Departure procedures for leaving Italy to Croatia

[Shaddickp]

Later this year (mid-May) I will be leaving from Italy to sail to Croatia, departing San Giorgio di Nogaro for Umag. I was wondering what the procedure will be. I believe I need to clear immigration from Italy with a 'certified' crew list, and present that in Croatia. What I'm not sure about is who I should go to for exit clearance from Italy. There is a Carabinieri office in San Giorgio will they be able to 'certify' or stamp in some way my crew list and provide clearance? or will I need to go to somewhere with Port Police like Grado or Monfalcone? I seem to recall reading on other forum about fines when arriving in Croatia for not doing this properly.

 

[RupertW]

Until Summer 2017 it was all very easy - you had to clear in and out of the nearest point of entry in Croatia but no paperwork at all in Italy to clear in or out (in practice). But Croatia got irritated at Italy's laxness so now you have to clear out of Italy too - with boat registration and crew list with passports as a minimum. We brought all our usual paperwork along just in case. We went to a Port Police station to check out so not sure what the procedures would have been if we had been in somewhere small. As it was we were in Venice so went up to the place where the cruise liners docked and waited with the friendly group of people who were coming from super yachts to check the crew and owners out.

 

[emmalina]

As its hard work in Italy we used to go to Slovenia (Piranno or Porte rose) check out there and kept everyone happy. I would recommend checking in to Croatia anywhere but Umag Nouva Gorizia or Porec its quiter ! Good luck . Lived in Italy 20 years with a boat in Monfalcone and spent a lot of time in Croatia but it got so expensive over the years so I moved to greener pastures.

 

[BrianH]

A couple of threads on the subject from last year here and here.

 

[Metabarca]

I should imagine that the San Giorgio carabinieri will be rather bemused. I think your best best would be to ask at the marina: they'll know what to do. Unlike Emmalina, I would recommend Umago (Umag) for the Croatian entry for two reasons: you can tie up right next to the two offices you have to visit on the external jetty of the marina (and they have become quicker and even - heavens above - a tad friendlier in recent years), and secondly, Croatian rules require you to enter via the first port nearest to you entry into Croatian waters. You could get away with Cittanova (Novigrad), but Parenzo (Poreč) might be stretching your luck...

 

[BrianH]

Croatian rules require you to enter via the first port nearest to you entry into Croatian waters. You could get away with Cittanova (Novigrad), but Parenzo (Poreč) might be stretching your luck...

I think even Novigrad would be stretching your luck. As you know, surveillance is usually very much in effect there and they usually are aware of approaching vessels - especially if using AIS. In the image below the red line shows the shortest course from Porto Buso to Istria passes close off Umag and there is no way it can be claimed it wasn't the nearest port of entry unless one made a dog-leg south.

Anyway, as you say, nowt wrong with Umag, I usually pick up a buoy in the harbour for the night ... but then, I'm an old, single-handed fogey sailing a slow boat who needs a meal and a rest after a five hour crossing and clearing in.

 

[Metabarca]

... plus the delights of the Umag movida!

 

[RupertW]

We missed out Umag and Novigrad last year and went straight to Porec but that was from Venice where it is possible to say that it is a direct crossing and they were fine about that, particularly as the dock to tie to is the same as the Venice ferry.

But in previous years we could pretty much choose our check in point as it was easy to say we came from whichever Italian port was opposite - now not possible as the Italian paperwork shows where you came from. Of course that was always a theoretical risk but we would never tie up in any harbour before a proper check in and have never been stopped underway or at anchor. The one big tip is not to run your AIS on any crossing if you are doing anything that you don't want fully scrutinised as there are stories of people being quizzed about their route.

It is still of course possible to choose your check-out port from Croatia as you just have to say you are crossing to whichever port is opposite - so going to Corfu we have checked out at Korcula more than once with an intention to go to Brindisi or somewhere south of Korcula.

 

[Shaddickp]

OK I thinking maybe go from San Giorgio to Grado, check out of Italy there, then straight across to Umag check in, mooring buoy, then beer and bed. Reckon that should all be doable in a day. Has anyone knowledge of Grado, I'm assuming there is Port Police or Caribinieri there that can do the necessary exit paperwork.

 

[BrianH]

OK I thinking maybe go from San Giorgio to Grado, check out of Italy there, then straight across to Umag check in, mooring buoy, then beer and bed. Reckon that should all be doable in a day. Has anyone knowledge of Grado, I'm assuming there is Port Police or Caribinieri there that can do the necessary exit paperwork.

I sail there regularly from my marina in the Laguna di Marano. I like to moor up in the town harbour, a small basin reached by a canal from the lagoon. There are three marinas accessed from the lagoon itself but I prefer to be right in the centre, although very noisy but tolerable and interesting for one night.

You need to pick up a spare buoy in the port-side of the harbour on the southern side (northern is for club boats), and moor between it and the wall. Water and electricity are included in the overnight cost (31' = €30). It gets crowded on summer weekends but if you arrive during the morning and leave within an hour or two, there will be space enough and no cost as the HM collects the fee early evening.

I don't know where the Carabinieri are located but surely more central to the harbour than the marinas. Don't expect them to have the necessary crew list, that is best sourced from your marina before leaving ... well, that is the case with the Lignano Carabinieri.

