Laos Customs Temp Import Bike Problems

Vivek

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Mar 11, 2017
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Hey, I crossed from Cambodia to Laos on my motorbike and the Laos side gave me a "customs declaration for temporary vehicle" form, which says I can't sell it here in Laos and that the bike has to be out of the country before 9th April.

I have to fly out of Vientiane on the 8th of April and can't really take the bike out of the country.

So my question is, do customs check the temp import name against the passport on exit? Is there going to be any problem when I fly out of Vientiane?

Thanks
 

DavidFL

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I dont think you will have a problem.
Customs wont see the papers, there is nothing stamped in your passport & the customs - immigration computers are not connected.

BTW what bike are you on?

Could you please help us & update the info here
Laos Border Crossings

Thanks in advance for helping with the info.
 

Vivek

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Mar 11, 2017
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That's reassuring to hear.

I have one of those Vietnamese Yamaha Nuovos. Do you want me to write where did I cross from and other relevant information?
 
Mar 30, 2010
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If you are planning on coming back to get the bike and ride out of Laos.
You will be hit up with some fines for each day you over stay.
I had this in VTE once when they only gave me 2 weeks instead of 4 weeks.
I always check and ask for 4 weeks now.
- It wasn't cheap either..

There is no link between the bike and your passport..
Only once had them write the bike details on my immigration card at Mueng Ngern.
But this is not usual and only that crossing.

Cheers
Brian
 

DavidFL

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If you are planning on coming back to get the bike and ride out of Laos.
You will be hit up with some fines for each day you over stay.
I had this in VTE once when they only gave me 2 weeks instead of 4 weeks.
I always check and ask for 4 weeks now.
- It was cheap either..

There is no link between the bike and your passport..
Only once had them write the bike details on my immigration card at Mueng Ngern.
But this is not usual and only that crossing.

Cheers
Brian

Yes Brian is right if you are going to try & move the bike out of the country later on, then you will probably face some tricky financial hurdles to clear.
 

rcm273

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Nov 3, 2013
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This is rather annoying, you only have half a story here .. the guy imported his VN bike via Cambodia to Laos. Like a lot of these guys, he actually attempted to sneak in and got caught when he was returning to the bike after stamping his passport.

He wants to sell the bike in Vientiane (which he doesn't actually own, because his name isn't on the VN ownership) to another backpacker who will then use it to ride around on and then go to VN or Cambodia and sell on to another backpacker.

He wants to know,
1. If he sells the bike and the new 'owner' tries to leave with the bike, will that person have any difficulties? The buyer will return the temp import paper - do you present your passport too and then customs match the two? or is it just a matter of handing back the temp import paper.

I remember coming from Savanakhet and I'm 50% sure that it wasn't a matter of just handing over the temp import paper, they checked my passport against the green paper in a booth. I'm sure at Vang Thao, all I did was to just hand the papers back at the first roadblock.

2. If the new 'owner' doesn't get it out before the date. What will that person incur penalties?

Like Brian said, quite steep -equivilent of 500 - 1000THB a day? Brian?
 
Aug 7, 2003
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Hardly anyone in Vietnam has the correct name on the ownership card, in practice there whoever physically holds the card "is " the owner. It has to do with the difficulty of transferring ownership. I personally bought a Viet plated bike in Thailand and rode it back to Vietnam with only the temp export paper and card, neither in my name. I did have the previous "owners" details and passport copies and bill of sale, none of this was needed at the Thai border (exit), Cambodia (entry/exit) and Vietnam border (entry ). I am NOT saying this is the same in Laos, and my entry permit was still valid time wise.
 

Dale Garner

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Jan 24, 2019
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Hello all, I've got a similar situation...

I'm living in Laos, and looking a buying a 250 baja to do a one way trip into Cambodia. The bike actually has Cambodia plates and registration card (so I think the re-entry to Cambodia shouldn't be a problem), but the bike doesn't have any temporary import papers (was apparently never issued them at the border, even though the bike entered in April 2017). I know that technically speaking this will cause a problem with customs to leave Laos (I plan to use the Non Nok Khiene-Trapaeng Kriel border crossing), but I'm also a bit nervous about visiting the customs dept. in Vientiane as I might end up down a rabbit burrow I can't get out of.

Any tips/advice/experience would be much appreciated. I've done a lot of research but seem to come up with different answers. Thanks in advance!