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ATA Carnets: Why It Matters Where You Get Your Carnet—Carnet Bonds Made Easy
Friday, July 10, 2026
Call Boomerang Carnets, Your Carnet Specialists
At boomerang carnets®, we put many generations of customers into the business of global trade because we want to help them grow and prosper. Our company has been in the carnet business for nearly forty years in the United States and for over a decade in the United Kingdom. This unique dual country access to carnets is known as The Boomerang Benefit.
Customer service and savings are among our top priorities. As a family-owned company with four generations in the trade and transportation industry, we put our customers first because we know full well how it feels to be in their shoes. Company Founder, Bruce A. Wilson, thought that ATA Carnets should never be a financial burden to exporters. Throughout his career, he was committed to promoting their use globally and educating all stakeholders about their unique functionality and importance in international trade.
Over the years, his ingenuity and resourcefulness has been passed down to the benefit of our customers and his influence defines who we are today.
The ATA Carnet
The ATA Carnet, also known as the “Merchandise Passport,” allows businesses, organizations, and individuals to temporarily import professional equipment, commercial samples, and goods for exhibition into more than 90 countries and territories for up to a year and avoid paying import duties and taxes. They are used for film and television equipment, music tours, robotics demonstrations, equestrian competitions, construction jobs, technology, art, events production, and much more.
Without using a temporary importation method like the ATA Carnet, duty and tax would be due for payment at customs clearance of your temporary imports, on the spot—even if the merchandise is only in the country for a short time.
Why it Matters Where You Get Your Carnet
In a series of upcoming blog posts, we will highlight the many reasons why boomerang carnets is the company of choice for your carnet and why it matters. In this first blog of the series, we explain the necessity of Carnet Bonds, and how we make them easy to obtain.
The Carnet Bond
The Carnet Bond acts as a financial guarantee to foreign customs services for your temporarily imported merchandise. The Carnet Bond is also called a Security or Surety Bond (U.S.) or Compliance Fee (U.K.). It's essentially the reason you don't get charged duty and tax at customs on your temporary imports because customs has the financial promise via the Carnet Bond that tells them they're going to get their duty and tax money if any of your merchandise is not re-exported.
At boomerang carnets, we make it simple to apply for the required carnet bond at the same time you apply for the ATA Carnet. You won't have to fill out extra paperwork or get other entities involved.
In the U.S., all ATA Carnets can be secured with either a carnet bond or certified check in an amount equal to 40% of the value of the Merchandise on your General List. (Note: India requires a 55% bond. Road vehicles exported by a company require 100% security and exported by an individual require 150%.) For more information: US Carnet Bonds | ATA Carnet.
In the U.K., all ATA Carnets can be secured with a Compliance Fee, also known as guarantees or security fees, a requirement of the U.K. ATA Carnet National Guaranteeing Association. The Compliance Fee depends upon the value, commodity, destinations, and duration. When you apply for a carnet a boomerang Carnet Specialist will calculate the Compliance Fee once your application is submitted. For additional information: Compliance Fee | ATA Carnet. If you need a quote in advance of applying, email a Carnet Specialist or call us.
Boomerang carnets has worked diligently with our underwriters earning us, over decades, high underwriting limits in both the U.S. and U.K. to the great benefit of our customers. This affords our customers:
- swift approval of carnet bonds to meet tight deadlines,
- single source for carnet bonds in the U.S. & U.K.,
- access to carnet bonds from a highly reputable source.
At boomerang carnets we make applying for an ATA Carnet as easy as possible. It's an online, web-based application for both our U.S. and U.K. Carnets. ATA Carnets are a unique cash-saving international trade tool, and with boomerang carnets, they are easy to apply for—not a difficult process.
By simplifying customs procedures and reducing costs, ATA Carnets make international expansion and growth faster, more economical, and accessible, for any size company and especially for companies that rely on temporarily moving high-value goods across borders.
Call us! Our expert Customer Service is here to answer any questions you may have and assist you with your ATA Carnet every step of the way.
It Matters Where You Get Your Carnet!
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