Rules for temporary import of cars have changed in Russia

Temporary import means a customs regime, according to which it is possible to supply products to a state with a future stay on its territory for a certain period.

The use of this regime is allowed by all member states of the Customs Union, but in accordance with certain requirements. Cargo may be imported into the country with partial payment of import customs duties, taxes and without paying special, anti-dumping, countervailing duties, or without paying import customs duties, taxes and without paying special, anti-dumping, countervailing duties.

Features of the temporary import procedure

Temporary import, like other customs regimes, is characterized by certain features, which include:

Objects that fall under this regime are partially relieved of the obligation to pay duties. The categories of temporarily imported goods for which exemption from customs duties and taxes applies are determined by the decision of the Customs Union Commission dated June 18, 2010 No. 331 and the decision of the Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission dated December 20, 2017 No. 109
A period has been established during which the cargo is allowed to remain in the country; as a general rule, this period is 2 years. Unless another shorter or longer period is established for certain categories of goods by the Customs Union Commission.
In order to cross a border point and legally enter the country, the cargo must be approved.
Compliance with restrictions on the possession and use of goods.
Providing security for the fulfillment of obligations to pay customs duties, taxes, special, anti-dumping, countervailing duties
Providing reports to the customs authority.

The main condition that allows cargo to be entered is identification. It is worth noting that according to the rules of temporary import, it is only allowed to place the cargo on the territory of the state, but at the same time the goods cannot be processed or disposed of. At the end of the period of stay, the foreign supplier takes the products in unchanged condition.

In order for cargo to cross a border point, it must be previously identified and declared, except in cases where, in accordance with international treaties of Member States with a third party, the replacement of temporarily imported goods is allowed.

Importing a car into the EU for a short period of time

You can import a Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, or Kazakh car into the territory of the European Union by applying for temporary import. To do this, you will fill out the appropriate declaration at the border. However, your car will not be able to stay in the country for more than 6 months. The same legislative rule applies to foreign cars in Russia.

This option is suitable for people who have a residence permit in Europe and live in two houses, periodically coming to the EU. However, you need to ensure that the car does not stay in a European country for more than 6 months.

You can import a car for a longer period, but this must be confirmed by documents. For example, you are going to work under a contract, on a long business trip. If you are moving for permanent residence, then you will only be able to drive around Europe in your favorite car for six months. This is a general rule and must be followed.

Customs payments for temporary import

In accordance with the current legislation governing the temporary import procedure, there are two options:

1. Partial payment of import duties and taxes. At the same time, 3% is paid for each calendar month during which the customs procedure is valid. However, the total amount of customs duties and taxes paid should not exceed the amount of import customs duties and taxes that would be levied if the goods were placed under the release procedure for domestic consumption.

2. Without paying import customs duties. Only in relation to a certain category of goods, the temporary stay of which is determined by the decision of the Customs Union Commission dated June 18, 2010 No. 331 and the decision of the Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission dated December 20, 2017 No. 109 \..

Registration of temporary import of non-customs cleared cars from Europe to Russia

Before buying a car that has not been cleared through customs, a citizen of the Russian Federation must become familiar with all the nuances of importing vehicles from abroad. After all, it will take him a lot of time to register the car, during which the vehicle will already be on the territory of the Russian Federation. How to ensure that such a process occurs as legally as possible, we will consider in the article below.

What does the concept of “temporary import” mean?

The concept of “temporary import” means crossing the border in a car that has a foreign registration. Unlike the customs clearance procedure, such movement between states does not oblige the driver to pay mandatory duties and complete a package of documents. But the time of stay of a foreign vehicle on the territory of the Russian Federation will be limited.

Who is allowed

Temporary import of vehicles into Russia for personal use, without paying a duty, is permitted only to those people who have a permanent residence permit in another state. But it is possible not to customize a car when crossing the border under other circumstances provided for by law. Namely:

The person is a citizen of the Russian Federation, but not a resident of this country. This phenomenon is possible if you have dual citizenship, which allows you to legally stay in the territory of foreign states;
The motorist does not have foreign registration, but lives outside of Russia. In such a situation, a person is obliged to register with the consulates of the Russian Federation, as evidenced by a special note in his international passport.

It is important to know! In other cases, the driver will have to prepare for the customs clearance procedure for the car, since no one will give him a temporary permit to import the vehicle. But Russians have the right to transport foreign equipment only if they pay a tax.

Duration of preferential treatment

In accordance with the customs code, foreigners can travel by private car across the territory of the Russian Federation for no more than one year, after which they will again need to cross the border checkpoint. At the same time, during the allotted period, owners of unregistered cars are prohibited from engaging in commercial activities or transferring their cars to other persons for this purpose.

The same applies to citizens of the Russian Federation. But for them, the temporary permit is valid for only 6 months, after which documents for legal import will need to be renewed or reissued for a separate payment.

What cars are allowed

It is allowed to drive a vehicle from Europe to the Russian Federation only for personal use, without obtaining financial benefits. And this does not apply to all types of transport, but only to the following categories:

Cars;
Minibuses with a total capacity of less than 12 people.

