ATA Carnet

The ATA Carnet is a customs document that guarantees payment of customs duties and taxes to the government at destination. The ATA Carnet can be used for temporary importation of goods into many countries, including Canada, China, India, Ireland, Kenya, Pakistan, Qatar and many more. It was created to allow businesses to temporarily import or export goods without paying duties, taxes, or other charges. ATA Carnet is not an alternative to regular customs documents like the CMR (Commercial Manifest) but it is more convenient because it can be obtained in advance before the shipment arrives at its destination.

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

To initiate the process, simply request the ATA Carnet from any local Chamber of Commerce or Chamber of Commerce in a country that is on the list of ATA Carnet countries. You will have to fill out an application, give it to the Chamber of Commerce for approval, and pay a processing fee. The application will be reviewed within 10 business days and you will get a notice telling you whether or not your application has been approved.

The ATA Carnet is valid for up to 12 months. Once you are ready to use it, you will take it with you when you leave your country and travel with the items that you want to import temporarily or export. Then, at your destination country, present your items along with the ATA Carnet to the customs official who will then stamp it as if it were a customs declaration form. The stamp means that everything was declared on time; no further paperwork is needed.

When you return home after your trip, there is no need to fill out any more paperwork or pay more fees at customs because the temporary importation license has already been taken care of

Free entry and exit license exemption

The ATA Carnet can be used to temporarily import and export goods and transit goods without a license or import/export permit, providing the importer and exporter with a great tool that saves time and money.

Exemption customs declaration procedures

The ATA Carnet is recognized by customs authorities as a document that replaces the need to obtain an import and export license or permit. It allows importers to avoid paying tariffs on their imports, thereby saving them time and money. The ATA Carnet system also allows for the faster movement of goods into and out of countries by simplifying customs procedures.

Free Customs Broker Certificate | Duty Free Guarantee Procedure

Customs duties are charged on all goods imported into a country when they pass through customs. The owner of the goods is responsible for paying these duties, which is why you must fill out a customs declaration with your country’s customs authority. However, when you use the ATA Carnet to import or export your goods, you are allowed to bypass this step. You do not have to fill out a separate form in each country, nor do you have to pay any import duties or taxes. This saves time and money both for you and the customs authority in your country.

Since its creation in 1964, over 3 million ATAs have been issued. It is widely used in international trade today.

ATA Carnet Customs

When goods are temporarily exported with an ATA Carnet, they are not subject to import duties and taxes. However, if the goods are not returned to China within the validity period of the Carnet, or if the goods were not declared for temporary export at the time of entry, then a Customs declaration must be filed and import duties and taxes must be paid before the goods are re-imported into China.

ATA Carnet related charges for import clearance

The Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic, also known as the Warsaw Convention or the ATA Carnet convention, is designed to simplify international shipping and make it more convenient for freight forwarders and importers. Article 10 of the Convention: “In the normal working hours of the Customs, no fees may be charged for the customs clearance of ATA documents at customs offices.” It should be noted that this refers to the customs office during normal office hours and at the customs office. When you handle customs clearance, you need to check with the Customs’ endorsement on the ATA carnet.

The paper T1 is used for goods imported into China; The T2 is used for goods exported from China; T3 are for temporary exports such as returning goods after repair;T4 are for temporary imports such as goods purchased in China.

These fees are determined by different countries and regions and vary from time to time. When using an ATA Carnet in China, some ports charge a handling fee when processing customs formalities in the evening or when there is no staff available.

When applying for export clearance through an express company or agent in China, the express company or agent will need to handle the customs formalities for you and provide you with an invoice for the corresponding service fee.

On one side, there is an endorsement for declaration and acceptance: “Declaration/acceptance under ATA Carnet No. […].” On the other side, there is an endorsement for verification: “Verification performed by […] under serial number […] of ATA Carnet No. […]” It should be noted that all these endorsements will be considered correct.

When you’re importing goods into a foreign country, you need to pay attention to whether the country has any restrictions on the length of time you can store and re-export the product. If there’s no time limit for re-export, then you have the freedom to bring in as much product as you like. However, if there is a time limit or date by which you have to re-export, it’s important to keep that in mind when making your plans. For example, if you know that you’ll only be able to use up 90% of your shipment before having to re-export it, then maybe it’s better to look into other options instead of importing 100%. Also, keep in mind that even if there isn’t a set date by which you have to re-export the product, if the document says it must be exported within 6 months or some other short period of time, then you should plan accordingly and not wait until right before the end date before trying to find a new buyer for your product.

Re-exported cargo in different batches under ATA Carnet

When a company imports goods under an ATA Carnet and then exports those goods in batches, it is possible to use up the same ATA Carnet. This is called re-exporting cargo in batches. It is common when companies want to reach the minimum value of the goods under the ATA Carnet quickly.

For re-exporting cargo in batches, some countries have certain requirements in order to re-export using one ATA Carnet. If a country has such requirements, then you should ask your agent or the customs of that country about them.

If you intend to re-export cargo in batches, it is generally better for you to issue separate statements for each batch. The statements should be written on the back of the original ATA Carnet in pencil.

Time Restriction on ATA carnet

Customs regulations require an ATA Carnet to be used only within the validity period of the document. Using an expired ATA Carnet will result in a penalty. If a time limit is not specified on the ATA Carnet, but only a period of time, then the goods must be re-exported at the latest on the expiration date of the period.

Holders of ATA Carnets may use the goods within the certificate for a period of time agreed upon between the parties involved. For example, an importer and exporter may have agreed that the goods within an ATA Carnet may be used for a period of one month starting from the date of import. If there is a time limitation or expiration date, this period will be included in the validity period of the ATA Carnet. The re-export period should be at least as long as the period of use stated on the ATA Carnet. Even if no specific re-export period is stated on the ATA Carnet itself, but it can only be used for a certain time (e.g., 1 year), it is important to note that under any circumstances, it must be re-exported at least before that time limit is reached.

The certificate holder may file an extension application immediately or before the expiration of the re-export period, even though they are not required to do so. Each time customs formalities are processed, Customs will need to endorse the corresponding voucher and receipt at the same time, and then keep them as proof of customs declaration. The receipt will remain in the ATA Carnet and will be returned to the holder

Testimonials

Some Words from
our Clients

[our_testimonials]