Regarding Travel in Middle East

[Irinas]

Hi,

This post is regarding getting Carnet de Passage for overland travel in Middle East. The motorcycle will be purchased in Yemen.

I am about to purchase a motorcycle in Yemen that I want to take overland till Republic of Georgia. THis will involve going through countries like Iran that require Carnet de Passage. So the question is not about personal safety. It is only about how to get Carnet in Yemen.

I know it is usually issued bu your "national Aotomobile association". I asuume if that is where you buy and register the vehicle. I am a US resident, my license is from New York - so how do I get this Carnet if the bike is from Yemen? Is it done through embassy somehow? Is it done from the local country - Yemen? I have a passport from Republic of Georgia, but I have not lived there for 14 years. So as a US resident, I should be doing this somehow through US?

I know nobody will have answers about Yemen in particular, but how do you usually get this Carnet if you buy the vehicle in the country other than your own? Any other hints will be greatly appreciated.

[beddhist]

Hi,

Since you are buying the bike in Yemen that's where you would normally have to get the carnet. It is irrelevant what other countries you reside in. You need to contact the Yemeni Automobil club, if there is one. If all else failt, check out the AIT web site, link on the left under Carnet. However, I haven't found this site very useful... But, at least it will give you all of the local member organisations.

If there is no organisation issuing carnets in Yemen then you will have a major problem. The French automobil club told me that they will issue carnets for vehicles not registered in France if there is no local issuing agency. However, you will need to speak French and I suspect that you may have to go to Paris to organise it. Contact phone number on the same Carnet page on the left here.

Good luck,
Peter.

[Irinas]

Thank you very much for your help. Doing it in France is a good hint - I do go there a few times a year. That is if they would be willing to do a Cranet for a Georgian person with American license living in Yemen and only visiting briefly in France. But that should be still easier than Yemen - they have never registered a bike to a woman.

ATT site is not very helpful, and I can not easily call them from Yemen. Would you know exactly what this Carnet involves? If I buy a bike in Yemen, drive it till Georgia, and dispose of it either in Georgia or Russia (neither of which require Carnet as of ATT website), and I never return this bike to Yemen - do I have to pay anything for that?

[Stephano]

Irina
As long as you get an ‘in’ stamp and ‘out’ stamp on your Carnet for the requisite countries then you can you leave your bike in another country and return the carnet to the issuing organization. They will refund your deposit (but not the cost of issuing the carnet).

My example:

Nationality: British
Residence: UAE
Bike Registered: UAE
Carnet issued in the UAE
Bike: BMW R1150GS (bike value influences carnet deposit)
Documentation Fee: 1,000 dirhams (275 dollars)
Deposit: 20,000 dirhams + cheque for a further 20,000 dirhams (11,000 dollars total due to visiting Iran)

The carnet was stamped in and out of Iran & Turkey. The bike is now in Europe, the carnet was returned to UAE Automobile Association, the cash and cheque were returned to me by the Automobile Association but not the issuing fee.

By the way, re: “they have never registered a bike to a woman”

Your bike registration and your carnet are two separate hurdles. Good luck.

Stephan

[Irinas]

Thank you very much for your help.

I just went to try to buy the bike, and also to try to sort out the registration issues. So it turnes out that they are not giving out any new tag numbers in teh whole of Yemen. Also, none of the new bikes currently on sale have cleared customs. Which means that they can not be registered either. Bike were baned up to the election a month ago. They are saying it will be couple months till they clear customs - but that may as well be 3-4-5 months. And the tags are on hold indefinetly.

THis does not prevent them from driving the bike though. I can buy one and drive regardless. The police gave me an honest Ramadan word that I will not be stopped anywere around Yemen for not having a tag or registration. I would use it in Yemen for next 4 months. But then I guess it means that if I want to get a bike that I can take to Georgia around February - I have to buy an old bike, over two years ago that is already registered and has a tag.

Basically they have no clue as to how to deal about taking these bikes out of the country. THey are also saying to take an unregistered bike out with the letter that the customs is not cleared - and pay the customs in Oman and also register it in Oman. Does it make any sense? Can you even cross the border like that, and can you show up in a country with unregistered bike and register it there? I assume I need teh registration and a tag for the Carnet, right? If getting Carnet in Yemen turns out impossible (as I suspect) - do you suppose I can get one as I go through Oman for example? Is it doable through distance - in anther country for example? I sound confused because I really am.

Also, do the counries that you cross influence your deposit? Do you have to specify exactly what countries you are planning to cross? And going through Iran really involves 10,000 deposit??? How is it cheaper than paying deposit an the border and then claim it back when you leave?

If you can help me with any of those million questions, I will really appreciate.

[Stephano]

Only a resident (with a residency visa) can register a bike in the UAE. I would guess it’s the same in Oman.


Yes, the countries that you cross influence your deposit.

Yes, you have to specify exactly what countries you are planning to cross.


Yes, going through Iran involves a big deposit for an expensive bike. It depends what you are riding.


Is it possible to pay a deposit at a border and then claim it back when you leave? Even if it is, I wouldn’t think of paying a large sum at one border and expecting to get it back at another. I would strongly advise you not to contemplate that. That’s what the carnet is for.
Stephan