Customs Procedures

[johnparsons]

I am an Australian Citizen living in Switzerland on a "B" permit (residence permit). This coming summer I will be the skipper of a vessel flagged in the Cayman Islands but with EU VAT paid. The crew and passengers are all EU or Swiss citizens. I will be sailing from Italy to Scotland and back again, in and out of the Schengen area.
Where can I find out about customs protocols?
Thank you.
John Parsons

[Bash]

Welcome to the forum.

Cayman Islands — Noonsite

On the left column, after you've clicked on the link above, scroll down to "Formalities."

[johnparsons]

Thanks for the answer, I am not going to the Cayman Islands.

[hellosailor]

hehe, didn't you get the memo? In a surprise raid Wednesday night, the Caymans declared full independence and attacked the EU via the Med, slipping past Gibraltar in the dark. The EU capitulated early yesterday and surrendered, so your trip will now be entirely within the New Cayman Dominion until you clear out of the Med and get pretty much all the way up into Scotland.

Which just leaves you to enquire with customs & immigration there.

Seriously? Considering the mixed nature of your party and the structured ownership of the boat, you might want to send a paper letter to the Scots and Italian authorities, along with some of the other ports you plan to stop in, and get their formal written replies, which may well differ for the different citizenships aboard.

[rgscpat]

So the question can be broken down into its parts...
(1) Cayman boat clearing out of Italy and into the UK and (VAT-paid) Cayman boat clearing from UK back into Italy; (2) EU people clearing into the UK and back to Italy and home (is there a possibility of some crew flying home from Scotland or elsewhere en route?); and (3) skipper who is sort of both Commonwealth/EU -- (what does your passport look like?) doing same.