Things have changed considerably over the last few years when it comes to freedom of movement to sail and travel within the European Union, and many of the freedoms British sailors took for granted five years ago are now gone.
Here are a few guidelines to help point you in the right direction for some of the key issues this summer. This article does not cover VAT regulations for buying, selling or importing your boat to or from the EU. Please be aware also that regulations and their implementation vary from country to country and even from port to port, and things are in a state of flux, with new systems and processes being introduced every few months at present.
It is therefore worth checking with the authorities and with individual harbours that your plans will not lead you into falling foul of the rules before you travel. That’s the disclaimer, so here goes.
European customs
As we well know, non-EU passport holders are restricted to a maximum of 90 days in every 180 days in the Schengen area. You could check in and out with each EU country you visit by going through immigration and customs at a port of entry so passage time isn’t ‘on the clock’, but you don’t have to do this.
You will, however, sometimes be required to check in again to new countries. For example, you must check in to Greece, which will levy a cruising tax and issue you with a transit log. Either way, you are required to have stamps in your passport to show when you arrive, and when you left.
Countries such as Greece require checking in for non-EU sailors even if arriving from other EU countries. Photo: Sailing Holidays
The anticipated European Entry and Exit System (EES) will allow passport holders of non-Schengen countries to use their biometric passports to scan in and out of Schengen countries, negating the need to have your passport stamped.
This is now scheduled to be implemented in October 2025. It may mean, however, that protocols to enter countries more flexibly via marinas may no longer be valid, though many details are not yet known about how this will be implemented for leisure sailors.
Customs for the Netherlands
Vessels from outside Schengen should fly a yellow ‘Q’ flag until they are cleared in. You will need to have emailed a completed manifest for your crew to the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (dutch.immigration@mindef.nl) or Seaport Police for Rotterdam (rotterdam@dutch-immigration.nl), at least 24 hours before arrival, or from your previous port if less than 24 hours away.
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On your first arrival in the country, you will be given a certificate of entry by customs, which is then valid for 12 months. Forms can be obtained from the harbourmaster on arrival, or if closed, call immigration on +31 88 043 04 30. Departure needs to be reported to border control not more than three days and not less than three hours before departure.
Ports of entry: Amsterdam IJmond, Den Helder, Dordrecht, Eemshaven, Gent-Terneuzen, Harlingen, Hoek van Holland, Moerdijk, Rotterdam-Havens, Scheveningen, Vlissingen, IJmuiden.
Customs for France
Those arriving in France (and other EU/Schengen countries) from outside (United Kingdom and the Channel Islands for instance) are required to check in, and then check out when departing. This requires arrival and departure to be at a port of entry.
It’s worth noting that duty-free alcohol imports are now limited by HMRC to: 42 litres of beer; 18 litres of still wine; 4 litres of spirits and liquors; 9 litres of other alcoholic drinks
In 2024 the French government approved a ‘National Protocol of Cooperation’ between the customs officials (Police aux Frontières and douane) and the federation of marinas (La Fédération Française des Ports de Plaisance – FFPP). This allows some marinas to email forms to officials at ports of entry so that checking in and out can be achieved more conveniently, without passport stamps.
Ports of entry on the French Channel coast are: Dunkirk, Calais, Boulogne, Dieppe, Le Havre, Honfleur, Caen-Ouistreham, Cherbourg, Carteret, Granville, St Malo, St Brieuc and Roscoff. Note that Boulogne has no officials based there so it requires all pleasure boat crew to travel to Calais to check in/out.
It is not possible for non-EU passport holders to check in or out of these ports by email. All crew are required to visit local officials for form completion/submission and passport checking and stamping. Some ports of entry require the form to be sent in advance and/or an appointment made.
Forms are usually available from the marina websites and should be downloaded, completed and emailed to the email addresses provided, 24 hours before arrival or, for short passages, before setting off.
