Visiting France - an update

[lustyd]

Not sure it's up to you to trust them or not

The document just describes how to check the passport is genuine. If I trust and know someone I don’t need to do that part.
If I don’t know someone I might find that doc useful to verify it’s not a fake passport with genuine details.

 

[bluerm166]

If Guernseyman refers in #120 to the new scheme for pre arrival notification to French Marinas (non PPF) then I would agree with Mike Bz in that this creative scheme is limited to France and a check out by the same method is required.Plus a new formal schengen entry to any further schengen state.Otherwise the Schengen system is blown by the french local workaround.
Since the guidance refers to entering France from any 'third country' it seems , if you have subsequently been to further schengen states and entered formally (there is no other way short of a visa), that if you return to France for convenience on the way back you must do so via a PPF and a stamp,rather than clear out previously ,say in Belgium, and then rely again on the simpler marina system in France.

 

[MontyMariner]

For anyone's information, I arrived at St Cast yesterday evening, I had not mailed a PAF, this morning I took a hard copy to the marina office, they faxed it over to the Customs. Office staff said it would get stamped and faxed back, I can pick it up tomorrow.

 

[lustyd]

They still have a fax machine?!

 

[Jules W]

You normally can't check out of France to go to say Belgium. They expect you to leave the Schengen zone after checking out. EES is meant to be clever enough to show the Belgium authorities when you checked in irrespective of which Schengen country you did it in. At the moment its all a but hit and miss and depends to a large degree on the mood of the official on the day.

 

[MontyMariner]

They still have a fax machine?!

I use the term loosely
Went to the office today, collected my stamped PAF.
I asked if I could send the leaving PAF direct to customs via email, answer - No, I have to email it to the marina office who then forward it to customs. They stamp it and return it to the marina office who will then email it to me if I have already left.
There's burocracy for you.