 

[Metabarca]

The Carabinieri in Grado are near the Terme (spa) about 15 minutes walk from the darsena, or town basin. In Via Carlo Goldoni, 8, 34073 Grado.
Grado is well worth a visit, but if it's just a stopover for the crew list, you'd probably do better getting the Carabinieri in San Giorgio to do it, as you'll lose a fair bit of time getting in and out of Grado. Time permitting, once you've got your entry papers to Croatia, it's more pleasant to sail down to Daila and overnight there (weather permitting; anchorage fairly open): much quieter!

 

[BrianH]

Grado is well worth a visit, but if it's just a stopover for the crew list, you'd probably do better getting the Carabinieri in San Giorgio to do it, as you'll lose a fair bit of time getting in and out of Grado.

Very true, half a day lost getting there, mooring up, searching the Carabinieri, back to harbour, setting off again. All to save a short journey into San Giorgio. No contest.

 

[RichardS]

Time permitting, once you've got your entry papers to Croatia, it's more pleasant to sail down to Daila and overnight there (weather permitting; anchorage fairly open): much quieter!

Won't the Italian exit paper be stamped with the departure date so would you be expected to explain to the Croatian officials where the extra day had gone?

Certainly, when you leave the office in Croatia you must walk immediately back to the Customs Dock, untie your boat, and head towards your destination. If you remain in Croatian waters for any longer than the minimum, you will be fined. :ambivalence:

Richard

 

[BrianH]

Won't the Italian exit paper be stamped with the departure date so would you be expected to explain to the Croatian officials where the extra day had gone?

I understand that Shaddickp will be arriving in Croatia from Italy and intends to clear in at Umag the same day as getting the Italian crew list stamped in Italy, then take a buoy in the harbour for the night, which is what I do every time I clear in.

Metabarca, I think, merely proposed not staying on in Umag but sailing out after clearing in and anchoring in the bay south of the town. Once cleared in to Croatia one can stay on anywhere (outside prohibited areas) without problem.

Certainly, when you leave the office in Croatia you must walk immediately back to the Customs Dock, untie your boat, and head towards your destination. If you remain in Croatian waters for any longer than the minimum, you will be fined. :ambivalence:

That scenario only applies when clearing out of Croatia, Shaddickp will be clearing in.

 

[RichardS]

I understand that Shaddickp will be arriving in Croatia from Italy and intends to clear in at Umag the same day as getting the Italian crew list stamped in Italy, then take a buoy in the harbour for the night, which is what I do every time I clear in.

Metabarca, I think, merely proposed not staying on in Umag but sailing out after clearing in and anchoring in the bay south of the town. Once cleared in to Croatia one can stay on anywhere (outside prohibited areas) without problem.



That scenario only applies when clearing out of Croatia, Shaddickp will be clearing in.

Ah .... I thought this Daila was in Italy as I'm not familiar with it and I therefore thought he was using "entry paper to Croatia" as meaning "the papers which he needs to enter Croatia" i.e. the papers issued by the Italians.

I was then talking about the exit requirements from Croatia in comparison to those which I thought Metabarca was referring to from Italy.

Richard

 

[BrianH]

Ah .... I thought this Daila was in Italy as I'm not familiar with it and I therefore thought he was using "entry paper to Croatia" as meaning "the papers which he needs to enter Croatia" i.e. the papers issued by the Italians.

I was then talking about the exit requirements from Croatia in comparison to those which I thought Metabarca was referring to from Italy.

Richard

A pleasant bay about 5nm south of Umag. But a bit too open to the SW to W for my peace of mind in that unpredictable weather area.

 

[Metabarca]

Sorry about the confusion, but Barnac1e understood me right!
Yes, Daila is very much a fair weather bay, but I've spend some pleasant days tucked in close to the former monastery on the south side. Besides, Umago is a bit of a dump.

 

[BrianH]

Besides, Umago is a bit of a dump.

:encouragement:
I can't argue with that, especially when the tawdry fairground rides with their rubbish 'music' on the harbour-side are in full swing.

But any port in a storm - or after a long, hard sail - where the holding (now buoys but 'twas not ever so) is good and totally protected. And I know a superb and inexpensive restaurant tucked well away from the tourist-trap, waterside ones, where the customers are local. So well tucked away that I spend a long time searching for it every time I visit so there's no way I can give directions here.

 

[RichardS]

:encouragement:
I can't argue with that, especially when the tawdry fairground rides with their rubbish 'music' on the harbour-side are in full swing.

But any port in a storm - or after a long, hard sail - where the holding (now buoys but 'twas not ever so) is good and totally protected. And I know a superb and inexpensive restaurant tucked well away from the tourist-trap, waterside ones, where the customers are local. So well tucked away that I spend a long time searching for it every time I visit so there's no way I can give directions here.

Here we are, nestled in the middle of Umag bay in 2016. Heading for Venice next day:

and a sunset view along the mole on the south side of Umag entrance.

That's the life!

Richard

 

[Shaddickp]

Thanks for all the really good advice. Funnily enough I quite like places that are a bit of a dump. I quite enjoyed Albania and its total lack of provision for yachts. Metabarca you mentioned that the Carabinieri in San Giorgio might be a quicker option. I certainly will ask at the Marina when I'm out next in a few weeks, but do you reckon the local Carabinieri would be familiar with a crew list and what needs to be done with it?
Also thanks for the Dajla recommendation, I've been that way a couple of times but never stopped there so if the weather is settled then we might push on to there.