This ATA Carnet Middle East guide explains how to plan temporary entry for exhibition goods that will return after use. A carnet does not make every sample exempt from other procedures. Start with the goods, route and intended use, then check with customs and the issuing association. Reviewed on 3 November 2026, the guide connects country coverage with documents, product approvals, onsite delivery and the evidence needed to complete the return journey.
In short
- Separate returnable equipment from products that will be consumed, distributed or sold.
- Confirm acceptance of the goods category, purpose and customs offices along the route.
- The document's validity does not override a shorter customs re-export deadline.
- Agree delivery, handling, empty-case storage and return arrangements with the appointed freight agent.
- Retain entry and exit evidence and close the file with the issuing association after travel.
What is an ATA Carnet, and what are its limits?
The International Chamber of Commerce, ICC, describes eligible exhibition goods, professional equipment and commercial samples as carnet uses, but countries do not necessarily accept all three. The World Customs Organization explains the system's customs framework and international guarantee chain. An authorised body issues the carnet for its listed goods and the purposes accepted at the destination.
A carnet can be valid for up to one year, but a particular customs authority may require earlier re-export. Ask the issuer about its charges, security requirements and the paper or digital format accepted on your route. Bahrain Chamber emphasises identifiable item descriptions and excludes consumables. Do not put tasting stock, giveaways or packaging intended for distribution into a list of equipment expected to return unchanged.
ATA Carnet Middle East: check country coverage first
The table uses the ICC network directory and its country sheets, linked through the country names. Coverage varies: the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain accept exhibition and fair goods under B1, not professional equipment under B2 or commercial samples under B3 generally. Carnets are currently unavailable in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait and Oman because no guaranteeing associations are listed for them. Arrange alternative temporary admission with the exhibition's official forwarder.
| Country | Carnet available? | Accepted use | Guaranteeing association | Accession |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | Yes | Exhibitions, professional equipment and eligible commercial samples; small-sample reservation | Federation of Saudi Chambers | 1 June 2024 |
| United Arab Emirates | Yes | Exhibition and fair goods only (B1) | Dubai Chamber of Commerce | 1 April 2011 |
| Egypt | Currently unavailable | Alternative temporary admission via the official forwarder | No guaranteeing association in ICC directory | — |
| Türkiye | Yes | Exhibitions, professional equipment and eligible commercial samples | Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye, TOBB | 1975 |
| Qatar | Yes | Exhibition and fair goods only (B1) | Qatar Chamber | 1 August 2018 |
| Iraq | Currently unavailable | Alternative temporary admission via the official forwarder | No guaranteeing association in ICC directory | — |
| Jordan | Currently unavailable | Alternative temporary admission via the official forwarder | No guaranteeing association in ICC directory | — |
| Kuwait | Currently unavailable | Alternative temporary admission via the official forwarder | No guaranteeing association in ICC directory | — |
| Oman | Currently unavailable | Alternative temporary admission via the official forwarder | No guaranteeing association in ICC directory | — |
| Bahrain | Yes | Exhibition and fair goods only (B1) | Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry | 1 June 2014 |
| Morocco | Yes | Exhibitions; professional equipment and samples under local law | Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services of Casablanca-Settat | 1 July 1998 |
| Tunisia | Yes | Exhibitions and professional equipment | Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tunis | 1 June 1998 |
| Algeria | Yes | Exhibitions, professional equipment and eligible commercial samples | Algerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry | 15 January 1991 |
The UAE country sheet limits incoming carnets to Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Temporary admission is up to six months, renewable for similar periods without exceeding one year, subject to the relevant customs procedure. Do not extend one emirate's acceptance to another emirate's border point, or assume carnet validity automatically permits the goods to remain for that entire period.
Choose the procedure before booking freight
When the shipment qualifies for a carnet
Send the issuer the item list, destinations, transit points and intended use. Explain any multi-event itinerary or separate return shipment. Confirm how each movement will be recorded: acceptance in the first country does not settle a later destination or a changed transit route. Identify the person carrying the document or acting for the company, following the issuer's authorisation requirements.
