Every delivery that crosses a border involves two countries' formalities: exit from one, entry to the other. They are planned as part of the route; one missing document can keep a boat in port for days.
Leaving Turkey
- Port of entry. A port or marina with customs and passport control.
- Crew list. Identity and passport details of everyone aboard.
- Foreign flag. The transit log is closed for exit.
- Authorities. Harbour master, customs and passport police; at most marinas through an agent.
Entry at the destination
- The first call is the country's official port of entry; no stops before it.
- Boat papers, insurance, crew list and passports ready.
- In EU countries, Schengen and VAT; cruising tax in some countries.
Entering Turkey
Returning from abroad, entry is also at an official port of entry; for a foreign-flagged boat the transit log is issued at this point.
Timing
Exit and entry formalities depend on the offices' opening hours. Weekends, public holidays and lunch hours can delay them. So departure is planned around when formalities can be completed as well as the weather window. Likewise, arrival is timed, where possible, for when offices at the destination will be open.
The document file
- The boat's registration and insurance policy.
- Crew list, with each member's identity or passport details.
- For a foreign-flagged boat, the transit log.
- The skipper's licence and the owner's authorisation.
- Clearance papers from the previous port.
Several copies and a digital copy are kept together in one folder.
Agent
At most marinas formalities go through an agent, who asks for documents in advance and follows them between offices. The agent's contact and fee are settled before departure.
Crew changes
If crew change during the voyage, the crew list is updated and the change reported at the relevant port. An unreported crew change can cause problems at the next port.
Records
Copies of all exit and entry documents are kept in the boat's file.
Rules
Rules change between countries and over time, so current conditions are confirmed with an agent before each crossing.
Patience
Formalities are part of the passage, not an obstacle to it; allowing time for them keeps the schedule realistic and tempers calm.
For first-timers
For owners taking a boat abroad for the first time, the practical route is an experienced agent and papers ready a few days before departure. The agent spots a missing document in time and shows the way to fix it. Losing a day for a missing paper always costs more than preparing it in advance.
After each crossing, the papers are checked as complete and the folder put in order for the next one. For boats crossing borders often, an orderly file is the single biggest time-saver of all.
Scanned copies are kept aboard and ashore with the owner; if a paper is lost or soaked, the copy is the first step to sorting it out, and some offices will start on a copy until the original arrives.
Before each crossing the skipper checks the file is complete and confirms the latest position with the agent, so there is no surprise delay at the quay and departure goes to plan.
A little order saves hours at every border, and a good deal of stress for skipper and crew alike.
Keep the folder dry, in one known place aboard, with a copy ashore.
Then every border becomes routine.