Visiting France - an update

[lustyd]

I don't think that's incomplete at all, it's exactly as expected and there's zero expectation that the procedure would allow movement within Schengen. It's designed for a weekend/week in a port and as said doesn't check you in to Schengen since you don't get a passport stamp.

 

[wonkywinch]

I’m currently in NW Spain and was just moored close to another British boat who had checked in to Schengen at Camaret using the new system. He’s just had his papers checked in A Coruña and was told that he’s not ‘checked in’ as far as Spain is concerned and that the forms provided by the French are “customs forms not immigration”. The upshot as that he was advised to ‘carry on and this conversation never happened..’.

I’m sorry to muddy the waters with incomplete detail! I can’t add anything further as we’ve now gone our separate ways.

I've had trouble understanding and practical use of the new French rules, but one thing I was certain of is it didn't give me unfettered entry to the rest of France let alone Europe/Schengen.

 

[Sandy]

Unless you are talking about a different ‘new system’ this is not quite true. The new system I am aware of operates at designated ports along all French coastlines, including Corsica, and in at least two (out of a sample of 2) non-designated ports in Biscay.

Now we get to my inference, which either differs from yours, or I have misunderstood - a sadly increasingly common occurrence: while it is important for future travel that you have a record of exit if you have a record of entry, I have seen nothing to suggest that you cannot be ‘old system’ passport stamped in, then ‘new system’ preavis form stamped out, or vice versa. The problem of course arises if, as you found, a port refuses to provide a stamped preavis for you to keep as evidence. But, at least for the non-PoEs, they should.

It doesn’t always work smoothly - Camaret screwed up our ‘new system’ entry and we ended up getting our passports physically stamped in Lorient two weeks after arrival, so are effectively ‘old system’ checked in. But there is no suggestion we can’t use the new system to check out from any of the designated ports so long as we obtain a stamped record we can keep with our passports.

My style of sailing might be different to most as I often enter one nation in the EU and depart from another. Personally, I don't see this local, French, arrangement working for me. I have already had a interesting conversation with the Douane when I entered France with no evidence of exiting the EU and don't plan having another.

I want my passport stamped as it is of evidential value in a court of law. I'd prefer not to hear the twang of Marigold gloves and a big black cross on any page in my passport.

 

[neilf39]

Just checked in and out of France at two places. Treguier: submitted PAF forms to marina and St Brieuc immigration office. The forms were stamped and sent to the marina who email them to you and print. Tiphenn who runs the marina is great. Cherbourg: Submitted paf forms via email. Phoned in to the number as per website and told passports would be stamped at the marina office at 10:30 each day. We were there overnight as a stop off. We got stamped in and our at the same time. If that timing does not suit you go to the dom Pedro office for stamping. They brought the pafs we submitted and checked names against passports. So looks like at official ports of entry stamping is still required although they use the paf for details.

 

[John_Silver]

For anyone wondering if the Douanes check, for 90 day compliance.

Just stamped out, at Roscoff, in the hopes of a fair breeze, for Guernsey, tomorrow. The desk officer picked up that I had been in France for over 90 days. By going through stamps spread randomly over 4 or 5 pages.

Showing him this year’s Visa de Long Sejour (on yet another page) brought a puzzled frown, a chat with a supervisor and the appearance of a finger print scanner. Which bleeped at the right moment. So all was smiles again.

But, ‘they’ do check (sometimes).

 

[Bobc]

For anyone wondering if the Douanes check, for 90 day compliance.

Just stamped out, at Roscoff, in the hopes of a fair breeze, for Guernsey, tomorrow. The desk officer picked up that I had been in France for over 90 days. By going through stamps spread randomly over 4 or 5 pages.

Showing him this year’s Visa de Long Sejour (on yet another page) brought a puzzled frown, a chat with a supervisor and the appearance of a finger print scanner. Which bleeped at the right moment. So all was smiles again.

But, ‘they’ do check (sometimes).

I wonder if they'd have known if you'd checked in and out using the new system though.

 

[jaminb]

Just checked in and out of France at two places. Treguier: submitted PAF forms to marina and St Brieuc immigration office. The forms were stamped and sent to the marina who email them to you and print. Tiphenn who runs the marina is great. Cherbourg: Submitted paf forms via email. Phoned in to the number as per website and told passports would be stamped at the marina office at 10:30 each day. We were there overnight as a stop off. We got stamped in and our at the same time. If that timing does not suit you go to the dom Pedro office for stamping. They brought the pafs we submitted and checked names against passports. So looks like at official ports of entry stamping is still required although they use the paf for details.

