Indonesian Ikatan Motor Indonesia Carnet Letter

[bmp776]

All,

Any recent experience on importing your vehicle to Indonesia?

I am after some information in regards to the Carnet and personal details you are supposed to send to Indonesian Customs before arrival in the country.

I have already sent my details but am yet to hear back from them. Now my worry is that I saw an old post on here that says you are supposed to receive a letter of invitation from IMI sometime after you send your details. From what I read you never get a response from customs and you should send to an old employees email who sends through a letter out of courtesy. This seems nuts but anyway that's what you do apparently.

The other thing about this is on the Australian Automotive Association website it simply states to send your details to IMI and if these details are not received they will not accept any vehicle with a Carnet into Indonesia.
It doesn't actually state you need to get a letter of Invitation back from customs.

So basically I am a bit confused as to the actual process at the moment.

If anyone with recent experience entering Indonesia can let me know what you did it would be greatly appreciated!

Ben.

[hsinclai]

I haven't entered yet but I've been told by IMI that I'm all good to go.

Procedure was mail imi@imi.co.id
Wait a couple days to get form to fill out
Mail back the form along with the following

- Copy of Carnet De Passage
- Copy of Passport
- Photo of Indonesian Visa
- Copy of Vehicle Registration
- Photo of vehicle

After that I got no response, but then when I checked I was told I was clear to enter, no formal letter of invitation or anything, so hopefully it works.

[bmp776]

Thank you so much! How did you check that you were clear to enter? Email the same email?

Regards,
Ben.

[hsinclai]

Exactly. I'm not entirely sure how they'll know but I plan on carrying a printout of the email and the form just in case.

I'll be trying to pick up the bike around Jan 18th, depending on when the boat arrives, so I'll update then if it works.

[ricktherider]

There are lots of dramas going on between Customs (Bea Cukai) and IMI here at present. It was in the past Customs responsibility to get you in and out of Indonesia paper work wise. And IMI's responsible while you are here however as of a change in regulations from the ministry of finance , Customs big boss, IMI no longer has any say in what happens whilst you are in Indonesia. It is all Customs now and they are only concerned that you enter and leave on the same Carnet and DEFINITELY no extensions unless you request permission from the nearest Customs office first at least 2 to 4 weeks prior to expiry. They are getting very tough here now. I live in Medan Sumatra Indonesia so any questions happy to help. IMI and there "HELP" have cost me a fortune a major headache and maybe a bike.

[bmp776]

Thanks for that Rick,

Sounds to me like I'll just be going to customs to get the import voucher ripped out of my carnet to get the bike in.

I have been in contact with Patricia from IMI hoping to get a response to whether my application to get the bike into the country has been accepted or not. I got a response from my original email telling me to directly fill the form out and send it through which I did and the sent another email yesterday to get them to cough up a confirmation with no response yet. Bike is flying to Indonesia tomorrow and so am I so sounds like I will be taking a bit of a punt on this one if I don't get a response.

Regards,
Ben.

[Danny Gauguin]

Originally Posted by ricktherider

There are lots of dramas going on between Customs (Bea Cukai) and IMI here at present. It was in the past Customs responsibility to get you in and out of Indonesia paper work wise. And IMI's responsible while you are here however as of a change in regulations from the ministry of finance , Customs big boss, IMI no longer has any say in what happens whilst you are in Indonesia. It is all Customs now and they are only concerned that you enter and leave on the same Carnet and DEFINITELY no extensions unless you request permission from the nearest Customs office first at least 2 to 4 weeks prior to expiry. They are getting very tough here now. I live in Medan Sumatra Indonesia so any questions happy to help. IMI and there "HELP" have cost me a fortune a major headache and maybe a bike.

Hi Rick, I'm currently in Indonesia with about 2 months left to run on a U.K. Carnet. I'm looking into extending the carnet here... tried contacting Patricia to no avail, now reading your post and wondering if I'm barking up the wrong tree.
Would it be possible to have a chat with you about the situation, I've tried PMing you but it won't allow me to send a message. Do you have whatsapp? Perhaps you could PM me your number and I'll give you a call. Cheers, Dan.

[ColinD]

Originally Posted by bmp776

All,

Any recent experience on importing your vehicle to Indonesia?

I am after some information in regards to the Carnet and personal details you are supposed to send to Indonesian Customs before arrival in the country.

I have already sent my details but am yet to hear back from them. Now my worry is that I saw an old post on here that says you are supposed to receive a letter of invitation from IMI sometime after you send your details. From what I read you never get a response from customs and you should send to an old employees email who sends through a letter out of courtesy. This seems nuts but anyway that's what you do apparently.

The other thing about this is on the Australian Automotive Association website it simply states to send your details to IMI and if these details are not received they will not accept any vehicle with a Carnet into Indonesia.
It doesn't actually state you need to get a letter of Invitation back from customs.

So basically I am a bit confused as to the actual process at the moment.

If anyone with recent experience entering Indonesia can let me know what you did it would be greatly appreciated!

Ben.

Hi Ben,

The "letter of invitation" was a thing prior to Indonesia fully ratifying the Carnet scheme in 2015. It is not required now. Even then, its utility was inconsistent.

I have shipped my bike twice by sea to Surabaya (2010, 2013). I did not have the infamous letter and didn't even know about it in 2010, although it might have smoothed the prickly crossing from Malaysia to Indo at Nunukan (Borneo). My bike was "held" for three days there, and they did ask for that letter.

On both occasions I obtained a "letter of authority" from the Indo Embassy. This is not a formal instrument, I made it up, but it worked a treat when country town cops tried to hit me up for a fine. It just says that I am authorised to travel with my motorcycle, and I am not required to pay any additional fees. I had been warned to expect minor blackmail and that was my protection. It's only an issue if you are going to remote places.

[bmp776]

Good to see all these more recent details for the letter o invitation as currently in Australia you still have the details provided with you carnet that you must do the letter of invitation for Indonesia if traveling there. Clearly not.

Sounds like a remote place thing only, every single police roadblock I got waived straight through.

Ben.

[ricktherider]

As mentioned before I have been to Indonesia numerous times since 2010, currently here for 2 and a half years I had never heard of this invitation by IMI until 3 months ago when it was time to do another extension to my Carnet. Where did you all hear about it from?

[hsinclai]

Originally Posted by ricktherider

As mentioned before I have been to Indonesia numerous times since 2010, currently here for 2 and a half years I had never heard of this invitation by IMI until 3 months ago when it was time to do another extension to my Carnet. Where did you all hear about it from?

CARS UK (my Carnet issuer) told me I had to mail them.