The coronavirus epidemic continues to bring travel restrictions in many countries. ATA Carnet Holders may be trapped overseas and unable to comply with normal procedures, or time limits, making carnets invalid.
Customs offices worldwide are being encouraged to show leniency, or grant extensions. Some, such as the USA, India and Taiwan have not yet settled on emergency procedures and in others, protecting yourself makes sense.
Carnet holders would be wise to keep any evidence which justifies failing to comply with customs regulations. This could be flight cancellations, government notices of lockdown, hotel booking extensions etc.
Trying to ensure your ATA carnet is stamped on entry and exit is worthwhile, even if the document has expired. Keeping local customs offices up to date will help, along with watching for their notices.
A complete list of member countries contact details are available here, along with their website addresses.
UK Carnet Holders Who Are Stuck Abroad
If you are concerned about the time limit for re-exportation (shown in Box 2 of the white counterfoil) but the carnet still has 6 or more months validity, contact the local customs office and request an extension.
This can be applied to your existing Carnet, although if expiry is closer, or in some countries regardless of validity length, a replacement will be required. They often require pre-agreement from local customs and are normally valid for a further 12 months.
A replacement will be provided by your UK carnet issuer. This must be sent to UK Customs to be validated (atacarnetunit@hmrc.gov.uk Tel: 0300 322 7064). After validation, the current and replacement carnets should be sent/presented to local customs.
Overseas Carnet Holders Who Are Stuck In The UK
If you have a none UK carnet for goods imported into the UK and this has less than 2 months to run, a replacement is required.
Contact UK Customs via the details above and request permission to obtain a replacement Carnet. Any email must include the reason for extension, carnet number, validity date, date and port of entry.
If the request is approved (usually by email), you should contact the original issuer of the carnet and request a replacement. This must be done before the original Carnet expires.
The replacement Carnet will need to be validated by customs in the country of issue. The original and replacement carnets must then be sent to the National Carnet Unit to be endorsed:
HMRC, National ATA Carnet Unit, Ralli Quays, 3 Stanley Street, Salford M60 9LA.
Overseas Approval For Replacement Carnets
Procedure for obtaining approval for a replacement carnets is variable, the current position in a number of countries is below.
Some email addresses we have seen are incorrect, or changed along with coronavirus working procedures. We would recommend checking on this ICC list, or phoning to confirm the email address.
Australia
Complete Form B257 and email for approval before the original Carnet expires. Once you obtain approval, forward a copy to your UK issuer and request a replacement carnet.
When the replacement carnet has been issued in the UK and validated by the NCU, present both the replacement and existing carnet to Australian Customs at the port of entry.
Canada
Contact Canadian customs with details of the existing Carnet (Carnet no, expiry date, port of importation, reason for extension) and request approval for extension before the original Carnet expires.
Once you obtain approval, contact your UK issuer and request a replacement. Once this has been issued and validated by the NCU, both the replacement and original should be presented to Canadian Customs at the port of entry.
China
No prior approval is required. Contact your UK issuer and request a replacement before the original expires. Once this has been issued and validated in the UK, the replacement and original carnet should be presented to Chinese Customs at the port of entry.
If you can not visit the local customs office due to Covid-19 regulations, request an extension via the Chinese Customs website.
Hong Kong
No prior approval is required. Contact your UK issuer and request a replacement before the original expires.
Once this has been issued and validated in the UK, the replacement and original carnet should be presented to Hong Kong Customs at the port of entry.
Israel
Similar procedures to those above are possible in Israel, although the need to apply for an extension is unlikely.
If the final date of re-exportation originally granted, or the Carnet validity are between 1st January 2020 and 1st June 2020, re-exportation time limits are being automatically extended to 1st July 2020.
Japan
Japan will only accept replacement carnets where the COVID-19 pandemic is the cause. No prior approval will be required.
The holder will need to request a letter from the UK issuer, confirming they were unable to re-export goods as a result of the pandemic.
