ATA Carnet for Robotics

Swiss ATA Carnet FAQ

Short answers for carnet users in Switzerland, with links to the detailed pages. New to carnets? Start with What is an ATA Carnet? Something already went wrong? Fix a problem has the recovery playbooks.

How much does an ATA Carnet cost in Switzerland?

At most Swiss chambers of commerce: CHF 95 (members) or CHF 130 (non-members) plus 1‰ of the goods value as issuing fee, plus security. The security is either a refundable deposit (typically 20–40% of the goods value) or an insurance premium. Geneva charges 0.8%/1.2% of the carnet value instead.

How long does it take to get a carnet?

After the one-time portal registration: typically 1–5 working days, with express options (same day down to 4 hours) at every major chamber. First-time users should allow 1–2 weeks including registration on ataswiss.ch.

How long is a carnet valid?

Exactly 12 months from issue, with unlimited trips. It can never be extended, but some countries accept a replacement carnet arranged before expiry, stretching the stay to about two years. Destination customs can also impose shorter re-export deadlines, noted on your import counterfoil.

Do I need a carnet for a laptop or small tools?

Usually not. Personal professional equipment accompanying a traveller is normally tolerated duty-free. Carnets pay off for valuable equipment where customs would otherwise demand securities: robots, demo systems, camera gear, exhibition stands.

Can I sell goods that travelled on a carnet?

Not while they remain under the carnet. If a buyer appears, arrange a definitive import clearance in the destination country before the re-export deadline ("clearing the goods off the carnet"), pay local duties, and have it noted in the carnet. If a sale is likely from the start, use a different procedure.

What happens if I forget a stamp?

Fix it fast. Switzerland allows a retroactive discharge within 60 days if you prove the goods returned in time; customs offices also issue location certificates as evidence. Unresolved, a missing stamp becomes a claim for full import duties plus up to 10% penalty, arriving up to a year after the carnet expires.

Is the carnet now digital?

Since 1 June 2026, carnets issued in Switzerland for the EU, Norway and the UK are digital by default (eATA): you present a QR code from the ICC ATA Carnet App instead of a paper booklet. Paper carnets issued before that date stay paper, and paper is still used for destinations outside the digital system.

Which Swiss border crossings can stamp a carnet?

Only staffed offices. Activating a new carnet needs a commercial-goods customs office during business hours; stamping an already-opened carnet works around the clock at the major motorway crossings (Basel/Weil, Basel/St-Louis, Bardonnex, Boncourt, Chiasso, Au SG, Thayngen, Kreuzlingen, Rheinfelden) and daily until midnight at Geneva Airport and EuroAirport Basel.

Does a carnet cover lithium batteries?

Batteries that travel with the robot and return are normal carnet line items in practice (list them with serial numbers, confirm with your chamber). Transporting them by air is a separate matter governed by IATA dangerous-goods rules.

Do I need a carnet for every EU country I visit?

No. The EU is one customs territory for carnet purposes: one import stamp at your first EU entry covers all 27 member states, and you re-export once when leaving the EU.

My robot was stolen abroad. Do I still owe duties?

Yes. Customs does not waive import duties for stolen or destroyed goods, because they were never re-exported. Swiss chambers advise insuring carnet goods for their value plus 20–50% to cover this exposure.

Can a freight forwarder use my carnet?

Yes. The carnet must accompany the goods, and the person presenting it needs authority: name a Swiss-resident representative on the carnet or issue a power of attorney. Unaccompanied courier parcels are generally discouraged.

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Sources

Every factual claim on this page comes from the sources below, checked on the "last reviewed" date in the footer. Official resources are linked in whatever language they are published in.