Over the past two years I have been on an epic journey: on my motorcycle van The Netherlands to South Africa. The reliable one Honda TransAlp XL 600 from 1996 took me through a multitude of countries without any significant problems Europe, Africa and the Middle East guided away.
At the beginning of my adventure, I had no experience crossing an international border with a motorcycle or car. How difficult a border crossing can sometimes be only became clear to me during the time-consuming border crossing between Turkey and Iraqi Kurdistan, where I lost almost a day. In this article I reveal the best tips and strategies to cross borders as an overlander well prepared and with your own transport. These are my tips for overlanders who want to go on an adventure, whether with a car, motorcycle, 4×4, camper or truck.
Tips for border crossings during an overland trip
1. Different types of boundaries
Within Europe, and especially within the Schengen zone, we enjoy the convenience of traveling from one country to another without border controls. For example, you can cross effortlessly from the Netherlands to Germany. However, the situation changes drastically once you leave the Schengen zone behind you.
I experienced this at the border crossing between Turkey and Iraqi Kurdistan. There I was confronted with the need to purchase a visa on the spot, but I did not have enough cash and debit card payment was not an option. This forced me to return to Turkey, where I again faced border controls, re-importing my motorcycle and even a full scan of the vehicle. After arranging the necessary money, I had to repeat the whole process several hours later. So much more went wrong and eventually it was night when I was finally able to cross the border. The full, unfiltered story can be found on my Polarsteps page.
2. Procedure in brief
Border crossings generally follow a fixed pattern, despite local differences. When leaving a country, you will receive an exit stamp in your passport and ensure that you have documents, such as a Carnet of passage, , be all right. Any taxes and penalties must be settled.
When entering a new country you usually start with a health check and passport control. Your vehicle must be cleared and some countries may require insurance or road tax. After going through all the procedures, you are ready to officially enter the country.
Remember to always bring sufficient cash, the necessary documentation such as your passport, a visa if necessary, your Carnet de Passage, registration certificate, insurance papers and your yellow book. Sometimes you also need a hotel reservation for the first night. In addition, patience and time are essential at every border crossing.
Country from:
- Run vehicle (Carnet of passage, stamping)
- Paying fines or taxes
- Passport stamping
Country in:
- Health check (vaccination booklet, Covid)
- Passport control and visa/stamp
- Customs: Importing a vehicle (Carnet/Temporary Import Permit)
- Vehicle technical inspection
- Insurance (Green card or local insurance)
- Pay road tax
Border Crossing Checklist:
- Plenty of cash (USD recommended)
- Passport
- Visa
- Carnet of passage,
- Registration certificate
- Insurance papers (Green card)
- Vaccinations booklet (Yellow booklet)
- Time and patience
- Hotel booking for at least one night in destination country
The Bunq card is the most accepted Prepaid Credit Card in the world. It's a full-fledged one Mastercard credit card - even offline terminals in airplanes and elsewhere work with this card (we have tested this many times ourselves). You can also rent a car with this card.
- No BKR check
- Dutch bank
- Problem-free car rental abroad
- ZeroFX (abroad saves about 2-3% per transaction!)
- Works with Google and Apple Pay
Also read: Which (prepaid) credit card is best to travel with? And why?
3. Visa
You need a visa for some countries. Check the visa requirements for your destination via the country's embassy website or at https://www.fctgtravelnews.com/ before traveling to a border. If you will be making repeated entries and exits, check whether multi-entry visas are available.
There are three ways to get a (tourist) visa:
- E-Visa: Apply online and pay if necessary to receive a digital visa, which you will receive via email within days, sometimes minutes. Print out the e-visa before your trip. If possible, it is recommended to get an E-Visa.
- Visa on arrival: Get your visa or stamp directly at the border. Check conditions and costs in advance, such as possible hotel booking requirements, and carry cash for any visa costs.
- Embassy visa: This often requires completing and sending in forms, followed by collecting your visa at the embassy, sometimes after a personal appointment or interview.
Be aware that options at border crossings may differ from those at airports; for example, not all border posts issue visas on arrival. Always verify the services available at the specific border post you are about to pass through. The iOverlander app is a valuable source for insights and experiences from fellow travelers.
4. Health checks
Now that Covid-19 appears to be largely over, many mandatory tests and vaccinations have been abolished. However, other required vaccinations remain, such as yellow fever in certain African and South American countries. Consult a travel doctor for recommended vaccinations and check mandatory vaccinations via https://www.fctgtravelnews.com/. Make sure all required vaccinations are in your yellow book for a smooth border crossing.
Vaccinations while traveling is the specialist for travel vaccinations and vaccinations in the Netherlands. The specialized vaccination nurses and doctors advise and vaccinate more than 35.000 travelers every year.
