interesting experience entering CH from D

[AW10]

I recently entered Switzerland driving a UK registered car and with a UK passport. I showed my passport and was then asked to show my driving license and registration certificate. They took the documents away and came back a few minutes later and asked for my insurance certificate. When I handed it over I was told that they had checked the car on ASKMID and it showed up as uninsured. I expressed my surprise, saying that I was quite confident that it was insured as I would only receive the certificate after payment on the premium. I was then told they had no way of knowing if I had made the certificate at home on my computer but as everything else seemed OK they would give my the benefit of the doubt as they're aware that there can be errors.

(I checked ASKMID when I arrived at my destination that evening and the car showed up as insured - I suspect they entered the letter O as the digit zero and ASKMID doesn't say that the registration doesn't exist, just that they have no record of insurance for it.)

Then they asked if they could just have a quick look in the boot which I duly opened. They had a look around and then suggested we move the car into the garage so that they could have a more through look in a cooler place. (It was 34 outside.). And then they proceeded to go through the car and its contents with a fine tooth comb. *Everything* was unpacked and inspected. Mirrors were used to look under the car. The doors were shaken back and forth when open to see if there was anything loose. The boot was emptied and all of the storage compartments were checked. Three people went over the car for 30 minutes. Needless to say nothing was found because there was nothing to find.

I ended up paying 20 SFr duty because I had an extra litre of alcohol and 2 bolts of fabric a friend in Switzerland had posted to me in the UK and I just threw the padded envelope complete with packing list and her address in CH into the boot.

I know customs doesn't exist to make money per se but they really struck out. But why did they give me the detailed inspection? I couldn't even flush the loo I was allowed to use - someone went in and lifted the lid to see that I hadn't tried to dispose of anything (talk about being the SLJ - stty little jobs officer!) I could only think their suspicion of of lack of insurance plus a boot of random household goods and groceries for a 2.5 week holiday tripped a couple of red flags. But were they looking for cash? There was no drugs dog used.

I was polite and friendly the whole while as I knew I had nothing to hide and that any obstruction on my part was likely to slow up my departure. I was thanked for my cooperation at the end and was told the fine on the excess alcohol was waived due to my cooperation.

[UltimaCH]

Oh dear, sorry to hear that. You must have fallen between the grips of some very frustrated custom inspectors, but the risk exists to fall on such characters unfortunately for anybody.

[Funk]

I once ran the Swiss border twice (on the way in and on the way out) without any documents. I felt like such a criminal. Luckily I wasn't stopped in either direction or I'd have been in serious trouble!

[AW10]

I got the impression one of the officers might have been a trainee and so the paperwork check of a UK car was done as a training exercise. And then it unravelled from there.

All part of life's rich tapestry I guess. I should have asked at the end what they thought they might find but was just glad to be on my way. I have to stress they were polite and amicable all the while.

[UltimaCH]

AW10 said:

I have to stress they were polite and amicable all the while.

I cross the border from Italy (Simplon region) as I use the shortcut between Ticino and the French speaking part of Switzerland frequently. Usually a nice smile and a cheerful good-morning, good evening as you pass by gives me the return hand signal to drive through 99% of the time.

[AW10]

I think this is my 11th crossing in the Basel area over 17 years and the first one where I was asked to show documentation for the car. They're usually surprised when I speak their language which normally seems to put them at ease but not this time!

[EskimoArapaho]

Just checking this part of PH and glad I did. I'll be returning from Italy through Switzerland to Bregenz and then to Germany, and this thread is food for thought. Literally, as it's on the way back from our big EU food+wine gathering road trip. :-o

Which means our car will be full of quite expensive stuff. Everything from olive oil to cheese to wine to clothes.

What might I need to do so that a similarly diligent Ch-Customs guy doesn't try to levy duties on everything?

Is it better to avoid Switzerland altogether and stay within the EU?

[AW10]

Umm, good question. I would think that if you can show in some way that you're just transiting through you should be fine. If flagged to the side and asked if you're bringing anything in or have anything to declare I would be clear and truthful - state what you and that you're passing through. I think that ought to work. I had a fair bit in the way of random groceries and a few things for the flat and they had no issues with those.

