![This one was a tough one. It took more than six months, countless emails, and a whole lot of patience. Motorhomes generally take longer to import than regular cars because there’s just more to them. Some need a gas inspection, others get complicated because motorhome owners tend to live in them, which makes collecting ‘proof […]](https://carimportportugal.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/100/10448-dd8ef251c4.jpg)
This one was a tough one. It took more than six months, countless emails, and a whole lot of patience.
Motorhomes generally take longer to import than regular cars because there’s just more to them. Some need a gas inspection, others get complicated because motorhome owners tend to live in them, which makes collecting ‘proof of living’ documentation more difficult.
With this one, we honestly don’t know what the problem was. Maybe it was because it came from a non-EU country (the UK). Maybe it was just bad luck. We’re not sure. But we got it done!
The Document Drama
When we started the import, we collected all the necessary documents. But for some reason, customs got ridiculously picky with this one. We were asked for additional documents at least three times.
The process usually goes like this:
1️. Customs demands a document – but doesn’t tell us why.
2️. We inform the customer and ask them to send the document.
3️. Weeks of silence from customs.
4️. Customs asks for yet another document, again without explanation.
This cycle repeated several times. At some point, we seriously started to question the IQ of the customs officials handling this case. I mean… why not just ask for everything at once instead of dragging it out for months?
But after several rounds of this nonsense, we finally got word that the motorhome was approved!
The Trailer That Never Made It
The customer also wanted to import a trailer alongside the motorhome. That… didn’t happen. We ended up strongly recommending they return it to the UK. Here’s why:
- The trailer had no data sheet, and the manufacturer no longer existed, so getting one was impossible.
- Since it came from the UK, it was going to be hit with a hefty IVA tax.
- The purchase receipt wasn’t official (it was bought on eBay, which customs won’t accept).
All of this added up to a very expensive headache, so we advised against importing it. Luckily, the customer had a trip to the UK planned anyway, so they were able to take it back without issue.
Key Takeaways
- Expect extra documentation requests when importing a motorhome, especially from a non-EU country. Customs can be frustratingly unreasonable.
- If you import a trailer, make sure it has a data sheet, or you might end up having to take it back.
- Imports from the UK (or any non-EU country) are subject to IVA/VAT, even if it’s just a trailer.
