Importing an aircraft into Russia — customs clearance

Import is the stage where the schedule of a deal most often slips. The reason is almost always the same: people come to customs with documents put together for the purchase, not for the clearance.

Which regimes are possible

• release for domestic consumption — full clearance with payment of the duties due; the aircraft becomes Union goods with no restrictions on its use
• temporary admission — payments are made in instalments over the period, but use is limited by the conditions of the regime, and breaching those conditions is expensive
• other regimes and reliefs, whose applicability depends on the type of aircraft, its characteristics and the rules in force

Rates, reliefs and conditions for aircraft have changed several times over the past few years. The only correct approach, therefore, is to check the applicable regime and the calculation of the payments as at the date of the particular deal, rather than relying on last year's experience. We do that calculation before the contract is signed, so that the figure does not come as a surprise after the ferry flight.

What we prepare in advance

• the contract, the invoice and proof of payment in a form customs will accept
• the complete set of documents on the aircraft and its airworthiness
• the technical description and the characteristics that determine the classification
• documents on the components — today this is an area of separate attention
• the place of declaration, the broker and an agreed ferry route

Where time and money go

Three typical mistakes: misclassifying the aircraft, discrepancies between the seller's documents and what the clearance requires, and ferrying the aircraft in before the import regime is clear. The last is the most expensive: the aircraft is already in the country and the decision has still not been taken.

Frequently asked questions

How long does customs clearance of an aircraft take?

With the set of documents prepared in advance, weeks. Where there are discrepancies in the documents or the classification is disputed, it stretches into months, and the aircraft does not fly for the whole of that time.

Can an aircraft be operated under temporary admission?

Use is limited by the conditions of the regime. Before choosing a regime you need to understand exactly how you plan to fly — commercially or privately: both the regime and the risks follow from that.

Does the aircraft need to be ferried to Russia before clearance?

No, and usually it is not worth it. The regime and the calculation of the payments are settled first, and the ferry flight is planned after that.

Who is answerable for errors in the declaration?

The declarant bears the responsibility. That is why preparing the documents and choosing the broker are not a formality but part of the deal.