Went to Cherbourg for the weekend. Arrived late so stamped in at 10.30 next morning. We wanted to leave early the following day, but the Police wouldn't stamp us out till the day of departure. Ended up wandering the streets of Cherbourg after dinner and finding 25 Rue Dom Pedro (about 20 mins from the marina) where after a few questions our passports were stamped so we could leave at 06.00 hrs. Lovely sail back to Newton Creek.

 

[Major_Clanger]

Update on visiting the Pas-de-Calais...

Just returned from Calais and an illuminating chat with the PAF.
The previous long delays waiting to be stamped in/out are a thing of the past. Yotties will be seen promptly regardless of the time/day but it has to be done at the PAF office in the ferry terminal. There is a free shuttle bus from the Place d'Armes that runs Mon-Sat (the info says it also runs Sunday but it doesn't, ask me how I know!), or it's a 50min walk from the marina.

Even though Boulogne is an official port of entry, the PAF have no immediate plans to re-open their office there. That currently means a visit to Calais.

However, the good news is that they confirmed both Calais and Boulogne will be formally added to the new email protocol this year, though they couldn't say when exactly.

 

[John_Silver]

I wonder if they'd have known if you'd checked in and out using the new system though.

It would certainly take a great deal more 'legwork' to find out, wouldn't it?

 

[Frogmogman]

If that timing does not suit you go to the dom Pedro office for stamping.

I’m guessing that autocorrect decided that Dom Pedro was a better name for the Douanes.

 

[John_Silver]

Went to Cherbourg for the weekend. Arrived late so stamped in at 10.30 next morning. We wanted to leave early the following day, but the Police wouldn't stamp us out till the day of departure. Ended up wandering the streets of Cherbourg after dinner and finding 25 Rue Dom Pedro (about 20 mins from the marina) where after a few questions our passports were stamped so we could leave at 06.00 hrs. Lovely sail back to Newton Creek.

Had a similar, Cherbourg stamp out, experience in May, on the way south: I was instructed, by the e-mail response to my PaF form, that stamp out was only possible on day of departure (at 04.00). The day before my departure, I spotted a group of officers at the Capitainerie, 'processing' the crew of a sail training ship. They stamped me out, with no problem.

Think its a Cherbourg 'desk-jockey' thing. If you can get to the front line officers, its the usual helpful approach. In Roscoff they didn't bat an eyelid, at my asking to stamp out the day before (on a 10.00 planned departure). They just asked that I did so before lunch time. Because they've two ferries to turn round in the afternoon.

 

[John_Silver]

I’m guessing that autocorrect decided that Dom Pedro was a better name for the Douanes.

Street address.....

 

[madabouttheboat]

I would think you check out of France using the same method as when you checked in, and then have to chexk into the next country using their rules.

But when you drive between countries there is none of this.

 

[Major_Clanger]

But when you drive between countries there is none of this.

That's because when driving there's no interruption to Schengen. It's in our benefit to stamp out so that we don't use up the allocation to remain in the EU, though it is a pain.

 

[wonkywinch]

But when you drive between countries there is none of this.

The non PAF method is a welcome modification to the rules to encourage UK boats to visit Northern France. Nothing else.

If you want to enter Schengen and travel freely, then enter via a normal port of entry and get stamped in.

I don't believe the email non PAF form method was ever intended as a method to travel around Europe. It was a system recently set up by the French (only) to bring business back to the marinas and towns once popular with UK visitors and they should be commended for their flexibility with Eurozone rules.

 

[lustyd]

But when you drive between countries there is none of this.

Because it's easy to put border controls on roads

 

[Bobc]

The non PAF method is a welcome modification to the rules to encourage UK boats to visit Northern France. Nothing else.

If you want to enter Schengen and travel freely, then enter via a normal port of entry and get stamped in.

I don't believe the email non PAF form method was ever intended as a method to travel around Europe. It was a system recently set up by the French (only) to bring business back to the marinas and towns once popular with UK visitors and they should be commended for their flexibility with Eurozone rules.

Exactly

 

[st599]

However, the good news is that they confirmed both Calais and Boulogne will be formally added to the new email protocol this year, though they couldn't say when e

Hopefully Calais will retain it's PPF entry too, otherwise entering to cruise the EU will be a nightmare.

 

[Pye_End]

Hopefully Calais will retain it's PPF entry too, otherwise entering to cruise the EU will be a nightmare.

It does not sound as though one is designed to replace the other - ie. a port can do both.

 

[ashtead]

Once in France it is entirely possible to hire a car - we have often done this in st Malo for example but if you decided to hire having sailed into st cast as a free entry port in essence I assume there is no limitation on how far you might drive ?