Export from a digital country with validation and exportation recorded in the system: What to do if goods then travel to a "Paper-only" country?

If your itinerary includes a destination that only accepts paper carnets, you must ensure that parallel processing occurs at your point of departure.

The Procedure at Export

When departing from a country that has officially enabled the digital system (a "Digital Country"):

• Digital Processing: Customs will process your digital carnet for activation and exportation using the ATA Carnet Customs portal.
• Paper Processing: You must also present your physical paper carnet to the officer. They are required to stamp the green cover (validation) and the yellow export counterfoil.

Why this "Dual Validation" is Required

• No Digital Access: Paper countries (non-participating territories) have no access to the digital ATA Carnet System. They can only process and recognise the physical document.
• Chain of Validity: For a paper carnet to be accepted by Customs in a "paper country" later in your journey, it must show official evidence that it was legally activated and exported from the country of issue. If the physical document is not stamped at the start, paper-only Customs offices may reject it as an unvalidated document.

Operational Advice for Holders

• Check Readiness: Always verify the digital readiness of every country on your itinerary before departure.
• Be Proactive: If you know you are heading to a paper-only country, explicitly ask the Customs officer at export to stamp your physical document in addition to processing the digital declaration to ensure you are not blocked later in your trip.