Hi, we're two Australian bikers presently crossing the Americas. Next year (March) we'll be shipping to Tilbury (UK), and then working for a bit before doing the overland stint back to Oz. We understand that Britain does not require a carnet for the bikes - is there any other paperwork we might need? We'll be arriving with the bikes on a Grimaldi freighter (from Buenos Aires), so we're hoping it'll be pretty straightforward...
We're thinking about letting our Australian bike registration lapse and doing some fake papers for the rest of the trip. Would a British customs guy would know what an Aussie rego paper looks like? We've met some people with a fake carnet, and are thinking that this is the way to go. Has anyone out there tried this and, more importantly, gotten away with it?

I suggest you do some search on the site for "hungarian carnet" and read up - basically - been done, has worked, NOT RECOMMENDED. It CAN be checked - easily - by border guards, and if you are caught, it usually means at least confiscation of the vehicle, and often a very nasty jail term.

Paperwork should be no problem entering UK. You only need proof of ownership - your rego docs. No need to let Aussie rego lapse. Keep using it, it goes with your Aussie passports and raises no red flags.

KISS principle - Keep It Super Simple - especially when dealing with border guards.

Also search on "Alberta" and "registration" for more on expiring documents.

------------------
Grant Johnson

Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------

One world, Two wheels.
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

__________________
Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------
Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

Mojo:

I've shipped from Canada to Europe twice, once to France and once to England.

The French customs guy didn't even want to look at the bike or the registration when the bike arrived via air freight - his attitude was "would I bother looking at your paperwork if you crossed the border into France by road? No. So bon voyage, and get outta here, I'm having my coffee.".

Going to England, I shipped the bike in the garage of the Queen Elizabeth II (not exactly shabby transport), and when the bike and I arrived in the UK, the customs guy asked me a whole bunch of questions to make sure I did not plan to sell the bike, he checked my registration and insurance to be certain that both were valid for a long time towards the future, and I had to fill out a whole whack of papers. Then he cleared the bike into the country, and gave me a 20 page booklet that explained all the things I could not do (stay in the UK longer than 3 months, sell the bike, register the bike in the UK, etc.). I was quite amazed by all the trouble, especially considering that I only planned to stay in the UK for 3 hours - the time it would take me to ride from Southampton to the Calais ferry to France.

So, I suggest you have all your paperwork in order, and don't try any stunts, the Brits look at things very carefully.

FYI I am a Canadian citizen and my bike is registered in Canada. I didn't need (or get) a carnet.

PanEuropean