At the same time, the rules for the temporary import of cars into Russia do not prohibit drivers from putting up their unregistered movable property for sale.

But its purchase can only be carried out after a complete re-registration of the vehicle title, with the obligatory replacement of the Euro license plate. It is not possible to transfer ownership of a car to another citizen using a power of attorney.

Registration procedure

You can obtain a temporary import certificate for a car at customs when directly crossing the Russian border.

To do this, the driver must fill out a declaration and provide the border checkpoint employees with a small package of documents.

You also need to obtain an MTPL insurance policy, which is valid in the Russian Federation for a year, and after the expiration of this period loses its legal force.

Required documents

Everyone knows that before starting the procedure for registering a car, the driver must prepare a package of documents. The list of mandatory papers attached to the customs declaration includes:

Technical passport of the machine (European standard);
A document certifying the identity of the car owner (necessarily indicating permanent registration);
Photocopies of the above documents.

Attention! Without these certificates, temporary import of a car into Russia is not available to citizens of any category. If a vehicle is illegally delivered from abroad, the person will face an impressive fine (this mainly applies to brokers involved in the sale of foreign cars in the Russian Federation).

Is it possible to transfer a car to another person?

As a general rule, transferring an unregistered vehicle into the hands of another person is strictly prohibited. But if you delve into the law, then this restriction applies only to persons of a different nationality. That is, if the documented owner of the vehicle is a German or Frenchman, then he has no right to give his car into the hands of a Russian.

This principle also applies in reverse. Therefore, if a person has dual citizenship, then the law will not be broken when transferring a car to his compatriot. This aspect is especially important for intermediaries who transport equipment from the border point to the point of sale (including when selling a car for spare parts).

How to renew your permit

We looked at how to import a car without customs clearance into Russia. Now let's find out what to do if the car's legal stay on the territory of the Russian Federation has expired.

According to customs regulations, in such situations the driver must leave the country in an unregistered car and re-enter it, going through the same procedure for obtaining a temporary certificate as when crossing the border for the first time. The legislation does not provide for other ways to extend the grace period.

Alternative to temporary import

In some cases, the previously described method is not suitable for drivers. Therefore, in addition to the above-mentioned option of importing cars into Russia without customs clearance, there are at least three more alternatives:

Transportation of a car according to the rules of the EurAsEC (in accordance with this regulatory act, citizens of the Russian Federation have the right to import vehicles from Belarus and Kazakhstan without a temporary permit. But this procedure will be free only for motorists whose movable property is equipped with a EURO 4 or higher engine, and its age is not exceeds 8 years old. For other drivers, a single rate of payment for crossing the border applies);
Driving a car under the resettlement program (to receive this benefit, a person must register in the federal project and receive the appropriate certificate. With its help, you can cross the border checkpoint without following customs clearance rules);
Import of an unregistered car that is the subject of an inheritance (according to the law of the Russian Federation, movable property passed on by inheritance is not subject to taxation, including by the customs service. Moreover, this applies to both gasoline and diesel cars, for which a larger amount of duty is charged ).

But any of the listed options will require official confirmation in the form of certificates, certificates and other documents. Without them, regulatory authorities will reserve the right to track an illegally driven vehicle using GLONASS satellite navigation and arrest it at its current storage location.

Refusal of temporary import

Checkpoint officials at the Russian border may well refuse foreign citizens the temporary import of cars into Russia.

And this happens when there are reasonable assumptions on the part of customs officers that the vehicle or its owner will not comply with legal requirements for operating the vehicle.

In such cases, a foreign motorist will be allowed through only if he pays a single fee (the price depends on the type of vehicle registration, its volume and the age of the vehicle), or makes a deposit with the border authority.

Responsibility for breaking the law

If the generally accepted procedure for importing unregistered vehicles into the territory of the Russian Federation is not followed, the driver will face penalties in the amount of customs duty. The offender’s car itself will go to the traffic police parking lot, where it will remain until its owner pays all financial penalties.

Advice! Therefore, if you want such a punishment to cost you as little as possible, it is better to pay the state duty on the very first day the car is seized. After all, for every day the car is parked, you need to pay an additional 300-600 rubles (depending on the region).

We looked at how the temporary import of cars from Europe to Russia takes place in 2021 for Russian citizens and foreigners.

Moreover, these transportation rules are no different for right-hand drive vehicles, whose owners are accustomed to driving on the other side of the road.

The only nuance in the entire procedure of crossing the border by personal transport is compliance with time restrictions on the validity of the customs permit.

Procedure for temporary import of vehicles

Temporary importation also allows the delivery into the customs territory of one car owned by a foreign individual without paying taxes, fees or duties. In this case, the car can be placed under this procedure for a period of no more than 1 year. After this period, it is not necessary to export the vehicle; the customs regime can be expanded under the conditions established by Russia. If it is necessary to temporarily import more than one car by one declarant into the territory of the EAEU, before the expiration of the period for temporary import of the first vehicle, then you will have to provide security for the fulfillment of obligations to pay taxes and duties.

