More PAF faff at Calais

oilybilge

oilybilge

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Others have reported that the PAF were happy to stamp them into France the morning after they arrived, and out again the day before their departure. Not at Calais it would seem...

As I wrote in this thread, I got scolded for going round to the Calais PAF office the morning after my arrival, despite the fact that I'd got in at half past ten the previous evening, the buses wouldn't have been running, the marina office was closed and I wouldn't have been able to get back in, etc etc. I thought it was just the officer being a silly ass. But the same happened when I went to get stamped out.

I'd sailed round to Boulogne and was preparing to return to Dover in the morning, so that afternoon I took the train back to Calais and went to the PAF office. I got a friendlier chap this time, but as soon as he heard the word 'demain' he looked worried and went to consult his colleagues. Soon I had a whole group of them around me, all very friendly but regretful. They wished they could help, they said, but if I was leaving tomorrow it would be impossible for them to stamp my passport today. I pointed out it would be logistically impossible to come to Calais the next morning before setting off from Boulogne. More shrugging and sucking of teeth. Then, I said brightly, I'll leave this afternoon! They were perfectly happy with that, and gave me my stamp, though I don't suppose they believed it.

Unfortunately it was too windy for me to depart that afternoon, and I was forced to stick to my original plan.

The moral would seem to be, avoid words like 'hier' and demain' when speaking to the Calais PAF.
 
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Last year when I checked out of St Cast I put my next port as St Malo. They didn't like that, I had to leave France, "ok, amend that, next port St Helier".
Got stamped out ok. On passage I had 'a problem' so had to divert to St Malo! 🤭
This year, when I leave the CI's I will check in at Roscoff, heading for Brest and up river to Landerneau, and try not checking out until I get back to Roscoff.
I don't know if it will work!
 
Recently sailed into Calais and they were wonderfully polite, helpful and understanding. I wonder if top brass were paying a visit whilst you were there? Never had an issue there at all!
 
MontyMariner said:
Last year when I checked out of St Cast I put my next port as St Malo. They didn't like that, I had to leave France, "ok, amend that, next port St Helier".
Got stamped out ok. On passage I had 'a problem' so had to divert to St Malo! 🤭
This year, when I leave the CI's I will check in at Roscoff, heading for Brest and up river to Landerneau, and try not checking out until I get back to Roscoff.
I don't know if it will work!
Click to expand...

I have done similar a couple of times with no problem, fire off the document by Email and visit the ferry terminal when they are about to finish after a ferry movement. Thinking about it they Emailed me an appointment time last year, have your arrival plan to hand or better still a paper copy but this should not be needed.
Arriving in Roscoff from the CI's you need to get a shift on as you don't want to get stuffed with the tide around Sept Ile - but I am sure you know that. I got some poor weather and had to stop overnight in one of the rivers - I glossed over this and said my departure was delayed....you have to be economical with the truth or you will put them in a dilemma, they have rules to follow and that's that.....

.....So as the OP has suggested never, ever say you are leaving tomorrow or arrived yesterday.

.
 
They've been told that they need to hamper boats crossing the channel. Don't blame them for targeting the low-hanging fruit.
 
We were stamped in in Cherbourg pottered round the CIs and were stamped out at the ferry port in Cartrette, the marina made the booking for us and we ended up stamped out 1 1/2 days before we left, its all a bit frayed around the edges but it sort of works

I had a friend who arrived in Calais, offices were closed etc etc and he checked in in the morning and was told off as he was wandering around France without being stamped in, he just apologised and it was all fine. If we saw a French Dutch or German boat pull in having crossed the channel and pay scant regard to getting stamped in we would not be impressed so it does cut both ways.
 
chrishscorp said:
We were stamped in in Cherbourg pottered round the CIs and were stamped out at the ferry port in Cartrette . .
Click to expand...

Isn't one (as a UK citizen) supposed to get stamped in and out out of France before (and after, if applicable) going to the Channel Islands? (The Channel Islands being in neither France or Schengen.)
 
The risk is if you end up going home your not stamped out so could be regarded as an overstayer I guess. We have done that a couple of times stamped in in Cherborg and sailed around the area and then made sure we stamped out on the way home, We had hoped to go from Cherbourg to Dielette but ended up going to Guernsey instead...
 
chrishscorp said:
The risk is if you end up going home your not stamped out so could be regarded as an overstayer I guess. We have done that a couple of times stamped in in Cherborg and sailed around the area and then made sure we stamped out on the way home, We had hoped to go from Cherbourg to Dielette but ended up going to Guernsey instead...
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I've mentioned this before, but my late wife had trouble leaving Germany once. She hadn't been checked out correctly on a previous visit, and at the time she was on a BN(O) passport, which is not an EU passport, so it appeared she'd vastly overstayed. Gave us a bad half hour at the airport; fortunately they recognised the problem.
 
chrishscorp said:
They must have to do something....
We have just had a sailing vessel rock up in Gosport with people on board who may not have 'done all the paperwork' and every one got arrested
Click to expand...
They have to pre-buy a visa waiver, the there's an online form, same one UK citizens need to fill out.
 
MontyMariner said:
Last year when I checked out of St Cast I put my next port as St Malo. They didn't like that, I had to leave France, "ok, amend that, next port St Helier".
Got stamped out ok. On passage I had 'a problem' so had to divert to St Malo! 🤭
This year, when I leave the CI's I will check in at Roscoff, heading for Brest and up river to Landerneau, and try not checking out until I get back to Roscoff.
I don't know if it will work!
Click to expand...
I don't see any problem with that as you will be in EU ( French ) waters for the entire time unless you plan on making your return to Roscoff via the UK.
 
st599 said:
Why? They don't have to stamp in to the UK.
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They need to notify UK customer of their arrival and departure with their information which may or may not be recorded electronically or on a fag packet. It's called taking back control of the borders.
 
Fr J Hackett said:
They need to notify UK customer of their arrival and departure with their information which may or may not be recorded electronically or on a fag packet. It's called taking back control of the borders.
Click to expand...
Indeed, but there's no need to physically go and get a stamp. As long as they have the ETA and have informed BF of arrival, the can stay for 6 months.
 
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