Several days ago I imported into Geneva the Ford Fusion (2005), which was purchased outside EU.

Since I live in Geneva less than 12 months and I used this car more than 6 months in the country where it was purchased, the Swiss customs let me import it tax free, as a household item. I paid only 20.- CHF for a form issuance.

I arranged the meeting at the registration office (SAN) on a day at the end of January. Until that date I should obtain a car insurance and pass an antipollution attestation at any garage in Geneva.

At a garage I was told that I am to obtain from the Ford company a "carnet", and that without this carnet they will not be able to test my car.

I visited the web site of Ford in Switzerland and wrote them via the contact form this story, but with more specifics. And asked them for a carnet.

While I am waiting for a reply from Ford, I would like to ask if anyone had to go this road before? What is a carnet in this context? How long it took to obtain one? Was it sent to you by a snail mail? Or did you have to drive to the company's office? Near Zürich in my case.

When I asked at the Ford dealer in the country, where Ford was purchased, about the antipollution test in Geneva, they reassured me that it should not be a problem, because if the pollution level is higher than a limit, the car computer will show it on the display.

Now I see that it is not that simple. This Ford Fusion was built in 2005 in Germany, but as I already said, it was purchased outside EU. Could it be a problem? Any experience?

http://www.ezv.admin.ch/zollinfo_fir...x.html?lang=de

Try the above link to the Swiss Customs authorities. The Carnet ATA is a document allowing you to cross borders with goods with minimal customs formalities.
It's available from the Chamber of Commerce
http://www.cci.ch/index.html They have an English site which might help further.

www.ataonline.ch is probably your best bet!

At Swiss customs an officer checked the car frame number and issued the "Form 13.20 A" of yellow color and "Application for clearance of household effects". And put a stamp on both these papers.

But there is not word Carnet on them.

I just came from the garage. It is the Carnet de Pollution. Which should be taken from Ford in Geneva at Plan les Outes.

At Ford I was told to come just with the documents. Will go there on Monday.

And only having the carnet de pollution a garage can make the attestation of pollution.

Carnet is an unfortunate word as it has a few meanings. What it is, is an EU type certificate that states the emissions and noise levels etc of the car and verifies that everything safteywise has been tested to EU standards.

As well as for the gas test, take it along when you go for the vehicle test at the registration office as they may well ask to see it.

It took 20 minutes to get the Carnet de Antipollution for my Ford Fusion and pass the Antipollution Test at the garge www.grimmsud.ch

The cost 91.- CHF

undoubtedly this is the exhaust emmissions test; carnet is the certificate. Did you get a sticker for your window too?

It was exactly the exhaust emission test. I got sort of a booklet with some marks and a wet ink stamp inside.

I bought for 40.- CHF the Vignette pour L'Auroroute 08 (sticker for the autobahn) at a gas station.

as well as the ink stamp, you should have a circular sticker in one of the windows now (maybe you did not notice) highlighting that you need to do it again in Jan 2009

Not there. I checked. Maybe I'll get it when I'll be actually registering the car at the Service des Automobiles et de la Navigation.

AFAIK the sticker is not necessary as, unlike the emission booklet with the stamp, it is not required by law. But it is useful as a reminder when the next emission test is due. (Which will be in Jan 2010, btw)

AFAIK the sticker is necessary. The Police uses this to check if the car is up to date with its tests and will control you if you don't have it visible and probably also give you a fine.

I is a circular green sticker with the dates for the next test.

I was wondering... so I looked it up.

The Touring Club claims in this document (PDF) that the sticker is optional.

However, the relevant ordinance (Verordnung vom 19. Juni 1995 über die technischen Anforderungen an Strassenfahrzeuge (VTS)) says that you should attach the sticker to the vehicle ("...angebracht werden soll"), so I guess it's better to attach the sticker (which is usually done by the garage anyway).

ah yes, it's 2008 already....thanks mate. Funny how you do a calculation 01-2007 + 2 years.......I should've just said two years' validity