Importing car through Famagusta

jo7eph


Joined: 15/06/2008
Posts: 23

Message Posted:
23/06/2008 06:22

Decided to bite the bullet and bring in the wife's car (at least this way we know what we are getting) as we could'nt afford to keep on renting. Arrival is second week in June via container at Famagusta and we will arrive shortly before.

Any advice and tips about the clearance at the docks from anyone familiar with the procedure would be much appreciated

livethedream


Joined: 12/04/2007
Posts: 455

Message Posted:
23/06/2008 08:48

Hi jo7eph



Before you go and get your car you will need to visit the main Police Headquarters in Nicosia (Lefkoşa) and get a print out of all your entry and exits from the country, you will need a letter from your local Mukhtar to prove that you reside in this country, then you need to get an Import Licence (again in Lefkoşa) - you will need your Log Book, passport, the Ins and Outs printout and the Mukhtar's letter. You will need to take copies of all these documents. After you have got all this info you will need to go to the docks in Famagusta and go through a Commissioning Agent who will run round all the different departments getting paperwork signed and stamped. Leave yourself a day to do the customs - a packed lunch and lots of water would be good!



You will also need to take lots of money with you. As a ball park number, whatever the car is worth in the Classes Guide, that is what you can expect to pay. If you want a 'fair' Commissioning Agent, I can give you a number. The payment will be in ytl, so work out the exchange before you go!



If you need anymore help/advice - ask away!!!



Good luck!



ltd

livethedream


Joined: 12/04/2007
Posts: 455

Message Posted:
23/06/2008 08:55

Sorry, forgot to mention you also need to take your Bill of Loading and Bill of Landing, which you need to get from your shipping company.

jessy


Joined: 04/12/2007
Posts: 289

Message Posted:
23/06/2008 11:23

You can also say that you are here temporary maybe a year. You are allowed to keep on british plates for one year providing you have british tax on it. Once the year is up you can either then put on ZT plates for a further year then you have to pay tax at Lefkosia customs.

jo7eph


Joined: 15/06/2008
Posts: 23

Message Posted:
23/06/2008 13:46

Many thanks for the info so far but opinions needed

Obviously I would prefer to delay paying import taxes as long as possible. I have not as yet applied for a residence permit. Although I have owned my place in Baspinar since September 06 we have been visiting for short periods setting the place up ready for my retirement (maybe, hopefully) next year. The question is could I do as jessy suggests and bring it in with a visitors visa for a few months and pay the import tax then? Would this make life more or less complicated when I go to pick up the car?

livethedream


Joined: 12/04/2007
Posts: 455

Message Posted:
23/06/2008 21:03

Jo7eph - you can get your car out of customs you will still need your ins and outs printouts, insurance for the car (for over here) and the car must have at least 6 months road tax on it from the UK, log book and passport and you will still need to pay a commissioning agent to get the paperwork filled out. You will then need to get a blue form from Famagusta and you will need to renew this at the customs in Lefkoşa (for 6 months) as the one from Famagusta will only allow you to drive the car for 1 month. This permit will need to be renewed for another six months after which you can either register the car (and pay your taxes) or ship it back to the UK.



Hope this helps.



ltd

jo7eph


Joined: 15/06/2008
Posts: 23

Message Posted:
24/06/2008 08:54

Hi ltd

Nothing is ever simple in North Cyprus is it?

I knew that the car had to have UK tax but not that it had to be six months minimum. I think it is taxed until October. Do you know if we can just bring out a new tax disc and will the DVLA issue a tax earlier than strictly neccessary?

Looks like we are going to need the services of a good commissioning agent, I would be grateful if you could let me know your guy's contact details.

Can I get the ball rolling from here in the UK?



can I buy you a very large beer one day in June for all your trouble?



jo7eph

livethedream


Joined: 12/04/2007
Posts: 455

Message Posted:
27/06/2008 21:00

Jo7eph



Sorry for delay!!



I will email you the guy's name and contact details at Famagusta - but are you here already?



ltd

fire starter


Joined: 19/06/2008
Posts: 3401

Message Posted:
28/06/2008 00:38

hi a friend just brought his merc throught famagusta,he was told he cold only use on english plates for one month. when he went back after the month he was told it had been extended for another 3 months , so be carefull the rules change all the time!! also watch those b---ards at famagusta they will tell you your car has not arrived yet, so they get a chance to steal anything they can from it. two years ago they stole from us, 2 coats,work boots,and numerous other items, the car arrived full and after safe keeping in the yard owned by kamil reis it was empty.

jo7eph


Joined: 15/06/2008
Posts: 23

Message Posted:
28/06/2008 00:53

ltd



Still in the UK, will be coming through Ercan on Monday so would be very grateful for the number before then. Hopefully will be getting broadband sorted out this time as well but until then will have to rely on various hot spots.



Jo7eph

jo7eph


Joined: 15/06/2008
Posts: 23

Message Posted:
28/06/2008 01:03

fire starter

We have been told by Dolphin that the car container arrived in Turkey Thursday so should be in Famagusta early part of next week. Theoretically it should all tie up nicely but I will stay on top of it.. Best laid plans and all that!

What do you reckon the chances are of my 42" Samsung getting through? I wish you hadn't told me that.

