Greek Flag question

[DucMan]

Hello. Have been trying to know if somebody who has a Golden Visa from Greece, which practically means residence permit as well as few other conveniences; is able to buy and own a boat on a Greek Flag. Can anybody share knowledge?
Best
DM

 

[Davy_S]

I would imagine so, we had Greek residency before things changed and we were able to buy a Greek registered boat, it involved going to the port police office and changing details, it was pretty straight forward from what i remember, you needed a Greek tax number.

 

[DucMan]

You mean before the exit right?
Well, if that’s what you meant you were EU citizens. I wonder if it’s possible with only residency i.e. without EU citizenship.

 

[Davy_S]

No, we were Greek registered for residency, we had a Greek residency permit and filled in a Greek tax form and had a Greek Tax number and bank

 

[DucMan]

Thanks that’s great to know

 

[Tranona]

Going back a few years (2009)when I had my boat in Greece I enquired about keeping it on the Greek register after I finished chartering it and it was possible for EU citizens. This may well still be the case so it would make sense to check with the registry - although you might only get sense out of them by going through one of their tame lawyers. That is what I did when the boat was removed from the register and re registered on the SSR.

 

[DucMan]

I know it was and still is possible to keep on a Greek Flag for EU citizens. My question is for residents who are not EU citizens.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

I can’t help with the answer but I do wonder why you’d want to do this - what advantage does this get you as a non-EU resident?

 

[westernman]

I can’t help with the answer but I do wonder why you’d want to do this - what advantage does this get you as a non-EU resident?

Or even if you are an EU resident?

One possible answer is that you can only charter out a yacht if it has a Greek flag (so I heard, but no idea if that is actually true).

 

[Tranona]

I know it was and still is possible to keep on a Greek Flag for EU citizens. My question is for residents who are not EU citizens.

So contact the registry and ask - I appreciate you are not an EU citizen and that your golden visa is likely to have conditions and limitations.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Or even if you are an EU resident?

One possible answer is that you can only charter out a yacht if it has a Greek flag (so I heard, but no idea if that is actually true).

Doesn’t seem right though I don’t know, there are 1000’s of charter yachts in Greece owned by foreign nationals and foreign registered companies, hard to believe they’re all Greek registered. Happy to be proved wrong…

 

[Tranona]

I can’t help with the answer but I do wonder why you’d want to do this - what advantage does this get you as a non-EU resident?

Because it saves a lot of hassle as you can just buy a Greek boat and use it. He can't register a boat on the SSR because his Greek residence excludes that. Also Greeks give UK registered boats a hard time even if they are all legit under EU rules.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Because it saves a lot of hassle as you can just buy a greek boat and use it. He can't register a boat on the SSR because his Greek residence excludes that. Also Greeks give UK registered boats a hard time even if they are all legit under EU rules.

Right.

If it is a golden visa then that’s not precluding a UK or other non-GR residence. Was my point. The golden visa is useful for avoiding Schengen restrictions but doesn’t necessarily make you tax / domiciliary resident. As far as I know.

 

[Tranona]

Doesn’t seem right though I don’t know, there are 1000’s of charter yachts in Greece owned by foreign nationals and foreign registered companies, hard to believe they’re all Greek registered. Happy to be proved wrong…

No, there are not. They have to be Greek registered and nominally Greek owned. My boat was "owned" by a Greek company but i was the beneficial owner. Now it is common for non Greek owners of charter vessels to own them through a Greek company specifically set up for this purpose.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

No, there are not. They have to be Greek registered and nominally Greek owned. My boat was "owned" by a Greek company but i was the beneficial owner. Now it is common for non Greek owners of charter vessels to own them through a Greek company specifically set up for this purpose.

Ah ok. Thank you for clarification

 

[DucMan]

I can’t help with the answer but I do wonder why you’d want to do this - what advantage does this get you as a non-EU resident?

Asking prices for 2nd hand boats are much better and I wouldn’t be able to register it in my own country of origin but can use it on a foreign flag, so I need to keep it on Greek register.