Need help with Georgia-Turkey border situation, and additional questions

[Umudugudu]

We’ve recently started a long motorcycle trip involving countries in Eastern Europe/Western Asia and are in a tight spot and could use some guidance from those who know.

We are two US citizens who bought two motorcycles in Tbilisi Georgia. We purchased the motorcycles in our names and were given: plastic vehicle registration card, paper sales/purchase document. We carry International Drivers’ Permits.

We intend to travel to the following countries, roughly: Turkey, Greece, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary, Romania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan. Our plan is to end the trip in Georgia and sell the bikes back there.

Our current tight spot: We endeavored to cross the Georgia-Turkey border today and encountered an issue that our motorcycles are not registered in the country of our residence (here is the rule: “persons who are resident in a territory other than Turkey can import their vehicles for private use registered in their country of residence.”). Ultimately, a nice border agent offered us a 15-day transit visa. This is sufficient to get us across Turkey but we both would like more time on this passage, as well as to return through because we intend to circle back to Georgia after Turkey.
The company who sold us the motorcycle said that folks in our position have been able to do trips like this without problems in terms of crossing borders, but they also remembered today that they failed to instruct us to obtain an “export declaration”. They say that this would avoid the problem we encountered today, and they think we will also encounter additional border problems if we don’t obtain this before traveling onward.

Our questions to the experts:

• What is this export customs declaration? Is this necessary only for getting the bikes out of Georgia, which we’ve already done, or will we also need it elsewhere on this trip?

• Will it actually solve our problem obtaining a tourist visa in Turkey? E.g. will it create some sort of exception to the rule that the vehicle must be registered in my country of origin?

• Are there other carnets or papers we should be working on in advance to prevent similar issues at future borders in the aforementioned countries?

• Once we’re in EU countries, should border crossings be more straightforward?

[sidadigital]

Hey @Umudugudu,

I am in similar situation as you. I am planning to travel for a few days to Turkey and go back to Georgia.
EU passport, Georgian plates number car.

Were you able to cross the border ?

[Umudugudu]

We were, but only given a 15 day transit visa by a board agent who knew the law but was willing to work with us. It sounds like it’s a crapshoot as to whether border agents enforce this rule so some people try more than once.

[Umudugudu]

Update: we got into Bulgaria without a hitch whatsoever. Border agents didn't even ask about insurance (they seemed more interested in asking questions about the bikes themselves). If we encounter the same issue at the Turkey border when we return, we plan to simply overstay our visa and pay the fines, because they sound affordable (I forget how much it was, but when the border agent told us, we shrugged it off as reasonable).

[durak]

I'm not sure if this helps, but: The "normal" EU insurance is not recognize in Kosovo, so you'll probably have to buy insurance there ((80EUR/2 weeks I think). For Kazakhstan, a vehicle with an EU-registration needs a Carnet-de-Passage. But maybe you're lucky and thanks to old soviet ties vehicles with Georgian registration don't need that? And no matter what registration you have, as far as I know, the land borders to Azerbaijan are closed. And just out of curiosity: how do you plan to get to Kazakhstan, and then back to Georgia?
Happy travels!

[cristiano]

[...] For Kazakhstan, a vehicle with an EU-registration needs a Carnet-de-Passage. [...]

Are you sure? Is this a news?
I highly doubt this information is correct

[Hugues]

[...] For Kazakhstan, a vehicle with an EU-registration needs a Carnet-de-Passage. [...]

Are you sure? Is this a news?
I highly doubt this information is correct

according to this site, it looks like it is not needed:
https://overlandingassociation.org/carnet-de-passage/

[Umudugudu]

out of curiosity: how do you plan to get to Kazakhstan, and then back to Georgia?

Our itinerary has evolved since this thread and we're having to cut both Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan from the plan. Time is getting sucked up elsewhere! Thanks for the tips; we're near Kosovo now but haven't decided for sure whether to go there.

[raycooknz]

Well thought I would give an update to my resent Russian Border Crossing after my Toyota Landcrusier being stuck in storage for 2.5 years due to covid.
I proceeded to the Verkhnii Lars border on the Russian side and was told by customs guard that I have a big problem.... Well after 6 hours of investigation and negotiations they decided I would have to pay a 1,500 ruble fine and I could cross into Dariali on the Georgian side... I was very happy to pay and proceeded towards Sarpi - Georgia - Turkey Border then Bulgeria - Serbia - Hungary - Slovakia so happy to say my vehicle is now in the EU and Im free to keep on travelling
Regards
Ray

[Airam]

hello we just came into contact with the same problem. we cannot cross the Georgian-Turkish border with our Georgian car. That’s why we question here again to you: “Was the 15 day transit visa an official option or was the official corrupt?". Customs officials today were very sure that there is no possibility of crossing the border by Georgian car.
Thanks for your help