On arrival the completed form, officially stamped, will be provided to the crew by the marina office. On departure another form must be completed and emailed; the stamped form will then be emailed back.
Rules for sailing with pets are complex and can be restrictive. Photo: Monty Halls
The list of Channel ports which have currently confirmed to the CA that they can process such forms under the ‘protocol’ in 2025 is as follows: Dives-sur-Mer, Courselles-sur-Mer, Port-en-Bessin, Grandcamp-Maisy, Isigny-sur-Mer, Plouër-sur-Rance, St-Cast-Le-Guildo, Binic, St-Quay-Portrieux, Paimpol, Lézardrieux, Pontrieux, Tréguier, Perros-Guirec, L’Aber-Wrac’h.
The ports of St Vaast and Carentan appear to have different processes so if you are planning to use these for arrival or departure direct contact in advance of a passage is currently recommended.
Sailing with pets
Travelling with pets can be rewarding – as companions afloat, as walking buddies at your destination, and it saves on putting your pet into kennels while you’re away. The pets themselves may also enjoy broadening their cultural horizons.
It is, however, fraught with complexity and you need to be extremely careful that you can complete your voyage plan with your pet and the documents you have.
You can sail with your pet to Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands from Great Britain without any pet document. However, you will need a (free) pet travel document from the NI Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to travel from GB to Northern Ireland from 4 June 2025.
You can sail back to Great Britain with your pet aboard your yacht from Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands with no documents as long as the pet is microchipped.
You can only take your pet from GB to the Republic of Ireland via Traveller’s Points of Entry, which do not include yacht harbours, and therefore travelling by commercial ferry is the only legal route into Ireland for pets.
You can sail with your pet from GB to the European Union via a Traveller’s Point of Entry as long as you have an Animal Health Certificate, signed by a vet within 10 days of travel, and the animal must be microchipped and vaccinated against rabies.
Animal Health Certificates are valid for one trip only, including onward travel, for up to four months from the date of issue, and re-entry to GB must be within four months from the date of issue.
You cannot, however, sail with your pet from the EU (other than Ireland) back to Great Britain on a private boat; you must travel via approved ferry or airline routes. You will need a valid AHC, or a valid EU pet passport, or a GB pet health certificate, plus details of tapeworm treatment administered by a vet within five days of entry.
Any EU pet passports issued in Great Britain before 1 Jan 2021 will be not valid for travel to the EU. If you don’t comply, your pet could face four months in quarantine or be refused entry, and you will be liable for any charges or fines.
Advice given by Tania Nieveen, Cruising Association RATS committee.
Binic is also available for checking in through the marina. Photo: Hemis / Alamy
Checking out and onward travel
All forms should be kept by the crew and with their passports. If you check in via a port of entry you must also check out that way; and if you check in via a ‘protocol’ port you must also check out via a ‘protocol’ port. In both cases the port does not need to be the same one.
Note also that this local arrangement whereby your passport is not stamped may not be seen as legitimate by other EU countries, so if you plan to sail onwards from France to another EU country you should check in first at a port of entry.
In extreme situations such as stress of weather or other force majeure, these requirements may be overridden and any port entered with permission from the harbourmaster. More info at: www.theca.org.uk/news/france-easier-check-in-out
UK customs
You must tell Border Force and HMRC if you are leaving Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) to anywhere other than Northern Ireland. This includes the Channel Islands as well as EU countries. You must also tell them if you are leaving Northern Ireland to go anywhere except GB and EU countries, but including the Channel Islands. You do not need to report travel to the Isle of Man.
To do this, you will need to submit an online pleasure craft report about your vessel, voyage, crew, goods, and to update any changes to or cancellations of your plans. If you can’t access the online form, you will need to submit your report by email using and sPCR fallback template, or by print and post using a C1331 form.
See www.gov.uk/guidance/submit-a-pleasure-craft-report for details. On returning to the UK, you should go through the same process.
