So … how exactly do you check into Greece?
First, the boat needs to check in and get what is called a
“Transit Log”. This is a paper document you fill out in triplicate – using
carbon paper (bet you haven’t seen that since 1985) filling out the boat name,
the particulars, etc. They check the boat papers, the insurance, and the
skipper’s passport – then you pay 30 Euros and the boat is now legally in the
country – well … almost.
The next step is to find a Police station to do the Passport
entry. Fortunately in Corfu they’re located in the same building. In some
places such as Rhodos and Simi, they’re about a mile away from each other. Here
you go through the normal passport scenario where they scan it, leaf through
your passport appearing to be interested in where you have been before; then
they hand it back to you … So now you and your crew are legally in the EU.
Great.
The last step is to go to the Port Police – kind of like the
Coast Guard but a little different. In Corfu the Port Police are in the same
cruise-ship compound – about 2 kms away from Customs and Passport Control.
Thankful for the scooter I had rented I zoomed over there and got in the queue.
The Port Police take your crew-list (made up when you’re doing the passports)
and the Transit Log (picked up from Customs), and put a couple of stamps in it,
take another 15 Euros and hand it back to you … now your boat is legally in Greece,
your crew is legally in Greece, and …well I don’t really understand what the
Port Police do – though they sometimes monitor the harbours and charge for
mooring at the town quay – about 10% of the time in our experience.
So there you have it – two to three hours of time, a bunch
of running around, and you’re legally in Greece.
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