Passport Stamping now that Croatia has joined Schengen

[Koeketiene]

OK so an update on what has actually happened.

We left Croatia stating we were heading for montenegro and were officially stamped out. We did not go to montenegro but headed straight for Corfu instead. Upon arrival and check in we explained to the port police and customs that we had a change of plan and diverted to greece. Port police and customes had no issue with this until I went to passport control to be stamped in.

After explaining we had a change of plan I was told in no uncertain terms that that was "Not Allowed" and that I should have gone back to Croatia to advise them that I was now going to Greece. The passport officer was polite but would not accept that I was on a yacht and plans change for reasons of weather/safety or whatever. I said I am stamped out of schengen and need to be stamped in again. His answer was "not my problem"

I then went on to explain that days in international waters do not count towards my 90 schengen days....to which his reply was "well it's only two days"

As i said he was polite but refused to budge.

bottom line is I am now in Greece with no entry stamp into schengen in my passport....great you might think as there is no way of tracking my 90/180 day allowance. Sady not so....I am applying for a residency permit (under my visa) which can only be done once you are "officially" in the country...how do they check..... passport stamps!!!

The saga continues

With hindsight I should have left croatia saying my destination was "unknown at that point" and I was heading out to "sea" instead

A couple of thoughts/observations.

1. So you've run into an official who won'tstamp your passport. Have you tried/considered going to the office again and you might get to deal with a different official. Unlikely the same guy is on duty all the time.
2. Why no go to a different customs office?
3. I know it would be very un-British but if you're planning to stay in Greece long-term...

 

[sailaboutvic]

A couple of thoughts/observations.

1. So you've run into an official who won'tstamp your passport. Have you tried/considered going to the office again and you might get to deal with a different official. Unlikely the same guy is on duty all the time.
2. Why no go to a different customs office?
3. I know it would be very un-British but if you're planning to stay in Greece long-term...

View attachment 158706

Couldn't agree more , I lay money if you went to a different office you get it stamp or even the same office o a day when there a different guy or better still as I done so many time in Greece ask to speak to a senior officer .

 

[Beneteau381]

You've got @Koeketiene on ignore, haven't you? See #12

?

 

[dune16]

Captains Mate is a huge waste of money and totally unnecessary imho. Navily is the leader and the most used. The CA said that Navily was not to be trusted because it was open source and anyone could update it!! I am a member of the CA but I despise much of what the do. I hate their forum. I hate their insistence that anonymous forums and apps are untrustworthy. They are a bunch of old farts.

Agreed re captains mate. I'm finding the combination of Navily and Noforeignland app far more useful. Don't think I'll renew my CA membership

 

[Jules W]

Hi
I know this is after the horse has bolted. We have a 6 month visa for France. We started the year in Spain before our visa start. I checked with the French consulate and they were adamant that we were not allowed to go straight from Schengen time in Spain to Visa time in France. We had to ( after the visa start date) check out of Spain which we did at Gibraltar and then check back into Spain after the visa start date. They wanted evidence we had actually left the Schengen area. I suspect that the same works in Greece. I would check out of Greece and sail to Sarandes in Albania. Check in there ( nice place) and then come back with no one able to question your actions.

 

[Star-Lord]

Agreed re captains mate. I'm finding the combination of Navily and Noforeignland app far more useful. Don't think I'll renew my CA membership

Average age for CA must be 70. Everything that is wrong with the UK is mirrored in the CA.