Checking out of Brittany complications

T

trialframe

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 Nov 2003
Messages
316
Location
Weymouth UK
Visit site
My wife and I have already been in N. Brittany for a few weeks on our boat. Checked into St Quay Portrieux using the 'submit form by email' proceedure.
We're now at St Malo and my daughter is bringing our 2x grandchildren to join us via the ferry from Jersey.
We then intend to take the grandchildren to St Cast for a few days before all travelling back to Jersey on my boat.
Wife & I can check out from St Cast by email, but what about the grandchildren?
 
Your grandchildren will have been "checked in" when arriving in France by ferry so adding them to your passenger list and reporting to officials as you have to will record their departure, should surely not be an issue?
 
Yes daughter is returning to Jersey by ferry.
I'm unclear on whether they can be added to our electronic departure form when leaving St Cast - as in that case they'll have a passport 'in' stamp from St Malo, but not an 'out' stamp.
 
At L Aberwrach they claimed you could not combine the systems. Physically stamped in via normal port of entry out by a similar one. In by special facility scanned thing, out by the precise same one.

Possibly details held on different systems. Perhaps with proposed all electronic system it will be better but most promises of improvements by governments prove to benefit some contractor without great benefit to most of us
 
It would be wise to get written permission from everyone with parental responsibility. This applies to your daughter obtaining permission to take the children abroad presuming the children have another parent.
The permission should describe the arrangements that the children are returning to Jersey with you. Your daughter and you should have letters giving permission.

Put yourself in the position of customs. Your daughter goes to France with her children and wants to leave the country without them. I think you might agree this in itself should raise some questions at border control.

Then you are leaving France in a boat that is not a ferry so its destination is not guaranteed.
It all could look like it could be child abduction and should attract scrutiny. But a signed letter of consent with contact details for everyone with parental responsibility should deal with it if you are challenged.
 
trialframe said:
My wife and I have already been in N. Brittany for a few weeks on our boat. Checked into St Quay Portrieux using the 'submit form by email' proceedure.
We're now at St Malo and my daughter is bringing our 2x grandchildren to join us via the ferry from Jersey.
We then intend to take the grandchildren to St Cast for a few days before all travelling back to Jersey on my boat.
Wife & I can check out from St Cast by email, but what about the grandchildren?
Click to expand...
You have to check in and out by the same method, PAF or non PAF. You can't mix and match.

Suggest your offspring check out again in St Malo then check in again at St Cast by email. Then all check out from St Cast by email when ir's time to leave.

Had similar issues when we entered via Treguir and exited via St Malo last year. Douane were very confused we were wandering around on French soil with no passport stamps so stamped us in and out again before he headed off to Sark.
 
You cannot combine the systems. If you have been stamped in, you need to be stamped out. Ifcyou entered on a PAF, you leave on a PAF.
 
I think you and your wife should try and get stamped in at St. Malo somehow, maybe go to PAF office and ask. Then all get stamped out there together.
 
ithet said:
I think you and your wife should try and get stamped in at St. Malo somehow, maybe go to PAF office and ask. Then all get stamped out there together.
Click to expand...
My experience is that the OP should not even show their face near a passport officer since they entered via the email method. My willingness to comply is what got me into hassle at St Malo. They can then exit from St Cast using another email form, job done.
 
trialframe said:
My wife and I have already been in N. Brittany for a few weeks on our boat. Checked into St Quay Portrieux using the 'submit form by email' proceedure.
We're now at St Malo and my daughter is bringing our 2x grandchildren to join us via the ferry from Jersey.
We then intend to take the grandchildren to St Cast for a few days before all travelling back to Jersey on my boat.
Wife & I can check out from St Cast by email, but what about the grandchildren?
Click to expand...

I would consider having tbe bucket and spade trip to St Cast and then go back to St Malo to check the children out, even that may take some explaining.
.
 
johnphilip said:
Your grandchildren will have been "checked in" when arriving in France by ferry so adding them to your passenger list and reporting to officials as you have to will record their departure, should surely not be an issue?
Click to expand...
Unfortunately this is not allowed under the non-PAF scheme rules - if you arrive at a PAF post, you have to leave at a PAF post, if you use a non-PAF site and email, you have to leave at a non-PAF site and email.

The non-PAF system is a kludge.
 
Momac said:
It would be wise to get written permission from everyone with parental responsibility. This applies to your daughter obtaining permission to take the children abroad presuming the children have another parent.
The permission should describe the arrangements that the children are returning to Jersey with you. Your daughter and you should have letters giving permission.

Put yourself in the position of customs. Your daughter goes to France with her children and wants to leave the country without them. I think you might agree this in itself should raise some questions at border control.

Then you are leaving France in a boat that is not a ferry so its destination is not guaranteed.
It all could look like it could be child abduction and should attract scrutiny. But a signed letter of consent with contact details for everyone with parental responsibility should deal with it if you are challenged.
Click to expand...
This is a requirement when leaving the UK too.

If you have children on board but not both parents, then you need to have permission from the missing parents in writing. Get permission to take a child abroad
 
ithet said:
I think you and your wife should try and get stamped in at St. Malo somehow, maybe go to PAF office and ask. Then all get stamped out there together.
Click to expand...
Agree with this. Exit from St. Cast "headed for Jersey" and end up in St. Malo to check in again. I can't imagine how you'd explain the kids checking out without an adult going with them.
 
doug748 said:
I would consider having tbe bucket and spade trip to St Cast and then go back to St Malo to check the children out, even that may take some explaining.
.
Click to expand...
That would not be logical as you cannot checkout and not leave. This is not Hotel California (The Eagles)

Friends have checked out of France at 1500 CEST and had a finger wagged at them because they were waiting for high water at 0100 CEST.
 
Last edited:
Yes, I have never used the short service.

Though I have encountered several in soluble, and almost so, problems with the daft regulations in general. I fear the OP may have to get creative.

I do my best but am perfecting a gallic shrug.

.
.
 
I've never understood how the immigration people keep track of ins and outs in a passport. Any time I've entered France they seem to find a random page with space and stamp it. How they match the stamps is beyond me
 
chrisclin said:
I've never understood how the immigration people keep track of ins and outs in a passport. Any time I've entered France they seem to find a random page with space and stamp it. How they match the stamps is beyond me
Click to expand...
I am amazed by this every time. It’s terminator level stuff they seek and they find. They can also seemingly spot a missing stamp at a thousand yards too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top