COMMERCIAL AND CORPORATE FLYING WITHIN THE EUROPEAN UNION

Short & sweet no. 23
Temporary Admission is supposed to be paperless, so why is documentation needed?

Added October 2024

So, is Temporary Admission paperless in practice?
No operator should fly to the EU unprepared
As a minimum, unpreparedness could, on the ramp, be time-costly
See our brand-new explainer video (2 min.) and understand why

Temporary Admission (also referred to as TA) is designed to be a paperless process with a voluntary option to document entries and exits using a so-called Supporting Document, meaning that a qualifying aircraft can enter the EU without any customs contact or paper declarations.

To learn more, please view our brand-new explainer video (2 min.) or continue reading

Is Temporary Admission paperless in practice?
Unfortunately, the paperless entry and exit procedure has created a common misunderstanding that operators are not required to present relevant documentation to prove TA compliance upon request from customs. Only the entry and exit are supposed to be paperless, but the operator must continuously live up to the preconditions of TA, handle the limitations correctly, and be able to document these at any time, also when only visiting one EU destination AND when only carrying persons onboard, who are residing outside the EU.

There are preconditions and consequences
A qualifying aircraft must adhere to certain preconditions, and there will naturally be random customs checks, ensuring that the TA terms are correctly fulfilled and can be documented.

Most are well-prepared for a SAFA but unprepared for a customs check
Being ready for a customs ramp check should be seen parallel to how an operator prepares for an eventual SAFA check. Failing a customs ramp check can have consequences that outweigh the costs of failing a SAFA check manifold.

Being ready for a customs ramp
Many TA problems are related to the operators’ inability to understand and document the correct use of TA. It is simply not worth the risk of being stopped and delayed for hours or days when minimal effort could avoid such a scenario. Here, a well-prepared flight to the EU requires more documentation than merely using the Supporting Document.

No operator should fly to the EU unprepared
The variety of documentation should be in accordance with the typical flight pattern and risk profile of the operator, reflecting their required level of preparation to successfully handle a customs ramp check without any delays. No operator should fly to the EU unprepared and unable to explain and document why they are eligible to use the TA procedure.

How can we help?
OPMAS has different solutions at different price ranges. Feel free to reach out, and we can investigate how to best handle your operation. If you have questions about the above, please do not hesitate to contact us.