Visiting France - an update

[Bobc]

Just returned home from a week or so in France.

We entered France at Granville. We completed and emailed the PAF form (as per the new system). On arrival, we went to the ferry terminal to collect the stamped form, and the chap there said "there is nothing to collect. If the Douanne wants to see you, they will come and find you".

We left from Cherbourg. Again emailed the form. Have had no reply of anything back. So we don't even know whether they received the forms either way, and I wouldn't be surprised if nothing has been dome with them and our days over there haven't even been recorded on the Schengen system.

When we were in Cherbourg, there were about 20 Brits in the reception waiting for the police to arrive to stamp them out, and they then called to say they weren't coming and anyone wanting to be stamped out would have to go to their office. The result being that most changed their mind and did not leave the following morning, but a few took a taxi.

So, my advice it to use the new system. If you go the old method of getting stamped in, you MUST get stamped out. Using the new email method, you are not constrained by this.

 

[Sandy]

Interesting, I arrived by ferry in Roscoff a few days ago. A chap, clearly a yachtsman, was stopped as he had no exit stamp in his passport. The Douane disappeared - I imagined the twang of Marigolds, but sadly no - and returned with much paperwork.

I can see the Yachtsman's passport being electronically marked for future scrutiny.

Interestingly every page of my passport was scrutinized; I can't think why perhaps it was my kit?

 

[Bobc]

Interesting, I arrived by ferry in Roscoff a few days ago. A chap, clearly a yachtsman, was stopped as he had no exit stamp in his passport. The Douane disappeared - I imagined the twang of Marigolds, but sadly no - and returned with much paperwork.

I can see the Yachtsman's passport being electronically marked for future scrutiny.

Interestingly every page of my passport was scrutinized; I can't think why perhaps it was my kit?

If you have an entry stamp, you MUST get an exit stamp.

If you use the new system, you do not get an entry stamp, so you do not need an exit stamp (so the person at Cherbourg marina told me).

 

[Sandy]

If you have an entry stamp, you MUST get an exit stamp.

If you use the new system, you do not get an entry stamp, so you do not need an exit stamp (so the person at Cherbourg marina told me).

As I have experienced in the past that can be quite difficult especially when travelling between different countries in the EU.

It needs to be stated that if you are intending to do a channel crossing, pootle about locally then return to the UK, fine. But if you are going to visit several countries then checking in to the EU needs to be done properly.

 

[ashtead]

I don’t know if it’s changed now but the farce at St Malo was the stamping out office was past the ticket point. So arriving by ferry you collect a stamp but to stamp out if not travelling on ferry involved going through the car lane. Maybe they now have sorted out their stamping and installed some machines. The none arrival at cherbough just shows how badly administered the whole thing remains . Surely by now a few machines to stamp out would work at the marina office ?

 

[LittleSister]

A concern is that if the EU system (or component parts) doesn't recognise you've left the EU (whether or not you were stamped in), should we later be stopped on re-entry to EU we don't have any stamp or record to show we'd arrived back in UK as a basis for correcting the EU record.

 

[Sandy]

I don’t know if it’s changed now but the farce at St Malo was the stamping out office was past the ticket point. So arriving by ferry you collect a stamp but to stamp out if not travelling on ferry involved going through the car lane. Maybe they now have sorted out their stamping and installed some machines. The none arrival at cherbough just shows how badly administered the whole thing remains . Surely by now a few machines to stamp out would work at the marina office ?

A machine that checks your passport, turn pages and reads all the stamps then positions the passport to stamp you in or out .... good luck with that.

While the technology exists, having people on the ground really does work. What would happen if you had not stamped out or on a 'watch list'? A great cage be dropped from the ceiling to detain you until somebody with a key and handcuffs arrived. Border Control is more than just stamping a passport.

 

[st599]

At the moment there is no Schengen-wide system. Will be interesting to see how this scheme extends next year once the EES starts.

 

[ashtead]

You could of course extend the Schengen area to embrace the UK and hence avoid the costly machines which will arrive one day at a port near us.

 

[Bobc]

You could of course extend the Schengen area to embrace the UK and hence avoid the costly machines which will arrive one day at a port near us.

Yawn

 

[neilf39]

Used PAF process at Treguier. The marina were sent a stamped copy of the form I submitted (St Brieuc customs) as a pdf which the marina then printed and gave to me so I have a record from the customs office. For Cherbourg I notice they now use PAF but they say to call the customs office as well in case they want to see you. I guess because it is also an official port of entry so there is a local office.

 

[rich]

If you use the new system,no stamp on passport,we had a crewman who needed to get home by ferry,he was stopped by customs for having not been stamped in,after a lot of phone calls,and threat’s of getting uk government involved, they let him board the ferry.

 

[st599]

If you use the new system,no stamp on passport,we had a crewman who needed to get home by ferry,he was stopped by customs for having not been stamped in,after a lot of phone calls,and threat’s of getting uk government involved, they let him board the ferry.

The initial guidance on the scheme from the RYA was very explicit that you can't do that.

 

[Bobc]

Used PAF process at Treguier. The marina were sent a stamped copy of the form I submitted (St Brieuc customs) as a pdf which the marina then printed and gave to me so I have a record from the customs office. For Cherbourg I notice they now use PAF but they say to call the customs office as well in case they want to see you. I guess because it is also an official port of entry so there is a local office.

So it seems to differ wherever you go. How typically French.

 

[Poignard]

Anyone would think they didn't care........

 

[Sandy]

The initial guidance on the scheme from the RYA was very explicit that you can't do that.

But life gets in the way and plans change.

I'm fortunate that a proper port of entry, Roscoff, is just a day sail from Plymouth.

 

[mjcoon]

But life gets in the way and plans change.

Yes, such a prescriptive system was never going to be appropriate for yachtsmen...

 

[st599]

Yes, such a prescriptive system was never going to be appropriate for yachtsmen...

Works in every other country in the world I've sailed in to.

Can't see the new system being less prescriptive. The need to enter via a location with an EES terminal will limit the number of places for some time to come.

 

[mjcoon]

Works in every other country in the world I've sailed in to.

What, two parallel systems with rules about how to cross over from one to the other (or not)? Like where?

 

[MikeBz]

…
We entered France at Granville.

I thought for a moment that autocorrect had done something odd with Gravelines…

So, my advice it to use the new system. If you go the old method of getting stamped in, you MUST get stamped out. Using the new email method, you are not constrained by this.

I assume that with the new system if one enters France and then sails up the coast to Belgium or Holland then it’s essential to check out of France and check in via whatever method is appropriate in those countries.