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

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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

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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.

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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.

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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 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. This ain´t bribery.

Cheers
Chris

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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.

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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.

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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

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