking down to the aduana office after dropping my bike at Girag, and arguing with the officials there until they closed my TIP. I flew out the next morning, and met up with my bike in Bogota the morning after that.

The lesson here is that all depends on the specific country and how long you'll be gone for. Note, however, that my information is ten or 15 years old, and things may have changed.

Going further south...I met a French rider at the Paraguay/Argentina border, entering AR. He had been going back and forth between Argentina and Brazil around Iguazu Falls. Leaving Argentina the customs officials didn't want to close his TIP, so he rode on. Flash forward, he spent time in Paraguay until it got too hot, and he decided to go south into Argentina. The AR customs officials at Clorinda, AR, were not happy with him because he left Argentina a few weeks before without officially closing his TIP. They held the lovely French rider up for a couple of hours, before his his patience and smiles wore the officials down and he was granted entry.

Bottom line: Some countries are flexible about keeping your TIP open. Others are not. I found the Chileans are the most strict—the only time my luggage and backpack were sent through an x-ray machine or opened in any way.

I recently left my rig in Costa Rica for a month at the Almacen Fiscal (bonded warehouse) near the San Jose airport. They have an Customs officer on site. I thought he suspended my TIP but the agent mistakenly canceled it. (Yes, I checked the doc for spellings, VIN #, dates...but I didn't actually read it so it's ultimately my fault.) When I returned to Costa Rica a month later, surprise, the TIP was cancelled and they wouldn't issue another for 60 days (90 days after cancellation date.)

The Aduana agreed that it was their mistake but there was no way to fix it in the system. Eventually their IT department was brought in but refused to fix it unless it was an order from the Director of the Aduana. By then, I had spent two weeks and countless hours sitting in various Customs offices and my ship date from Panama to Colombia was quickly approaching.

So, I gave up trying to fix the TIP and had to export my rig by flatbed to the Panama border and hustle south to catch a boat.

I guess, my point is that I had researched the process and thought I was doing everything the right way but in the end, I didn't translate the document I signed. It was a very expensive and time consuming lesson.

Wishing you a better experience...