Carnet De Passage - Temporary Vehicle Import into Indonesia?

[Balilongtime]

Hi Expats, I am after 'the fine print on Indonesian laws
Regarding their participation in the Carnet De Passage system ..,
( i.e. the document 'like a passport' for better understanding, which allows for the temporary importation of your vehicle into another country .., in this case, Indonesia.

When a temporarily imported vehicle eventually leaves Indonesia altogether​

.., (i.e. after Indonesian customs have exit stamped, it's Carnet De Passage)​

​

QUESTION: How long must that vehicle remain out of Indonesia before that vehicle is legally permitted back into Indonesia again on; a fresh paged entry stamp, using the Carnet?​

Before answering.,
I've already sent off two emails to IMI, asking them this same question, but I've had no reply.
Please don't reply if you cannot find the facts to provide the exact answer, as this post can also be a good resource for others planning lengthy visits with a vehicle.

Things I already know are:

For vehicles to enter Indonesia as a temporary import, they require a carnet De Passage PLUS an invitation letter from the IMI, i.e. the Indonesian Motoring Association.

FYI, for readers who are unfamiliar with what is a carnet? - The Carnet is a surety to Countries that if a temporarily imported vehicle fails to leave that visited country within a specified time, then the Carnet organisation will pay all due import fees and duties to that country on behalf of that vehicle owner.
Note: only foreign passport holders can temporarily import vehicles into Indonesia. Indonesian passport holders are not permitted.

- Indonesia allows for a maximum twelve-month timespan for which they can remain in Indonesia (per time) for only carnet-covered / temporarily entered vehicles

FYI - Other Facts;

Link;

Indonesia Advisory | CPD Carnet

CPD Carnet Advisory: How to use a CPD in Indonesia

www.cpdcarnet.com

Regarding the invitation letter from the IMI (Indonesian motoring association).
Copies of the items below - must be submitted to IMI before they can issue the letter.

In Indonesia, to enter with a CPD, you must attach to your document a recommendation letter from IMI and the Police.

CPD handling can be done in each IMI regional board under the applicant’s domicile, or it could be at the IMI Center in Jakarta. CPD applicants must report to the Indonesian Customs Authorities through IMI the destination in the country and from which port the travellers will leave the country. From the end of August 2016 onwards, Indonesian Customs Office will not accept vehicles with CPD Carnet without the abovementioned report.
The IMI can help process the letters of the report to be submitted to the Indonesian Customs Authorities. The following documents should be sent to the IMI head office:

1. Copy of CPD
2. Copy of International Driving Permit
3. Copy of Passport
4. Registration document of your vehicle
5. Photo of your vehicle
6. Itinerary or route (port in and port out)

Question: More Simply put, Can you do a 'Visa Run' with your Vehicle-on-a-Carnet, similar to the Visa Run you'd do for yourself?

.., if so, how long is the wait (in another country) before that vehicle can return to Indonesia on a fresh Carnet entry stamp?

Kind Regards.

 

[jukung11]

I am sorry I do not know the answer, but I thank you for bringing this law to my attention.

 

[harryopal1]

Unless you have a disability and a special purpose built car I daresay most of us are wondering why go to all this complicated trouble when you could hire a car?

 

[vocalneal]

Question: More Simply put, Can you do a 'Visa Run' with your Vehicle-on-a-Carnet, similar to the Visa Run you'd do for yourself?

On which ferry To where? Bike OK as you could go from Medan to Penang if they can manhandle it aboard?

I think Carnet has to come from your country of domicile. So you may have to return there if it is not still current. Not the vehicle of course. But...

 

[jukung11]

Unless you have a disability and a special purpose built car I daresay most of us are wondering why go to all this complicated trouble when you could hire a car?

In Indonesia, a large portion of the price of most luxury or large engine vehicles is tax. On high enough priced vehicles, it would be cost efficient to buy it overseas and ship it to Indonesia to use it tax free if you could do a visa run and renew usage of it annually. As an example, a jeep sahara is $46,000 in the states. In Indonesia it costs 1.730.000.000 idr ($116,000). To save $70,000 in taxes, it is worth the cost of shipping it from the states and an annual ferry ride to Kalimantan to drive it back and forth from Malaysia. If the expat is located in Kalimantan, no annual ferry ride needed.

 

[Balilongtime]

Unless you have a disability and a special purpose built car I daresay most of us are wondering why go to all this complicated trouble when you could hire a car?

Hi Harry, I'm not being rude toward you; I'm just bewildered by your reply,
.., plus, you didn't answer the question.
Having a disability is not the only reason why someone would bother to enter Indonesia on a CDP.