[JMGS4]

In the old days, before Schengen etc, there were a few Customs guys on the Basel border who would stop a lot of foreign travellers. I've seen people with campers having to pay duty on the food on board because they were not transitting but entering CH. I've also had broschures counted (25 years ago) by an officious Swiss customs guy. Apparently I couldn't take more than 6 as I "could be subventing Swiss customs by supplying an agent with undeclared and untaxed broschures". Needless to say, I crossed back into Germany and crossed back into CH a mile away without hassle.
If anyone is travelling through with wine, olive oil etc, as long as it's in "normal" amounts, they'll say nothing these days....

[EskimoArapaho]

Thanks chaps. Seems there's a grey area. I may try ringing the Swiss embassy for advice.

JMGS4 said:

If anyone is travelling through with wine, olive oil etc, as long as it's in "normal" amounts, they'll say nothing these days....

That's the thing. We're going to be bringing back a LOT of stuff. Leaving the UK with a more-or-less empty car, buying lots of who-knows-what food and wine and clothes and filling the car up.

My OH is Austrian (albeit UK resident) so perhaps they'll accept that we're transitting Switzerland to her family home in Bregenz, and not about to sell it all in Switzerland?

[JMGS4]

Could be a problem, you might need a Swiss Transit Carnet for the goods. You can get it at the border, I have no idea if there are costs involved, but time and unnecessary burocracy is typically Swiss..... WHy not just cross back via the Brenner directly into Austria not forgetting the "Pickerl" and the Brenner Toll.....?

[UltimaCH]

Here's some reading from the Swiss Customs for those in transit:
http://www.ezv.admin.ch/zollinfo_privat/04342/0435...

[EskimoArapaho]

Thanks. The relevant bit: "This regulation (meaning informal verbal declaration) does not apply for alcoholic beverages, foodstuffs and tobacco goods which are liable to duty."

May need to change our route as suggested above.

This thread may have saved us a lot of money/grief. Thanks OP!

[Zod]

I know this wasn't the case for you, but ASKMID is not perfect. I have my car and my wife's on the same policy. I received a letter from the MIB a few weeks ago to tell me that my car was not on the MID, so I was at risk of prosecution. I checked ASKIMID and, sure enough, my car wasn't there, but my wife's was. The letter came over the weekend, so I fired off an email to my broker and he came back to me on Monday morning to say the problem was fixed and it must simply have been a cock-up by the MIB.

[AW10]

EskimoArapaho said:

Thanks. The relevant bit: "This regulation (meaning informal verbal declaration) does not apply for alcoholic beverages, foodstuffs and tobacco goods which are liable to duty."

May need to change our route as suggested above.

This thread may have saved us a lot of money/grief. Thanks OP!

Your call as to what route suits your best but do read further at the 2 links under "Additional details are available at the following links:"

[UltimaCH]

As what is said above and it looks like plenty is possible with a deposit on entry and getting it back on exit.
Things also change on July 1st, 2014:
http://www.ezv.admin.ch/zollinfo_privat/04342/0434...

[EskimoArapaho]

Thanks guys.

I've now followed all of those links, including the new 1st July details (we travel in Sept).

At the least worst we're in for a LOT of form filling at the IT-CH border with an unknown (as of now) deposit. The latter - as long as we exit to Austria via a manned border point - we can get back. Presumably after another long form-filling and checking exercise.

If we decide it's so much hassle that we'd prefer to avoid CH, it means a long detour from Bergamo via the Stelvio pass.

[JMGS4]

The Stelvio is fantastic on weekdays but you'll have to do a massive detour to avoid CH after that!!! Advise the Brenner......

[EskimoArapaho]

JMGS4 said:

The Stelvio is fantastic on weekdays but you'll have to do a massive detour to avoid CH after that!!! Advise the Brenner......

Have I got my passes mixed up? We'll be in Bergamo before leaving for Austria, and I thought the route via Bormio and the Stelvio pass to Landeck was the shortest...

[AW10]

Those efficient Germans - it only took them 10 minutes to search my car on the return. I guess a lone male in an M5 fits some sort of profile. They were looking for excess goods and cash above €10K.