Saudi Arabia joined on 1 June 2024. Its ICC sheet, updated in October 2025, makes ZATCA pre-approval mandatory. Prepare the carnet cover, general list and applicable authorisation before clearance. The sheet also records a reservation to B1 Article 5.1(a): its small samples are not exempt from duties and taxes and remain subject to import restrictions. Distinguish these from eligible commercial samples that will be re-exported.
In Türkiye, an electronic declaration is required in the ATA Carnet registration system on entry and exit. The ICC sheet dated May 2026 explains that, from 30 April 2026, obtaining the initial password requires an in-person application at Turkish Customs. Coordinate registration with the holder or representative; a representative handling formalities must register using their own details, as the sheet specifies.
When another temporary-admission route is needed
Ask the official forwarder and licensed broker to specify the responsible importer, security, admission period and closure procedure. For exhibition goods accompanying travellers, Dubai Customs states a charge of 5% of their CIF value: cost, insurance and freight. It requests an original invoice, origin certificate, packing list and participation letter. The page separately treats goods imported under an ATA Carnet, applying that procedure without bonds or customs duties and taxes. Do not generalise this example to every destination or shipment.
Prepare one consistent shipment file
Keep the item data together and use it consistently in the documents requested by the broker. A pro forma invoice is not automatically a substitute for an original invoice or another document required by customs. Ask which format is accepted for exhibition goods not intended for sale, how value should be declared and what evidence supports it. Describing equipment as “samples without value” does little to identify or value it.
| Document or information | What to check with the agent |
|---|---|
| Item list | Precise description, quantity and serial number or other identifier |
| Required invoice | Value, currency, purpose, sender and consignee in the accepted format |
| Packing list | Package count, dimensions, weights and contents linked to the item list |
| Transport | Freight document, route, collection details and approved delivery schedule |
| Participation | Event, edition, hall, stand number and confirmation when requested |
| Authorisations | Responsible broker, representation authority and product approvals |
| Return plan | Returning items, destination, inspection owner and procedure closure |
Send the file for review before loading and photograph serial numbers and significant items. Label packages with operational contacts according to the agent's instructions, and keep accessible copies outside the cases. If an item or quantity changes after review, update the file and inform the responsible parties. An old list should not accompany a different shipment.
Food, cosmetics and equipment need separate checks
Establish whether a sample will only be displayed or will be used or consumed. The Saudi Food and Drug Authority publishes an exhibition-clearance guide covering food, medical devices and supplies, and cosmetics. Confirm required health documentation, approvals and treatment of remaining stock with the relevant specialist. An exemption from one requirement is not an exemption from all clearance and safety rules.
For telecommunications equipment entering the UAE, consult TDRA's customs-release permit service. Also ask about operating or spectrum permission if a demonstration will transmit signals. Check batteries and restricted materials with the carrier and relevant authority before booking. Product-specific questions remain necessary even where the goods qualify for temporary admission.
Delivery, dismantling and re-export
Agree where the exhibition agent's responsibility ends: at the border, or after delivery to the stand and storage of empty cases? Obtain an approved delivery slot and handling contacts. Arrival in the country does not mean the goods are ready to collect inside the hall. Include return freight and storage in the participation budget from the outset.
Before dismantling, reconcile returning equipment with the item list and separate goods covered by a different procedure. Do not sell or transfer temporarily admitted goods without consulting customs and regularising their status. If an item is damaged or missing, notify the issuer and broker about the required evidence and procedure; its absence does not automatically remove the obligation.
Use this ATA Carnet Middle East checklist to close the participation file:
- Confirm evidence for each import, re-export and return to the country of origin, using the approved process.
- Reconcile returned items and record differences and their resolution.
- Retain re-export, handover and relevant approval documents.
- Return the document or close its record as instructed by the issuer, and follow up the security release.
Next steps
- Plan freight around the food and agriculture exhibition calendar or the wider events directory.
- Use the stand types guide to establish which equipment needs transporting.
- Consult the trade fair visa guide to plan staff travel separately from goods clearance.
We checked this information on 3 November 2026. Dates and terms can change, so confirm on the official site before you book or travel. To suggest a correction, contact us.