Read what Jukung11 said,
and,
- Surely you have heard of Overlanding, around-the-globe adventure travel. It is not a new concept; many people do it.

 

[Balilongtime]

On which ferry To where? Bike OK as you could go from Medan to Penang if they can manhandle it aboard?

I think Carnet has to come from your country of domicile. So you may have to return there if it is not still current. Not the vehicle of course. But...

Hi Neil, this comment is not factual to the question being asked, but to kindly answer your curiosity .,
Obtaining the Carnet is sorted; CDP lasts 12 months and can easily be renewed in the 11th month if your vehicle has remaining Registration on it from your home country (note many countries/states - like mine, allow for their yearly rego to be renewed online)
You can also renew that existing CDP for up to 5 renewals (i.e. for up to five years of international travel time) before a new CDP needs to be issued.
Entry for Motorcycles has more options available than cars for entering Indonesia than for trucks and cars.
Shipping container entry is needed for Cars and trucks that enter directly into Indonesia. The other way is to drive your way across land borders into Indonesia from either Timor Leste or from Borneo (Malaysia), crossing into Kalimantan (and from Kalimantan, there is a Pelne vehicle ferry that goes to Surabaya).

 

[Balilongtime]

In Indonesia, a large portion of the price of most luxury or large engine vehicles is tax. On high enough priced vehicles, it would be cost efficient to buy it overseas and ship it to Indonesia to use it tax free if you could do a visa run and renew usage of it annually. As an example, a jeep sahara is $46,000 in the states. In Indonesia it costs 1.730.000.000 idr ($116,000). To save $70,000 in taxes, it is worth the cost of shipping it from the states and an annual ferry ride to Kalimantan to drive it back and forth from Malaysia. If the expat is located in Kalimantan, no annual ferry ride needed.

Hi Jukung, 'Pintar' .., Yes, (on top of world overlanding pursuits)
Exactly.., this!

​

.., hence why I am seeking clarification (on this forum)​

of whether it's possible to do a 'visa-run' with the vehicle,​

.., and importantly also ..,

What 'terms & conditions are attached (should they be applicable)
if you CAN do a vehicle-visa-run?

 

[jstar]

It is rather difficult to answer your original question (I.e. can you sequently add multiple carnet periods?).

The reason as so often here, is that Indonesia did sign off on the ATA Carnet a couple of years ago, but gave it a rather peculiar implementation. As usual I would say.

As far as I know, a carnet (so the approval for temporary import of goods) is normally valid for three years. I’ve seen that for products and tools which were used in exhibitions over here. Now the one for vehicles seems to be valid for 6 months or 1 year.

Which is somewhat weird and inconsistent. The responsibility for the carnet lies -as always- with the Chamber of Commerce. But for vehicles they need approval or advice from the IMI, a kind of AAA (US), RAC (UK) or ADAC (Germany) which is a semi commercial organization but which falls under the Ministry of Transportation. You can’t go around them. And they made all kind of (sub)demands and requirements. The question is if they require the ‘export’ of the product before requesting a new carnet (I’m afraid they will).

So what to do? I would say contact Chamber of Commerce Indonesia and IMI. There are many contact numbers on their websites, they have multiple affiliates all over the country.

 

[harryopal1]

Hi Harry, I'm not being rude toward you; I'm just bewildered by your reply,
.., plus, you didn't answer the question.
Having a disability is not the only reason why someone would bother to enter Indonesia on a CDP.

Read what Jukung11 said,
and,
- Surely you have heard of Overlanding, around-the-globe adventure travel. It is not a new concept; many people do it.

Yes, of course. My original impression was that you were moving the car to Indonesia to stay and not then using it for onward travel.

 

[jukung11]

Personally, I might just risk it and see what happens. When you add the buy/sell spread of selling a vehicle in your country of origin and buying another one in Indonesia, the cost shipping is probably worth it. Considering Indonesia is a low cost of labor market and used vehicle resale value is high, I would look into contingencies if you could sell it and just pay the taxes here or in a surrounding country. My understanding is diplomatic vehicles are tax exempt. I have known a few people that are in the gray market goods business with vehicles.

I was thinking this would have more options with motorcycles. The big touring and cruising motorcycles have a huge price difference. $24,000 in the states vs. $54,000 (800 juta) in Indonesia. I assume the shipping is much more cost effective. I've noticed that many Indonesians consider large foreign vehicles as status symbols.

If you do choose to do it, please keep the forum updated.

 

[jstar]

I think many still don’t get what he is trying to do…

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