[6 April 2008]

Import

The bureaucracy involved in importing vehicles into Australia is constantly changing. Bob Gosling has had a long association with Raid Australia and has assisted in importing many vehicles.

In continuation of that support he has offered his assistance and discounts again for Raid Australia 2008 participants.

Bob is equipped to provide the latest information on importing one way to Australia, and import and export if you intend to travel on carnet.

Bob needs to be contacted as soon as you know you want to ship your car, so that group discounts can be negotiated.

While Bob is a proud supporter of Raid Australia, any agreements that you reach are solely agreements between you and him.

Bob Gosling can be contacted at [obsolete email removed]

His web page is [dead link removed]


Sturt's Desert Pea, north of Marble Bar

Importing a 2CV

The Australian Federal Government controls imports of motor vehicles.

The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government has provided guidelines for importing vehicles to Australia.

The information provided on 4 April 2008, and replicated in Vehicle Standards Bulletin 10 indicates three important preliminary items;

- An import approval must be obtained for a vehicle to gain customs clearance at its point of entry to Australia. Vehicles that arrive in Australia without an import approval generally incur significant storage costs until an Import Approval is issued.

- Import Approval does not ensure automatic release of the vehicle from Australian Customs control. You must still meet all of the Australian Customs requirements, eg, duties, GST, quarantine requirements,

- An import approval does not mean the vehicle will be licensed.

Ask your import agent to acquire the import approval and advise you on Australian Customs requirements.

Further information on licensing can be seen on the licensing page.

Import Approval

The Vehicle Standards Bulletin 10 lists ways in which Import Approval will be granted.

The following ways could relate to a 2CV.

1 Part 9 Application - Overseas Visitors to Australia

In accordance with the provisions of certain international conventions on road traffic, Australia recognises the temporary import of vehicles for a period of less than 12 months by visiting foreign nationals of signatory countries who hold a visitor's visa.

In this category vehicles may be allowed entry in one of two ways:

a. By presenting a valid Carnet de Passage en Duane at port of entry to Australia, in which case no Vehicle Import Approval is required (Note: a vehicle must have sufficient registration cover from the person's home country to cover the period of the temporary import).
b. By submitting an application to import a vehicle accompanied by a copy of a current overseas registration document valid for the period of the visit and passport pages showing nationality, personal details and valid Australian visitor's visa.

If you are travelling on a "Temporary Resident" Visa then you are not eligible to import your vehicle under (b) above.

2 Part 4 Application - Vehicles built before 1 January 1989.

Vehicles built before 1 January 1989 may be imported to Australia without restriction. An import approval is still required and you can liaise with your import agent to ensure he applies on your behalf.

3 Part 8 Application - Personal Imports

To personally import a vehicle the following criteria must be met.

a. the vehicle has been owned and used by the applicant for a continuous period of at least 12 months (3 months where ownership and use of the vehicle commenced before 8 May 2000);
b. at the time the vehicle is imported, the applicant is:
i. an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident; or
ii. a person who has applied to become an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident;
c. the applicant is of an age that entitles him or her to hold a licence or a permit to drive a road vehicle of that type;
d. the applicant undertakes to comply with any requirements as to road safety that are imposed in respect of the vehicle by the Administrator; and
e. the applicant has not imported a road vehicle owned by him/her within the year ending on the day on which the vehicle in respect of which the application is made is landed in Australia. If an applicant has imported a vehicle under any other provisions in that time, approval will not be granted.


4 Specialist and Enthusiast Vehicle Import

There is a method of importing a specialist and enthusiast vehicle, which is to be undertaken by a Registered Automotive Workshop. Vehicles that have been successfully imported through this procedure are placed on a register. Vehicles that are not allowed to be imported by this procedure are placed on a register. Citroën 2CV does not appear on either register because no one has imported a 2CV through this method before, so there is no indication if this is possible for a 2CV.