Entering France Next Year

[laika]

Anyone know what the procedure will be *in practice* when hopping across the channel for a weekend? There are, after all, less than 60 days to go.

Currently of course we're supposed to head to the Police aux Frontières with our schengen forms but the impression I get is that the PAF aren't the slightest bit interested if people arriving in cherbourg after they close on saturday don't wait patiently on their boats until monday morning. I suspect they'd be surprised to even see a Brit with a schengen form. I asked Chantereyne marina who asked the PAF in cherbourg what the procedure would be from January and they don't know. I've never sailed to France as a non-EU citizen. Does anyone have a feel for how things will work and whether the result of being caught nipping to a cafe when arriving at 10pm is likely to be a reprimand or being banged up in a migrant camp?

 

[Sandy]

Nobody knows. Perhaps a letter the the French Embassy might get the information you seek. Having invested in a new Q flag, and thinking about a L flag, Covid and quarantine might put a lot of people off visiting the mainland.

 

[dom]

Nobody knows. Perhaps a letter the the French Embassy might get the information you seek. Having invested in a new Q flag, and thinking about a L flag, Covid and quarantine might put a lot of people off visiting the mainland.

Q in the traditional sense of requesting free pratique -- i.e. permission to enter a port on the assurance that the vessel is free from contagious diseases.

But Lima in its old sense? ....now that's going back ....Marseille 1347?

 

[laika]

Perhaps a letter the the French Embassy might get the information you seek.

Theory and practice may (as we know from current practice) be subtly different and I was of course asking about *after* the requirement for quarantine is passed. The non-eu procedure is currently (I believe from googling) to report to the border police who'll call customs. However most folk doing a daylight crossing will be arriving after the PAF shut. Presumably you'll need a departure document to leave so arriving in Cherbourg saturday evening and leaving early on Monday will be impossible. For those who've been sailing longer than me...how did this used to work before the EU?

 

[CLB]

I have entered France on a Guernsey registered boat before, so on the basis that this will be the same as a Brit entering France in 2021, I would say there will be sod all difference to going there now.

You do all know that we were supposed to do Schengen forms entering France anyway, don't you? No? Well that's probably cos the French didn't give a toss. The Belgians and the Dutch did for a while, but they also gave up after a few years.

 

[Minchsailor]

"For those who've been sailing longer than me...how did this used to work before the EU?"

From what I can remember - pretty relaxed. True we normally sailed overnight - the traditional landfall at dawn so we had the lighthouses for a fix (no GPS!!) and then daylight to enter harbour - and I guess Customs would have been open but I don't remember any special fuss.

Certainly no departure formalities, but with the 90 days (?) in 180 this may change.

On returning, I do remember being boarded by Customs at Yarmouth.

 

[WalshamUK]

I have entered France on a Guernsey registered boat before, so on the basis that this will be the same as a Brit entering France in 2021, I would say there will be sod all difference to going there now.

You do all know that we were supposed to do Schengen forms entering France anyway, don't you? No? Well that's probably cos the French didn't give a toss. The Belgians and the Dutch did for a while, but they also gave up after a few years.

I have sailed to France many many times in the past 25 years, and marinas don't give a stuff about anything except for a credit card to pay the marina fees.

 

[boyblue]

1964 Q flag into Calais, boarded by customs with a check on booze and cigys. passport check. Sailed away from Calais 1 week later no checking to get out. Then into Dover with Q flag, boarded by customs checking booze and cigys, passport check. Seemed simple then, bound to be more to it in 2021.

 

[CLB]

"For those who've been sailing longer than me...how did this used to work before the EU?"

From what I can remember - pretty relaxed. True we normally sailed overnight - the traditional landfall at dawn so we had the lighthouses for a fix (no GPS!!) and then daylight to enter harbour - and I guess Customs would have been open but I don't remember any special fuss.

Certainly no departure formalities, but with the 90 days (?) in 180 this may change.

On returning, I do remember being boarded by Customs at Yarmouth.

Your answer is to look at sailing to and from the Channel Islands, which are outside of the EU. There are procedures, but the French don't care and the British are slightly perplexed if you actually try and follow them.

I suspect there will be a little bit of 'doing things correctly', but in no time we'll get back to something very similar to what we have now.

 

[Pinnacle]

My first X Channel to Cherbourg was in1979. It was on board the RORC's yacht Griffin. It was the one that is now at the bottom of the Irish Sea. ? It was in a race. On arrival (tired and a bit cold after the night crossing) I don't even remember putting up the Q flag. No French authorities to be seen, or seen to give a monkeys, in sight. We slept, ate and drank and then returned the following day. Again, no Brit authorities to be seen.

