
Widely known as Merchandise Passports, ATA Carnets are easily-obtained international customs documents used to temporarily import and export merchandise and clear customs in 87 territories and countries worldwide. An ATA Carnet holder gets the privilege of not having to pay import taxes or duties on the merchandise in question, with the condition that this merchandise will be re-exported in a 12-month period.
Obtaining an ATA Carnet
All ATA Carnet member countries have domestic associations approved by the World Chambers Federation (WCF) of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) to issue ATA Carnets. This means that the ATA Carnet issuing body will vary depending on the country of export.
The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has designated the U.S. Council for International Business (USCIB) as the country’s issuing association. The USCIB has appointed two other service providers like the Corporation for International Business DBA Boomerang Carnets and the Roanoke Trade to carry out the issuing processes in the United States.