Sailing international waters leaving EU?

Baggywrinkle

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When I was doing this to reset my 18 month temporary admission clock, going out to the 12Nm limit then turning round and coming back in was enough.

When you fill in the TA form regarding your previous country, just put "open sea" and the problem is solved.

EDIT: This was Croatia and it is all done at the discretion of the country you are in. Ask the customs agents what they expect and explain exactly what you want to do - i.e. reset your TA clock - and they will tell you what they expect as it's a pretty common practice. Scrutiny increases with boat value - and mine is next to worthless compared with some.
 

jordanbasset

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Does sailing out into international waters reset the clock or does one have to check in to a non-EU country? It shouldn't affect us but I was just wondering in case it does!
If you are talking about the 90 days in every 180, if you just sailed into international waters and then straight back the count back clock of 90 days in every 180 would still count. If you sailed into international waters and stayed for example 10 days in international waters, then that would give you ten days extra. You would obviously need to prove it, probably by checking out and back in of the country involved
 
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greeny

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Does sailing out into international waters reset the clock or does one have to check in to a non-EU country? It shouldn't affect us but I was just wondering in case it does!
Are you asking about resetting the clock for yourself as an individual or resetting the clock for the boat with regard to tax? The answer will be different in each case I suspect.
 

colind3782

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Are you asking about resetting the clock for yourself as an individual or resetting the clock for the boat with regard to tax? The answer will be different in each case I suspect.
The boat really. We bought a Spanish boat in Spain and reregistered on the SSR so, as it was VAT paid in Spain when we bought it, it shouldn't be an issue. However, anything could change so I was just wondering about the options. As things stand, we are unlikely to personally exceed the 90/180 limit as I live and work in the UK.
 

Dave100456

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For a person.
My considered opinion and based on reading firsthand accounts of others....

If you check in to say Portugal your 90 days begin then. Should you then sail to Greece taking say 15 days those 15 days will count within your 90 even if you have been outside EU waters for all of the passage.
It is the dates (inclusive) stamped in and out on your passport that determines the 90 day Limit. Whilst you may want to try and show GPS or AIS tracks to an immigration officer to show you were outside EU waters, I personally would not like to rely/argue that one.

As others have said the boat can leave EU waters for one day to reset the 18 month clock.
 

syvictoria

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For a person.
My considered opinion and based on reading firsthand accounts of others....

If you check in to say Portugal your 90 days begin then. Should you then sail to Greece taking say 15 days those 15 days will count within your 90 even if you have been outside EU waters for all of the passage.
It is the dates (inclusive) stamped in and out on your passport that determines the 90 day Limit. Whilst you may want to try and show GPS or AIS tracks to an immigration officer to show you were outside EU waters, I personally would not like to rely/argue that one.

As others have said the boat can leave EU waters for one day to reset the 18 month clock.

Re: sailing from Portugal to Greece above, and indeed perhaps also resetting the clock by sailing into international waters, you need to obtain a passport stamp before leaving Portugal to stop the clock. It's been suggested that you may have to depart for lands further afield (asea?!) and then have 'a change of plans' once en route, in order to achieve this.
 

nortada

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When you depart a Portuguese port you are supposed to log out and they will ask you for your destination. This information is logged and kept should the authorities (SEF) require it. However, to date, this information is not sent automatically to SEF and your passport is not stamped.

Speaking with the authorities here, they are unsure of the procedure for the future but have promised to email me as soon as they know.

Taking a trip from Portugal or Spain into the Med? In addition to trying to get proof of departure, you could make your next destination Tangiers (Morocco) and then depart up the Med. Until you log in the Schengen Zone, the 90/180 clock will be running in your favour.
 

Graham376

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If you are talking about the 90 days in every 180, if you just sailed into international waters and then straight back the count back clock of 90 days in every 180 would still count. If you sailed into international waters and stayed for example 10 days in international waters, then that would give you ten days extra. You would obviously need to prove it, probably by checking out and back in of the country involved

90 consecutive days used + 10 days out is still 90 days within the last 180 days, would need 90 days out before the clock resets.
 

Beneteau381

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When you depart a Portuguese port you are supposed to log out and they will ask you for your destination. This information is logged and kept should the authorities (SEF) require it. However, to date, this information is not sent automatically to SEF and your passport is not stamped.

Speaking with the authorities here, they are unsure of the procedure for the future but have promised to email me as soon as they know.

Taking a trip from Portugal or Spain into the Med? In addition to trying to get proof of departure, you could make your next destination Tangiers (Morocco) and then depart up the Med. Until you log in the Schengen Zone, the 90/180 clock will be running in your favour.
Leave Bruces and they ask where isyour next stop. You say Culatra. They grin and dully file that in there report to authorities. You then go to the Guadiana, you anchor at Alcoutim and spend a few weeks there. You go on the ferry to San Lucar and come back. Then you sail back to Culatra, spend a week there, then go to buoy 21 for another week. Then you go to Albufeira, they ask where you have come from. You reply, Rio Formosa! So how does authority know where you have been?
 

LittleSister

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The problem is that Brexit has gone off half-cock.

If we really wanted to make a point we should have retaken Menorca, Malta, Cyprus, etc. at the same time. (Didn't we have Sicily at one point, too, and the Ionian?)

That would have eased the 90/180 problem.

Heligoland, Calais, Normandy and Aquitaine could come in handy, too. Not to mention Egypt.

Maybe next time. ;)
 

newtothis

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The problem is that Brexit has gone off half-cock.

If we really wanted to make a point we should have retaken Menorca, Malta, Cyprus, etc. at the same time. (Didn't we have Sicily at one point, too, and the Ionian?)

That would have eased the 90/180 problem.

Heligoland, Calais, Normandy and Aquitaine could come in handy, too. Not to mention Egypt.

Maybe next time. ;)
Why stop there when there's the whole of North America and most of Africa? Most of the cabinet seem to hark back to those simpler times.
 
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