leschirons Posted October 4 Share Posted October 4 Have a couple of unpaid gigs in France coming up. Seem to getting all sorts of conflicting info on official websites about what you can do and if taxes are chargeable and if you need documentation. Any advice based on actual recent experience appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meterman Posted October 4 Share Posted October 4 Maybe travel over as a passenger rather than as a working musician and borrow gear once you're over here? This way you avoid the cost, and possible hassle, of obtaining a work visa plus the carnet for any gear you'd want to take with you. If it's just two unpaid gigs, check if there's backline available and either borrow a bass or buy a cheapie while you're here. You can always sell the bass on, and even if you made a loss on it, it would probably still be cheaper than getting the work visa plus carnet necessary for the gigs. There might be an easier way but that's just an idea for starters. Good luck 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Browning Posted October 4 Share Posted October 4 (edited) The other week I went over for 3 gigs. Travelled with gear in the van (as a band). Declared ourselves as musicians and gear on board. Straight through without issue. Travelling with instruments, and the means to make them work (amps etc) is fine. Explained in the clip attached. Worth adding that I travel with the documents he links to printed and carried with me - just in case. Edited October 4 by Steve Browning 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cetera Posted October 4 Share Posted October 4 I flew over to Germany with my bass. I didn't need to declare it/get a carnet because it was classed as a personal possession and was with me at all times. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Browning Posted October 4 Share Posted October 4 Just now, cetera said: I flew over to Germany with my bass. I didn't need to declare it/get a carnet because it was classed as a personal possession and was with me at all times. As it says on the video (I think), the carrying of the instrument is the declaration and you can go through the green channel. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leschirons Posted October 4 Author Share Posted October 4 Thanks everyone. Most appreciated. I'm taking a little EBS session combo and a cheapie bass over and it'll be with me all the time so, hopefully no probs then. I could have borrowed a bass but not in the area I'm playing so that would have complicated matters. Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted October 4 Share Posted October 4 23 minutes ago, leschirons said: ...I'm taking a little EBS session combo ... This won't be covered by the 'portable musical instrument' exemption, so be prepared to either forego it, get the 'carnet' paperwork done for it, or chance your luck by just driving through, and claim ignorance if it gets spotted. I've not been back and forth much since BreaksIt, so I don't know how strict things are; I think it depends on which port quite a lot. I've never had any Customs issues returning to France via Caen, Le Havre or Dieppe, but that may not still be relevant. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Browning Posted October 4 Share Posted October 4 4 hours ago, Dad3353 said: This won't be covered by the 'portable musical instrument' exemption, so be prepared to either forego it, get the 'carnet' paperwork done for it, or chance your luck by just driving through, and claim ignorance if it gets spotted. I've not been back and forth much since BreaksIt, so I don't know how strict things are; I think it depends on which port quite a lot. I've never had any Customs issues returning to France via Caen, Le Havre or Dieppe, but that may not still be relevant. I hesitate to contradict but the amp is covered. I should have posted this link which explains the inclusion of amps etc (and the associated docs). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted October 4 Share Posted October 4 1 hour ago, Steve Browning said: I hesitate to contradict ... Very happy to be contradicted in such a fashion..! Good News; thanks for all that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted October 4 Share Posted October 4 I ask purely theoretically as I'm unlikely to ever go back to continental Europe (for one thing, it needs a passport) - if one were to return with one more bass than one departed with, would this still go in the portable instrument exemption? This includes the situation where the number of basses that one departed with is zero. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted October 4 Share Posted October 4 4 minutes ago, tauzero said: I ask purely theoretically as I'm unlikely to ever go back to continental Europe (for one thing, it needs a passport) - if one were to return with one more bass than one departed with, would this still go in the portable instrument exemption? This includes the situation where the number of basses that one departed with is zero. These exemptions apply to instruments etc taken out of the country for one's professional use, ie : to play a gig. If, outgoing to a continental gig, there is no instrument, but there is one when returning, it would be cheating, of course, but could pass, as there's no record, or list, of outgoings and incoming. If it's just returning after a weekend jaunt to Europe, though, with no gig, it wouldn't apply at all, and should be declared. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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