doug748
Well-known member
Fortunately they had the good sense to leave the old system in place. You send them a letter when you leave and phone them when you get back. Ideal.
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Reporting Departure and Arrival UK
- Thread starter sfellows
- Start date
st599
Well-known member
At the Border Force/RYA club meeting this year, they said that was deprecated and would end soon.
wonkywinch
Well-known member
Had the same issues yesterday. Filed online report for return into UK. Got acknowledgement that stated "You can only lower the Q flag once advised by Border Force".
In the same email it says "If you need to contact Border Force or HMRC please include the voyage plan reference number" which suggests routine contact not required.
Moored up, checked for any emails or text from them, called them on Southampton and Portsmouth contact numbers. Both went to voicemail (10pm last night).
Portsmouth kindly rang me back, said they didn't know why Southampton didn't answer. Also weren't sure whether I should have got an automatic clearance or not.
I was working on the basis I have AIS and if they were interested they would have intercepted me at some point.
The UK system isn't working as expected as there isn't clarity about whether you're cleared to lower yellow duster and go home without initiating contact with them.
In the same email it says "If you need to contact Border Force or HMRC please include the voyage plan reference number" which suggests routine contact not required.
Moored up, checked for any emails or text from them, called them on Southampton and Portsmouth contact numbers. Both went to voicemail (10pm last night).
Portsmouth kindly rang me back, said they didn't know why Southampton didn't answer. Also weren't sure whether I should have got an automatic clearance or not.
I was working on the basis I have AIS and if they were interested they would have intercepted me at some point.
The UK system isn't working as expected as there isn't clarity about whether you're cleared to lower yellow duster and go home without initiating contact with them.
Boathook
Well-known member
Had the same email the other week. Also noticed that it said ring them only if you have a query and that phonelines 'open' 8am to 8pm. I also have AIS and feel that if they were interested they will make contact.
I also wonder whether they underestimated the number of boats going back and forth, especially over the channel.
The idea of the system being online is good but it does need a tidy up on some of the wording. I really struggle with the French one as neither my phone or tablet can edit word or pdf documents unless I subscribe to some package.
I also wonder whether they underestimated the number of boats going back and forth, especially over the channel.
The idea of the system being online is good but it does need a tidy up on some of the wording. I really struggle with the French one as neither my phone or tablet can edit word or pdf documents unless I subscribe to some package.
Gustywinds
Well-known member
I am told French customs also treat Q flag as having something to declare
Pye_End
Well-known member
I printed some off before I went, so could fill them in on the way, photograph, then email them.
TwoFish
Active member
We seemed to be the only vessel flying Q in Ramsgate yesterday evening. Perhaps everyone else had already received their clearance from BF to take theirs down 
. We took ours down when we got back from Wetherspoons 
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. We took ours down when we got back from Wetherspoons .Rhubarb
New member
We arrived back on the Cornish coast from L’Aberwrac’h last night having used the very efficient French form helpfully forwarded to Brest by the capitainerie in L’Aberwrac’h (and received the form back, duly stamped, by return email. We also completed and emailed the SPCR form to BF return to the UK. We received an emailed reply which gave no clue as to what to do to gain BF clearance but flew our Q flag anyway, and as we have AIS, assumed that anyone interested could check whether or not we had arrived in the UK. Having not received any further information or advice from BF and having read the above posts, I phoned the BF SW contact telephone number and was given clearance and permission to take down the Q flag. Why the acknowledgement email couldn’t have explained this, I really don’t know. Why a phone call is even necessary for vessels with AIS, is a mystery to me. No wonder we have issues in protecting our borders.
Piddy
Active member
I came back to Weymouth from Alderney in July having completed the sPcr online system but didn't fly my Q flag. I got a call whilst walking up Weymouth High Street having been to shop for food to tell me I could lower my flag. I said 'thank you'!
It's such a typical government system - not good enough!
It's such a typical government system - not good enough!
wonkywinch
Well-known member
I emailed them to suggest the present system wasn't robust nor instructions clear. They responded:
We have heard back from the business that they will investigate and contact your region Border Force. You should have received a call, text or email from BF, apologies if this did not happen.
I explained that this wasn't an isolated incident and various sailing forums (this, Facebook and the CA) had several examples of confused mariners.
