Travelling with film and production equipment: carnets, baggage and crew logistics

What is an ATA Carnet and when do you need one?

An ATA Carnet is an international customs document, often described as a passport for goods. gov.uk explains that it lets you temporarily export certain goods to countries in the ATA Carnet system without paying customs charges, provided you intend to bring them back to the UK. gov.uk lists film and sound equipment among the examples of goods it covers, and the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) lists professional equipment such as broadcasting equipment and theatrical effects.

A production typically considers a carnet when it takes cameras, lenses, lighting, grip, sound or editing equipment to a shoot abroad and plans to bring it home afterwards. The carnet records the equipment once, and customs officers at each border use it to clear the kit out and back in.

Holder

The company or person the carnet is issued to, who is responsible for any customs charges if the goods or carnet are not used correctly or the goods are not re-exported.

General list

The detailed list of every item covered, usually with descriptions, serial numbers, quantities, values and country of origin.

Security

A guarantee the holder provides to the issuing chamber in case customs charges are claimed. The amount depends on the value, type and destination of the goods.

Digital carnet

A carnet held in an app with QR codes rather than on paper. LCCI says the UK, EU, Norway and Switzerland have accepted digital carnets since 1 June 2026.

How do you get an ATA Carnet in the UK and what does it cost?

Apply through a chamber of commerce authorised to issue carnets. gov.uk directs applicants to the chambers listed by the UK National ATA Carnet Organisation. The London Chamber of Commerce and Industry is one of the main issuers and takes applications online through its ECarnet platform.

1. Prepare the general list: every item with a clear description, serial number, quantity, weight or volume where relevant, value and country of origin. gov.uk notes that photos can help.
2. List every country the kit will visit or pass through, how the goods will be used and how many trips you expect to make.
3. Apply online, pay the issuing fee and arrange the security.
4. Receive the carnet. gov.uk says paper carnets are posted or collected and stamped on the front cover by a customs official at the issuing office, while digital carnets are downloaded to the ATA Carnet app with a PIN.
5. Present the carnet to customs at each exit and entry, and keep it for 12 months after it expires (paper) as gov.uk advises.

LCCI states that the carnet is valid in more than 80 countries and territories for up to one year. Check that every country on your route accepts carnets, and for which uses, before relying on one. LCCI also notes that paper carnets are being phased out, so confirm the current format with the issuer when you apply.

What are the lithium battery rules for camera and lighting kit?

Camera, monitor, lighting and drone batteries are usually lithium-ion and are treated as dangerous goods in aviation. The rules turn on each battery's watt-hour (Wh) rating. If only volts and amp-hours are printed, the CAA's formula is volts x amp-hours, or volts x mAh divided by 1,000.

• Spare batteries go in the cabin, never in checked baggage, protected from damage and short-circuit (original packaging, terminal caps or tape, individual pouches).
• IATA's passenger guidance limits spare batteries of 100-160Wh to two per person, carried in the cabin with airline approval.
• The CAA says passengers may take up to two power banks each, must not charge them on board and should check whether the airline allows them to be used.
• If a cabin bag is taken to the hold at the gate, remove all batteries and lithium-powered devices first.
• Damaged, swollen or overheating batteries must not be carried at all.

Spread batteries across the crew so each person stays within the limits, and keep a battery manifest listing each battery's Wh rating and who is carrying it. That makes check-in faster and answers security questions on the spot.

Should equipment travel as excess baggage or air freight?

Most crews use a mix. Kit needed the moment the crew lands travels with them as accompanied baggage, and bulk or heavy items go ahead as freight. The right balance depends on volume, timing, route and budget.

• Ask the airline for its excess baggage rates in advance. Pre-booked extra bags are often cheaper than paying at the airport.
• Check how many extra pieces the aircraft can take. Smaller aircraft and busy flights have limited hold space.
• Use hard flight cases within the airline's single-item limits, and label every case with the production name, a contact number and the carnet item numbers.
• If a forwarder is moving the freight, give them the carnet details early, as the same carnet must be presented when the goods leave and re-enter each country.