Copies of correspondence from the carrier confirming flight, or shipment cancellation will need to be appended to the UK issuing Chamber letter.
Once the replacement has been issued and validated in the UK, this, the original carnet and the letter from the UK issuer plus proof documents should be presented to Japanese Customs at the port of entry.
Korea (South)
No prior approval is required. Contact your UK issuer and request a replacement carnet, before the original Carnet expires.
Once a replacement has been issued and validated in the UK, this and the original carnet should be presented to Korean Customs at the port of entry.
Mexico
Replacement should be requested and will only be granted where less than six months of validity is remaining.
Once a replacement has been issued and validated in the UK, you will need to register the replacement Carnet with the Mexican Customs Authority and then present this to them at the port of entry
Morocco
Moroccan Customs do not accept Replacement Carnets. You should contact your UK issuer and ask for a letter requesting Moroccan Customs to extend the period of temporary admission of goods, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
This should then be presented to Moroccan Customs at the port of importation to request an extension.
New Zealand
Contact your UK issuer and provide the following details, carnet number, port and date of importation, the reason for replacement and a likely, or estimated date of re-exportation.
The UK issuer will lodge a request for approval of an extension with New Zealand Customs. Once approval has been received, a replacement can be issued in the UK and validated by the NCU.
Both the replacement and original carnet will then need to be presented to New Zealand Customs at the port of entry.
Norway
No prior approval is required. Contact your UK issuer and request a replacement carnet, before the original Carnet expires. Once issued and validated, this and the original should be presented to Norwegian Customs at the port of entry.
If for any reason you can not comply with this, contact Oslo Chamber of Commerce via exportdocuments@chamber.no, with a request for an extension. You need to include the carnet number, name of holder, date of expiry and place of entry.
Russian Federation
No prior approval is required. Contact your UK issuer and request a replacement carnet, before the original Carnet expires.
Once a replacement has been issued and validated in the UK, this and the original carnet should be presented to Russian Customs at the port of entry.
Singapore
No prior approval is required. Contact your UK issuer and request a replacement carnet, before the original Carnet expires.
Once a replacement has been issued and validated in the UK, this and the original carnet should be presented to Singapore Customs at the port of entry.
South Africa
Contact the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry to request approval for a replacement before the original Carnet expires.
Once you have obtained approval, contact your UK issuer and request a replacement carnet. Once validated, this and the original carnet should be presented to South African Customs at the port of entry.
Switzerland
No prior approval is required. Contact your UK issuer and request a replacement carnet, before the original Carnet expires.
Once a replacement has been issued and validated in the UK, send the replacement and existing carnet to Federal Customs Administration, Zollinspektorat Kreuzlingen, Dienstabteilung St. Gallen, Oberstrasse 222, 9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland.
Thailand
No prior approval is required. Contact your UK issuer and request a replacement carnet, before the original carnet expires.
Once a replacement has been issued and validated in the UK, this and the original carnet should be presented to Thai Customs at the port of entry.
Turkey
Contact Turkish Customs to request details of how temporary admission can be extended in your case, before the expiry of the original Carnet.
They may request a report on the location and situation of the goods, which will need to be produced by an authorised customs broker.
Once you have obtained approval, contact your UK issuer. Once a replacement has been issued and validated in the UK, this and the original carnet should be presented to Turkish Customs at the port of entry.
Ukraine
Contact Ukrainian Customs to request details of how temporary admission can be extended in your case, before the expiry of the original Carnet. (You may find this site is unavailable for understandable reasons).
When you have obtained approval, contact your UK issuer. Once a replacement has been issued and validated in the UK, this and the original carnet should be presented to Ukranian Customs at the port of entry.
United Arab Emirates
Contact UAE Customs to request approval for extension of the temporary admission before the existing Carnet expires.
When you have obtained approval, contact your UK issuer. Once a replacement has been issued and validated in the UK, this and the original carnet should be presented to UAE Customs at the port of entry.