For CA countries, If leaving and returning, do I have to export the bike?
 

Quick question. We are in Guatemala right now and were wondering if we can keep our import paperwork for the return trip like Mexico. Or is it best to export and go through the process again. Hoping to save on there-entry cost for the bikes. And can this be done for other Central America countries that we pass through twice?

Not sure about Guatemala but in other countries like Turkey they put a note in your passport next to the entry stamp stating that you (temporarily) imported a vehicle on a Carnet and they won't let you leave the country unless the vehicle is in Customs holding and a document stating that is provided upon departure.

You should check this with Guatemala as our friends lost a flight ticket because they didn't have the customs letter stating their vehicle was being held when they wanted to leave...

I think you shouldn't need to export and re-import as many people leave their bike in-country and return months later.

If there is nothing in your passport and you don't tell anyone then who is to know you have a bike in the country anyway?

Good luck.

I went through all the Central American countries in the spring of 2010. Since it was a return trip I went through most countries twice except Panama, El Salvador and Belize. In those three countries I simply exported the bike since I wasn't returning anyway. Honduras would simply not let me keep the import permit no matter how much I tried to reason with the border guy. But on reentry I was told that had I reentered at the same crossing where I exited, the permit would have been on file and no extra charge would have been incurred. The others, including Mexico, all let me keep the permit after I explained that I was returning. Guatemala took some convincing of the customs lady but she let me keep it after some dire warnings of consequences should I not come back and do a final export.

Keeping the permits greatly simplified things for me upon reentry.



...Michelle
www.scrabblebiker.com

I was able to keep the Honduran import permit when leaving at Los Manos border crossing in fact it was the aduana that recomended I keep it if i was planning on returning to the same border crossing, no problem returning to honduras at another crossing you just have to get another permit. They do stamp a whole page in your passport stating that the permit is being held temperalment in that office.
Guatemala allows you to keep the permit for multiple entries and I have done this 4 times.
Cheers Cal

Michelle,did Nicuraqua and Costa Rica let you keep the permits?

Yes they both did. In fact when I exited Costa Rica to Panama, there was no Costa Rica Customs, only Immigration. So I couldn't export the bike even if I wanted to (something to keep in mind for those who don't plan on returning). The immigration fellow told me to keep the papers since I wouldn't be able to reenter at that location since they had no customs at that crossing. I'm not sure if it would have unfolded the same way at the main crossing at Paso Canoes since they do have a customs office there. I crossed just a bit east of the main crossing near Rio Sereno.

...Michelle
www.scrabblebiker.com

If you crossed at Rio Sereno were you able to buy Panama Insurance there?
Cal

Yes. There was a little photocopy/office services/insurance place basically just around the corner on the Panama side. The Panama customs fellow directed me to it.


...Michelle
www.scrabblebiker.com