ATA Carnet to Kazakhstan: how to ship equipment

ATA Carnet to Kazakhstan is one of two ways to move equipment temporarily when it has to come back to the sender. Sending tools, service or protective equipment that then has to return is a classic case for one of two customs procedures: an ATA Carnet or temporary admission. Here is when to choose which, and what to keep in mind so the project does not get stuck at the border.

ATA Carnet or temporary admission?

With an ATA Carnet there are no import customs duties. Under temporary admission, temporary customs duties arise. In both cases — carnet and temporary admission alike — a Kazakh broker is required. Notably, Kazakhstan is the only Central Asian country where ATA Carnets apply; for goods returning to, say, Uzbekistan, temporary admission is used instead.

When air freight is worth considering

If you are sending one or a few pallets of tools or protective equipment and time is critical — which is often the case in these projects — air freight. is the first option to weigh. Shipping to Kazakhstan on an ATA Carnet is currently possible by air; if air is too expensive, temporary admission remains the alternative.

Batteries, documents and the General List

If the equipment contains batteries, establish at once whether they are inside the device (UN 3481) or shipped separately (UN 3480), state their capacity in Wh and prepare the MSDS/SDS. It also pays to prepare a General List with a Russian translation in advance — it lets you clear questions on the import side already at the quotation stage and put together a more concrete price, especially when you choose DAP delivery to the consignee's warehouse rather than only to the airport.

What not to enter on the carnet

On an ATA Carnet we list only what will return to the country of dispatch intact. Consumables — nails, screws — are better bought locally. Avoid errors both in the carnet itself and in the accompanying documents (weight, names, codes, quantities): every correction means extra time and possible extra cost.

In short

• ATA Carnet — no import customs duties, only for goods returning in full;
• temporary admission — temporary customs duties;
• both options require a Kazakh broker;
• batteries: settle UN 3480/3481, capacity in Wh and MSDS/SDS up front;
• a General List in Russian speeds up quoting and clearance.

Planning an equipment shipment to Kazakhstan? Tell us, what is travelling and for how long, and whether batteries are involved — we will match the procedure and route and confirm the customs detail with the broker.