Do crew members need work permits or visas?

It depends on each crew member's nationality, the destination, and what they will actually do there. Many countries distinguish between business visitors, who can attend meetings or scout locations, and people who will work on a production, who may need a work visa or permit. Some countries have specific routes for film and media crews. Check each destination's official government guidance for every crew member, including those travelling on different passports.

Two verified examples show how much the rules differ:

• Coming to the UK: the UK Immigration Rules (Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities, PA 14.3) allow film crew, including actors, producers, directors and technicians employed by an overseas company, to visit the UK for a location shoot, provided the content is produced and financed overseas. Visitors still need a visa or an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) depending on nationality.
• Going to the United States: US government guidance says representatives of the foreign media who will work in their profession in the US cannot travel on the Visa Waiver Program or a visitor (B) visa. The Media (I) visa covers informational and news content, and the US Embassy in London says productions such as reality television or documentaries with staged recreations do not qualify for an I visa and need other employment-based visas.

Visa processing times can be long and appointments limited, so start as soon as dates are known. Our passport and visa checklist and travel document checklist help you track each person's documents, and our guide to EES and ETIAS covers changes at Schengen borders.

What insurance does a travelling production need?

Insurance should be arranged through a specialist broker who understands production risks, and the policy wording should be checked against the actual itinerary. Areas to cover include:

• Equipment: cover for kit abroad and in transit, including in aircraft holds and vehicles, at replacement value. Check any exclusions for unattended vehicles or checked baggage.
• Crew travel and medical: cover for every crew member, including freelancers, for the destination and the work they will do.
• Liability: public liability for filming on location, which some locations and permit offices ask to see.
• Delay and disruption: whether the production is covered for costs if a delay or lost equipment stops the shoot.

The carnet security is not insurance. It protects the issuing chamber against customs claims, not the production against loss or damage.

How do you plan crew travel around the call sheet?

Production travel should be driven by the schedule, not the other way round. Build the travel plan from the shooting schedule and update it every time the call sheet changes.

1. Map each crew member's first and last call dates, so departments that start early (such as art, rigging or a recce team) travel ahead of the main unit.
2. Fix the latest arrival time for each department, allowing for flight delays, carnet and customs clearance, and collection of freight.
3. Book flights with fare rules that allow changes where the schedule is still moving, and keep cheaper non-flexible fares for dates that are fixed.
4. Plan ground transport for people and kit separately where needed, since a van or truck for cases is often required alongside the crew vehicle.
5. Keep one central travel sheet showing every person's flights, accommodation, transfers and documents, with the version date clearly marked.

Short-notice changes are normal in production. Agree in advance who can authorise changes, what budget is available for them and which bookings are flexible. When dates move, check the carnet validity, visa or authorisation dates, insurance dates and battery approvals as well as the flights.

Where should crew stay on location shoots?

Choose accommodation by travel time to set at the hour crew actually leave, not by distance on a map. Early calls and long days make a short, reliable commute part of crew welfare.

• Secure storage for equipment overnight, or an agreement for kit to stay on a locked vehicle or at the location.
• Parking for crew vehicles and equipment vans, including height restrictions for larger vehicles.
• Breakfast times that suit early calls, or packed breakfasts if the kitchen opens too late.
• Laundry, reliable Wi-Fi for data transfer and a space for production meetings.
• Flexible cancellation terms where the schedule could change, and an agreed process for extending stays at short notice.

For remote locations, confirm the route from accommodation to set in daylight and darkness and include it in your travel risk assessment.

How Roamly can help

Roamly plans travel logistics and group flights for production crews, including excess baggage requests, accommodation near locations and changes when the schedule moves. Our free travel document checklist and emergency contacts tool help you keep crew details in one place. Contact us with your shoot dates, locations and kit list.