Passport question (or lack of)

[michaelchapman]

So this fine cannot be identified except to French Lawyers, Immigration Officers, you, Jim Baerselman & BoyBlue49!

A well kept secret!

We all know from a previous thread that we don't need an SSR or any boat registration of any kind when visiting France either. Just a red ensign is sufficient - and those Douaniers who are trying to fine us just don't know the law

[toad_oftoadhall]

We all know from a previous thread that we don't need an SSR or any boat registration of any kind when visiting France either.

Yup. Apparently this was confirmed when the RYA hired a French Solicitor who couldn't find any law of any kind requiring visiting UK yachts to have original registration Docs.

and those Douaniers who are trying to fine us just don't know the law

I suspect French Customs/Police know the law, which is why nobody has found a single verifiable case of a visiting UK yacht being fined for not being able to produce an original registration doc.

[jimbaerselman]

So this fine cannot be identified except to French Lawyers, Immigration Officers, you, Jim Baerselman & BoyBlue49!

A well kept secret!

Toad,

I very carefuly only mentioned "fine" in quotes. It's a casual label many people slap onto a demand to hand over money. The reality, if you're in a situation where you do not wish to be "held" or accompanied until ID is proved, is that you are usually allowed to post a bail bond, or surety, if you have funds. This is recoverable once ID is produced and any other liablities are repaid.

The surety is held so that, if no ID is produced, funds are available to send you back to the state you claimed to have come from. In an incident, of course, bigger bail bonds are demanded so that likely third party claims can be repaid as well.

If this cash is abandoned, I suppose it could be looked upon as a fine.