If you have experienced this new system and were left uncertain of the process, would you mind adding gravity to my complaint by also emailing them with your feedback?
SPCR@homeoffice.gov.uk
We have heard back from the business that they will investigate and contact your region Border Force. You should have received a call, text or email from BF, apologies if this did not happen.
I explained that this wasn't an isolated incident and various sailing forums (this, Facebook and the CA) had several examples of confused mariners.
If you have experienced this new system and were left uncertain of the process, would you mind adding gravity to my complaint by also emailing them with your feedback?
SPCR@homeoffice.gov.uk
DJE
Well-known member
I met a Dutchman locking out of Sovereign Harbour a couple weeks ago with his Q flag flying. Pointed this out to him and he said "I know. The form says that I must leave it up until Border Force say I can take it down. They haven't contacted me so I am leaving it up."
Plum
Well-known member
Nothing has changed. Still waiting, as instructed, for Border Force to contact me before taking Q flag down. I am no longer in my port of entry.
doug748
Well-known member
It's all very laid back, it would simplify matters greatly for us all if the EU adopted the same system.
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Daydream believer
Well-known member
Does anyone agree with me that the new online form is c..p?
When I left for Ostend 3 weeks ago I had an excel copy of e1331 all filled in. It was easy to see every item I had entered across one page and I only had to alter the date and add my son as crew
Having done so I emailed it to the address given
I then rang the number, also given, where I got a message telling me to fill in another form. I though sod that for a game of chestnuts they have the details, some jobsworth can do it themselves. My phone went flat and the pykies pulled the gpo cables for the third time in 6 weeks from our village phones, so we had no land lines either
I sailed to ostend
Today I thought that as I want to go home I would give the new form a go. Problem is that each set of questions hides the last page so if I made a mistake- passport details etc I cannot visually scan & correct it. Then I had to guess some squares to get them confirmed. It only works if you get each answer correct each time. If you get it wrong and go back you are stuffed.
In the end I rang border force & the chap said he would like the new form filled in, but the e1331 still works as a backup
I got the old excel e1331, altered the travel dates, stopped departure & arrival destinations & made up some pointless times as before, visually scanned the page to see all parts filled in ok
The whole process took a few minutes
I then emailed it & turned my phone off.
I may buy a yellow q flag one day. No point flying it in the middle of the night anyway. I cannot see it.
When I left for Ostend 3 weeks ago I had an excel copy of e1331 all filled in. It was easy to see every item I had entered across one page and I only had to alter the date and add my son as crew
Having done so I emailed it to the address given
I then rang the number, also given, where I got a message telling me to fill in another form. I though sod that for a game of chestnuts they have the details, some jobsworth can do it themselves. My phone went flat and the pykies pulled the gpo cables for the third time in 6 weeks from our village phones, so we had no land lines either
I sailed to ostend
Today I thought that as I want to go home I would give the new form a go. Problem is that each set of questions hides the last page so if I made a mistake- passport details etc I cannot visually scan & correct it. Then I had to guess some squares to get them confirmed. It only works if you get each answer correct each time. If you get it wrong and go back you are stuffed.
In the end I rang border force & the chap said he would like the new form filled in, but the e1331 still works as a backup
I got the old excel e1331, altered the travel dates, stopped departure & arrival destinations & made up some pointless times as before, visually scanned the page to see all parts filled in ok
The whole process took a few minutes
I then emailed it & turned my phone off.
I may buy a yellow q flag one day. No point flying it in the middle of the night anyway. I cannot see it.
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Rafiki
Well-known member
Reading all this makes me think .... why bother at all. I don't have AIS transmit and sailing across the Thames Estuary and up the Orwell no-one knows where I've been, and certainly I've never been asked.
Boathook
Well-known member
I thought that the spread sheet had been superceded by the online form at Tell Border Force and HMRC you are sailing to or from the UK in a pleasure craft
Bobc
Well-known member
Just take the Q flag down and go home.
Plum
Well-known member
The new UK online system works very well indeed.
wonkywinch
Well-known member
The form itself is good, it's the implementation that doesn't work wrt being cleared in and when to take down the duster.
st599
Well-known member
And getting told you need to do a verification check of your own passport to ensure you didn't forge it.