Thanks for the heads up though.

Jo7eph

livethedream


Joined: 12/04/2007
Posts: 455

Message Posted:
28/06/2008 07:31

Jo7eph



I see you've used Dolphin to ship the car - they use their own agent, Latifoğlu. Try and find out what they charge for the work and if you're not happy (they charge in £'s - the guy whose info I sent you by email charges in ytl) the other guy's office is opposite Latif's, get your paperwork and try the other guy.



ltd

fire starter


Joined: 19/06/2008
Posts: 3401

Message Posted:
01/07/2008 00:11

if i were a betting woman i'd say kiss goodbye to anything you put inside. as for dolphin movers i can tell a great story about them. agreed a price, drove to london 3 hour drive, got to the office with 4x4 and quad bike on the back, all previously agreed. they wanted to leave our brand new 4x4 and quad parked out in the street for a week until they were ready to put it on the boat. showed them the cash and told them where to get off putting it politely . then used george baker shipping, drove car to harwich, car was then locked in customs yard and put on the boat at the correct time. highly recommend george baker shipping, trouble is with famagusta agents and customs, they pull every stroke they can. i do know a good agent in lefkosa if anyone is shipping anything out he live in our village.

steve1090


Joined: 02/07/2008
Posts: 4

Message Posted:
03/07/2008 07:30

Jo 7eph

I know from experience that when shipping an unaccompanied car, the rules are that the car should be empty, even down to the minimum amount of fuel. check with your agent!

mickeyblue


Joined: 25/06/2009
Posts: 1

Message Posted:
25/06/2009 17:52

hi everyone just joined



was reading the questiions and answers and was curious, i am a turkish cypriot, born in london but returning to north cyprus with family.



i am going to buy a vehical to take back with me,



what do i have to do? can i do everything from here or do i need to get out there and sort things out,

please help

wanderer


Joined: 05/02/2009
Posts: 1653

Message Posted:
25/06/2009 18:52

MB

If you do not own the car already it needs to be under 3 years old when it arrives or no import possible

If you already own it different rules apply ask Olytrans they will give you an idea on what is possible

Jo Valentine


Joined: 10/02/2008
Posts: 508

Message Posted:
26/06/2009 00:14

Hi

If anyone is wanting to ship their vehicle in a container without having to drive to Felixstowe we have loading facilities here alongside the A1 near Doncaster, South Yorkshire. And there's always enough space left for other goods in the container. Secure storage available FOC pending shipment.

All the best

Jo Valentine

Tel: +44(0)1302 729696

valentineremovals@hotmail.com

http://www.jamesvalentineremovals.co.uk

jewels


Joined: 06/06/2009
Posts: 73

Message Posted:
26/06/2009 00:26

mickeyblue



if you are a nice person do not bring your car with you as they will give you the hardest time of your life and take a lot of your money, really much better to buy one here. if you're not a very nice person, you deserve everything you're about to get believe me.

li n lee


Joined: 09/10/2007
Posts: 144

Message Posted:
26/06/2009 00:34

live the dream

we drove our vehicle over 5 weeks ago and did the in out business this costs 6ytl re stamps from the psot office and then the mukhtar paperwork is a voluntary donation.

if the car is newer than 3 years no probs you pay 42% of its value on their Glasses guide not uk prices.

if the car is older than 3 years you have to have owned the vehicle for 5 years and again pay 42% of its value

you then go to a government office in lefkosia who carry out an mot equivelant and then back to the customs office and pay the money owed

very straight forward and the staff every where are very accomodating if you humour them rather than offend

good luck

yorgozlu



Joined: 16/06/2009
Posts: 4437

Message Posted:
26/06/2009 00:46

MICKEYBLUE,you are cypriot,therefore its different for us.If I had known what I know now,I'd never brought my car over,they told me I was aloud 1 vehicle duty free,and charged me 21,500tl,so if you want a stress free life dont bother.By the time you paid the customs it'd be more expensive anyway

lisa201168



Joined: 21/12/2007
Posts: 66

Message Posted:
26/06/2009 01:07

Yorkozlu, what car did you bring over?

jo7eph


Joined: 15/06/2008
Posts: 23

Message Posted:
26/06/2009 01:14

Got the car over last year using Dolphin all went very smoothly. Nothing missing or broken when we took delivery in Famagusta including 42' Samsung plasma.The agent we used was brilliant. Drove the car on UK plates until April this year when we paid the import duties and got the MOT and registration done. Paid a lot less than we budgeted for so were quite chuffed. It took a fair bit of running about but most of the locals were very helpful. First rule in NC is allow one job per day and get there early. Incidently your car can be up to 5 years old, ours was '04 reg when we started this a year ago and we had owned it for less than 6 months.

lisa201168



Joined: 21/12/2007
Posts: 66

Message Posted:
26/06/2009 01:30

Hi jo7eph we drove car in May and were given one month and got extended till August on UK plates, how long did you have on UK plates from import to register this April. Thx

jo7eph


Joined: 15/06/2008
Posts: 23

Message Posted:
26/06/2009 10:16

After the first month we got another 8 months until April this year. Talk to the lady at the Customs import office who was very helpful (avoid the guy - not a happy chappy) who told us the time allowed depended on how much UK road tax was left on our car. In our case April this year!