Obtained vaccinations can be put in an official vaccination passport (yellow booklet).
In most cases, the vaccinations can be reimbursed via the health insurance - contact your health insurer for this.
- Low prices
- Often fully reimbursed
- Evenings and weekends
- Yellow booklet / passport
- Locations throughout the Netherlands
5. Fixers
At “difficult” border crossings there are often “fixers”, people who “help” you cross the border. It can be quite overwhelming when dozens of fixers are clamoring for your attention and documents. Sometimes they simply take over your documents, after which you run after them to arrange everything.
These fixers do not help for free, you often pay them afterwards based on a tip, or they ask for a certain amount. Usually the fixers are helpful, but you may be dealing with someone who takes advantage of the chaos and ignorance to cheat you out of more money than necessary.
Tips for importing your vehicle
1. Carnet de Passage
Taking or importing your motorcycle or car across international borders can be complicated. This is usually because countries want to prevent illegal imports and sales. To make traveling with your own vehicle easier, the Carnet de Passage is used.
This is an international customs document, which acts as a temporary 'passport' for your vehicle, and is particularly required in countries with strict customs regulations for vehicle imports. It ensures a smoother border crossing by demonstrating that your vehicle is legal and will leave the country under certain conditions.
De Carnet of passage, works like a booklet with pages divided into three sections: top, middle and bottom. Upon arrival, customs stamps the lower part and holds it, while the upper part receives an entry stamp. Upon departure, customs stamps and retains the middle part, and the upper part receives an exit stamp as proof of the legal import and export of the vehicle.
If the vehicle does not leave the country within the set period, often 3 months, customs can claim the deposit deposited with the ADAC. It is therefore crucial to ensure that you receive an export stamp in your Carnet de Passage as proof of the legal export of the vehicle.
Dutch people can obtain a Carnet de Passage from the ADAC, which requires a deposit or bank guarantee, depending on the vehicle value and the countries to be visited, ranging from €2.500 to €50.000. The issuing costs are €250 for ANWB/ADAC members and €350 for non-members. The document is valid for one year with a flexible start date. If renewed within one year, only the issue costs are due again, the deposit remains. For current information, rates and applications for a Carnet de Passage, please consult this page of the ADAC website.
2. Temporary Import Permit (TIP)
If a Carnet de Passage is not available or the deposit is too high, a Temporary Import Permit (TIP) offers an alternative to temporary vehicle import, even in countries that do not accept a Carnet. The conditions and costs of a TIP vary per country; therefore, check the specific rules of your destinations prior to your trip.
3. Insurance
Besides the regular ones travel insurance with worldwide coverage Just like in the Netherlands, you will be required to have vehicle insurance in many countries to drive, both for your safety and to comply with the law. In the Netherlands and other European countries you will receive a Green Card that indicates in which countries your vehicle is insured. Make sure you have both a digital and physical copy, as some countries require tangible proof.
Outside the Green Card zone, you arrange your own insurance, often at the border or through local insurance offices. Costs range from a few euros for a month to more than €10 per day (Israel), so it is advisable to investigate this in advance. The iOverlander app can provide useful information.
In some African countries you can use the Comesa “yellow card”, similar to the European Green Card, for insurance in multiple countries. You can take out this insurance from local African insurers. Consult Comesa and iOverlander for more information about local insurance options.
4. Technical checks
Technical controls at border crossings vary per location. They are usually quick and simple, although sometimes for a fee. For example, Iraqi Kurdistan charges $20 for an inspection, which looks at things such as engine size and the VIN number. Please ensure that these details in your Carnet de Passage and other vehicle documents match your vehicle before you travel.
5. Taxes
Taxes are also unavoidable when traveling, with many countries imposing duties when entering with your own vehicle. The costs vary per country and can range from zero to tens of euros, often under the heading of Road Tax, Temporary Import Tax or CO2 Tax. Rates usually depend on vehicle type and engine size, with motorcycles generally costing less than larger vehicles.
At the border crossing you will be informed about the specific taxes and payment method. Be prepared to pay in cash as ATMs can be scarce or unreliable. Always keep an official proof of payment and check the information for your own administration. Also consult experiences of other travelers via the iOverlander app and the VANLIFE and Overlander Facebook group for an indication of the expected costs and procedures. When you ask a specific question in the overlander group, you will usually quickly receive a clear answer from overlanders who have already experienced it.
Conclusion
These were my tips for Overlanders. Be aware that crossing the border is simply not an option in some countries. Sometimes borders close at the most impossible times for a few hours, or there is an official who seems to make your life difficult. Be patient, be kind and take your time. Everything will be fine in the end.
Tip:: go to our Overland page for more useful and practical information for overlanders. In addition to useful tips & tricks, you will also find many wonderful travel stories from overlanders who came before you. Have fun reading!