Temporary import of a vehicle is accompanied by the preparation of an international customs document on the temporary import of goods, equivalent to a customs declaration - ATA Carnet.

The Customs Union stipulates that cars imported into its territory can be used exclusively for personal purposes by the declarants themselves or members of their families, as well as other persons, a full list of which is indicated in the EAEU Customs Code. At the same time, in certain situations, it is possible to transfer a car that is under this regime to a third party - citizens of the Union and other persons, for example, for repairs, maintenance and other purposes.

After the regime for the temporary import of cars ends, they can be placed under other customs procedures in a certain manner established by law.

Double customs clearance possible

If you bought a European car in Russia and want to transport it to Europe, you will pay twice for customs clearance. The first time is when purchasing (the cost of customs clearance is included in the price of the car), the second time is when moving.

Plus you will pay a decent amount of duties - they differ in each country. For example, in Germany, the customs duty on passenger cars is 10%, on motorcycles up to 250 cm3 - 8%, above this volume - 6%. Next, you will have to pay import turnover tax, which is equal to 19% of the cost of the car. Each country has conditions that allow you to avoid paying duties. For example, in France you need to own a car for at least 6 months.

Thus, customs clearance can cost you almost a third of the cost of your favorite “iron horse”. Next, you will have to re-register your car in Europe and receive a European license plate.

How long does the temporary import regime last and how can it be increased?

The maximum validity period of the temporary import regime in accordance with the rules of the EAEU Customs Code is 24 months. In some situations, this period may be shorter or longer, it all depends on the type of cargo and the purpose of its transportation to the country. If the same products are imported by different persons, then they must remain in the country for no more than 2 years.

The period is set by the customs authority based on the declaration of the declarant, based on the purposes and circumstances of import.

The extension of the period is carried out on the basis of an application by the declarant submitted before the expiration of the temporary import period or no later than 1 month after its expiration within the deadline for the procedure.

It is possible to increase the period of permission for the placement of foreign products on the territory of the state through the same customs authority in which the goods were placed under the customs procedure of temporary import. The period for consideration of an application for extension is 5 working days.

Sell the old one here and buy a new one there

In addition to the lack of financial costs and problems with customs clearance, there are other arguments in favor of this option.

The European market for new cars is larger than the Russian one. Dozens of attractive models that are produced in Europe are simply not brought to Russia by dealers. This way you will have more choice.

In Russia, you are likely to buy a car of a famous brand, produced here. However, the notorious build quality is often worse than in factories of the same brands located in Europe. Why this happens is a rhetorical question. Nevertheless, the fact remains: a car produced in Europe is better in build quality than its Russian counterpart.

Basic list of documents for temporary import

To register temporary import, the declarant is required to provide a declaration in the required form, as well as add to the application a certain package of documents, which include:

information that confirms the purpose of transporting the goods;
technical description with detailed parameters and characteristics of the cargo (required to identify the cargo according to the Commodity Nomenclature of Foreign Economic Activity);
a document confirming duty-free import;
the obligation of the declarant to export the cargo to the territory of the producing state upon completion of the specified time;
an action program that specifies the use of imported cargo;
a written application for temporary import from the declarant, made in any form;
a certificate that confirms the fulfillment of the required conditions of the customs regime; other documentation (as required by the customs service).

Completion of the temporary import procedure

The procedure for temporary import of goods may result in re-export, which implies the removal of previously imported cargo outside the country or the placement of goods under customs procedures applicable to foreign goods (import, etc.).

There are several situations in which the regime of temporary import of cargo into the territory of the Customs Union or the Russian Federation may end:

expiration of the maximum possible period of stay of the cargo on the territory of the state;
refusal of the cargo owner to relinquish ownership rights to the product in favor of the country;
processing of cargo at the customs point in accordance with approved regulatory documents.

The regime of temporary import of various goods ends in accordance with Article 224 of the EAEU Customs Code. There is also the possibility of termination of admission if the products or cargo are lost or destroyed for any reason, which can happen after a fire, accident, catastrophe and other emergency situations.

To do this, you must provide supporting documentation to government authorities about the incident and a previously obtained permit for the temporary import of cargo. The declarant may prematurely stop temporary importation.

If you have any problems with temporary import registration or you want to entrust this process to professionals, then you can safely use the services of the RTL company. We can undertake the full range of services for processing temporary importation or carry out work on specific tasks. To contact us, remember the special form on the website, and we will provide professional advice as soon as possible.

Is it possible to take the car with you to Europe forever?

So, you have a residence permit in Europe or citizenship ready, and you are going to move to your favorite country for permanent residence. What about the car? There may be several in your family. There are only two options, and both are possible.

Carry cars with you. It happens that people become attached to even inexpensive cars and do not want to part with them. What can we say about the owners of luxury cars who do not want to part with their favorites?
Sell a car in Russia and buy a new one in Europe. No matter how cool the car is, you will be able to find the same or similar model on the European market. And thus avoid problems with transportation

Practice shows that our clients most often lean towards the first option, believing that it is quite simple. In fact, this is not always the case. Let's look at the problems you may encounter.