carnet for Iran, yes or no?
 

I’ll be travelling to Kazakhstan in a few month and will be crossing Iran. I used the search option already extensively to see if I need a carnet for Iran. But the opinions differ hugely. Some say you need one, some say you don’t, some say its easily doable without one, some say its next to impossible. So I’m lost.

Does anyone have any recent experience with this issue?

Hi Luuk
 

I prepare my trip to Iran. Today I send aplication for iranian visas. For 2, 3 weeks I will know everyhing. Definetly I will not prepare CPD. It is very expensive and troublesome for me. Few weeks ago I red about Polish traveler who pass the border in Bazagran without CPD. He passed it by transit to Armenia. Spent about 6 hours on border, but it is better then spend for me 1 day in Warsaw (where I have to arrange CPD).
So I will go without it.
Good trip for you.

Thanks Bartoz, please keep me informed if you learn anything. who was that other polish traveler? someone on the HUBB? doe you have a link for my?

i'ff you do need a CDP i recommend the German ADAC ,they do everything by mail, so you don't have to go there. i pay 250 euros two years ago for a GDP for Africa.

happy travels and keep me informed.

Hi Luuk
 

This traveler was not from HUBB. It was family in privat car from Poland. I will try to find they story from net, of course in Polish.
I don't think that Polish car can buy CPD in other country but I check this in ADAC. I have more complicated things becouse my car is in leasing and I am only user. I have eveything translated in many languages and during last 2 years when I traveled by my Defender there was not any problems.
I think that Iran without CPD is possible.
This family from Poland went to Iran in September 2009 and they suprised on border, but after many hours and helping by border officer who speak English fluently they was "bleasing" to stay in Iran for 2 weeks with no problem. Return by Armenia, visas can buy on border, and Georgia without visas.

"i'ff you do need a CDP i recommend the German ADAC ,they do everything by mail, so you don't have to go there. "

so, what yo uare saying is that i can get CDP from the ADAC even if my home country has no motor association to issue me one?

cheers

O

yes
 

Hey man, we've been driving through Iran in May 2009 and needed the CDP. We got ours from the ADAC, which is indeed quite expensive. Later we heard it might also be possible to get one from the Hungarian Automotive Club and that it's a lot cheaper. So you might do some research on that.

A carnet is not needed for Iran, it is simply preferred an easier to use one.

The problem is, if you don't have one, there seems to be no way to predict how much you'll have to pay at the border, and how long it will take. It may also restrict how long you can stay in Iran. With a carnet, you can stay 3 months, but with the Iranian transit documents, probably only 2 weeks at the most.

This has been done many times at the Bazargan border, though I'm not sure about the others. Each border is a different experience in my opinion, at the Bajgiran (south of Ashgabat) border I was asked to pay $100 for insurance and given a transit document for trucjk drivers that needed to be stamped by the police at every town and which had me on a fixed route across the country (I refused to pay the insurance and binned the transit document). At the Mirjaveh border (with Pakistan) the car was never searched and I was just waved through, and at the Dogharoon border (west of Herat) my fingerprints were taken, they wanted me to stay the night, then after arguing immediately filled in my carnet and waved me through.

So what I'm trying to get at is that every Iranian border is totally flexible. Bargain hard to pay as little as possible, as the costs are definitely negotiable, and you'll be fine. With each border having different rules, if the staff at your border of exit ask for some document which you don't have, just tell them you were not given one because you don't need one.

But asfintesco is wrong, you do not _need_ a carnet for Iran. You can also transit Pakistan without one (though only to Afghanistan or China). None of the former Soviet countries need (or accept) a carnet, neither does Afghanistan or Mongolia.

Good luck

Daniel

daniel. that is GOOD news indeed. when did you pas the iranian border last time?

Thank you Daniel for this usefull infos.
Now I'm definetly assert to go to Iran without carnet and make transit to Armenia.
Hope we get visas.

I last entered Iran on the 2nd January.

Please note that I have always entered Iran WITH a carnet. But I have heard of plenty of people who have entered without one (the people who have to abandon their cars at Wagah as the Indians 100% will NOT let you in without a carnet!) There's quite a nice collection at that border...

But if you are entering Iran at Bazargan (from Dogubeyazit), there will be no problem, though again, I have not done this, it is what I've heard from others.

What I was trying to get at in my experience was that Iranian borders are a law unto themselves. Anything is possible!

Daniel

I want to visit Iran so I don't think about India (no problem with carnet in this time).
I will be entering at Bazagran and few months ago I never thougt to do it without carnet. Now I know Polish travelers who did it in September 2009.
That's why I will do it the same.
F..k this huge amounts which one should pay for guarantees CPD.