Temporary import document Kyrgyzstan

[Sparky]

Dear travellers,

Last summer we travelled by car from Europe to Kyrgyzstan. With the plan to leave the car behind in Kyrgyzstan, to fly home and to continue the trip next year. With the research I did before we left, I figured out that Kyrgyzstan was the only place on the way where we were able to leave the car behind and fly home for at least a year (as you receive only a stamp in your passport for entering the country, and nothing for the car).

But when we entered the country in August 2014 I received a temporary import document for the car (exactly the same as the one from Russia/Kazakhstan) but only smaller (in A5 format), which said that I had to leave the country with the car before the end of September.

The reason they are giving out this document is because they want to join the Russia/Kazakh customs union. But this will be only from the 1st of January 2015, although they already started with registering all cars going into the country. In the end with the help from the Dutch embassy in Bishkek I got this extended to half of February (6 months extension), but this was the maximum they could give me. But this means that I have to go back in February to drive the car out and in the country to extend the document, and from what I understand I have to do this myself, as I’m the owner of the car.

Now another friend who travelled there also this year by car, told me he will just let the document expire and pay a bribe at the border next year when he goes out. But is there a chance that this will work? What would you advice; take the risk and pay a bribe? Or go to Kyrgyzstan in February and drive the car out and in the country to extend the document?

Thanks. Dion

[steven]

I don't want to advice anything on this - I cannot tell which will be more expensive. It all depends on how risk-averse you are. If you like to take a risk, leave it there and pay the bribe. If you don't, take it out.

Perhaps there is a third option. With a lot of negotiating, perhaps you can legally extend it again, or have someone else take it out for you? Persistence is the key.