 

[Lucky Duck]

Your answer is to look at sailing to and from the Channel Islands, which are outside of the EU. There are procedures, but the French don't care and the British are slightly perplexed if you actually try and follow them.

I suspect there will be a little bit of 'doing things correctly', but in no time we'll get back to something very similar to what we have now.

The channel islands are not a good example as are a 'special case'

Jersey - Wikipedia

A more realistic case might be someone from the United States

Similar I not sure what the 'flag' of the boat in your post #5 has to do with the need to comply with the 90/180 rule in Schengen countries

 

[Kelpie]

I wonder how Ireland will interpret the rules. I know they're not Schengen but presumably the will still be changes coming in next year?
Coming from up here, our first port of entry is Sligo, which is a bit of a treck.

 

[CLB]

The channel islands are not a good example as are a 'special case'

Jersey - Wikipedia

A more realistic case might be someone from the United States

Similar I not sure what the 'flag' of the boat in your post #5 has to do with the need to comply with the 90/180 rule in Schengen countries

Well, not many US boats enter the EU, so opinions may be few and far between. The CI are outside of the EU and, special case or not, there are procedures for entering and leaving the EU from and to the CI. So I think it is a relevant case.

As for the flag of the boat in post 5, it is relevant because I was entering the EU, France in particular, from outside of the EU on a vessel registered and flagged outside of the EU. This post is about entering France from outside of the EU, ie the UK, on what will be a non-EU registered boat, so it seems very relevant to me.

 

[Lucky Duck]

Well, not many US boats enter the EU, so opinions may be few and far between. The CI are outside of the EU and, special case or not, there are procedures for entering and leaving the EU from and to the CI. So I think it is a relevant case.

As for the flag of the boat in post 5, it is relevant because I was entering the EU, France in particular, from outside of the EU on a vessel registered and flagged outside of the EU. This post is about entering France from outside of the EU, ie the UK, on what will be a non-EU registered boat, so it seems very relevant to me.

It seems extremely unlikely that France, Belgium and the Netherlands will decide against securing their part of the Schengen border when FoM ends.

The reason for the current lack of interest in the Schengen forms most likely stems from the 90/180 rule not applying at this time.

On another thread it was said the arrival and departure formalities may be delegated to individual harbour offices but failing that don't be surprised if we end up having to formally check in and out.

 

[Ningaloo]

I think you need to consider the VAT issue as well. You will need to do something to trigger your 18 month VAT exemption too otherwise you could be required to pay EU VAT on the vessel.
I think the days of popping across the Channel for a weekend have passed. It will be too bureaucratic to be worth going for less than a couple of weeks.

 

[Seven Spades]

The most important thing is checking out. You need that clock to stop when you leave because if it keeps running you might run out of days when you are not even in the EU.

if I had to bet my guess is the 90/180 won’t be well policed until the electronic system goes live. Then watch out because big brother will get you.

 

[st599]

The RYA handled this in their Brexit seminar a few weeks ago.

Entering and exiting the UK will be via an app.

Entering and exiting Schengen will be required, but implementation is down to individual countries - the examples they gave were France via an office in an official Port of Entry, Germany most big marinas have access to.the database to do it for you.

They stressed it's up to you to check out officially and that if you failed to do so your 90 in 180 clock would still be running. Penalty for overstaying is harsh.

 

[Seven Spades]

I took part in the trial and the new U.K. e-borders system is not an app it is via a website. At the moment it Is quite easy to use, you can save your “favourite” crew and then just add or remove them to active trips. The main problem with it is it asks you point of arrival and time of arrival and you are expected to process this information in advance. In the feed back I pointed out that many boats do not have access to computers on board and that it was essential that they had a phone app version Because most boats have phones.

The system has been designed and specified by someone who does not sail and constantly asks inappropriate questions that are impossible to answer. I hope that all those that took part I. The trial provided the same freedback.

 

[Sandy]

Q in the traditional sense of requesting free pratique -- i.e. permission to enter a port on the assurance that the vessel is free from contagious diseases.

But Lima in its old sense? ....now that's going back ....Marseille 1347?

As in, I have suspected or harboured, or could be harbouring a contagious disease.

Saying that in Plymouth the Longroom just asks for an email.

 

[LadyInBed]

For those who've been sailing longer than me...how did this used to work before the EU

I used to just pitch up and check in at Cherbourg marina office. I was visited once by a friendly Customs man, docs in order so no issue.
The worst part always was getting back into UK, so much faffing around with waiting onboard for two hours, posting off forms etc.
Next year I will carry on the same, pitch up and check in (they have all my details on record) unless I hear about a different procedure. I'm willing to bet that again, any issues will be at this end.