Regulations Sailing from the UK to Belgium September, October 2021

I thought this was all a bit of a nightmare to start with.  I did not get everything right but all the authorities were very helpful.  I have to thank Inspecteur Koen Hubrechtsen and Inspecteur Natalie Vandepitte in Oostende for their assistance and patience.

Also the warm welcome from all my Flemish chums and Simon Munters, the very efficient HM at the Royal North Sea YC.

I was Simon’s 5th British visitor in 2021.  Normally … that number would be an average week end.

So sail to Belgium.  It is worth the tiny bit of extra work necessary.

Sailing to & from Oostende Belgium September & October 2021

BEFORE LEAVING THE UK … FIRST

Order a Day 2 Covid Test Kit from a Government approved supplier, which you will need to deal with on your return to the UK.

Print and fill in HM Revenue & Customs Form C1331 Part 1

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/947760/C1331-12-20.pdf

and send it by post to –

United Kingdom Border Force

Yacht Reports

Freight Clearance Centre

Lord Warden Square

Western Docks

Dover

Kent.

CT17 9DN

I did this by registered mail from Oostende on arrival.

NEXT

File, on line, a Belgian Public Health Passenger Locator Form. You will receive an email by return confirming receipt with a bar code to download, to produce in Belgium, if requested.

I also took my NHS Covid Passport too.

Both my Belgian Public Health Locator Form barcode and my NHS Covid Passport barcode were saved to downloads on my smartphone.

BEFORE CASTING OFF FROM THE UK

Telephone the National Yacht Line on

0300 123 2012

to tell them of your intended voyage. They are extremely helpful.

ON ARRIVAL IN BELGIUM

Fill in the Belgium

‘Pleasure Craft Declaration Form’

https://apps.digital.belgium.be/forms/show/police/pcdec?lng=en

I did not know about the form until I arrived in Belgium.

You also need the Belgian Federal Police (the building to the left of the old station in Oostende) to stamp your Passport.

The Belgian Police were extremely helpful when stamping my passport and it was they who explained to me that I needed to file their “Pleasure Craft Declaration Form’ on line.

Due to my own ineptitude filling in this form on line, I had to return to the Police in Oostende and I was allowed to fill in the form successfully in their offices.

You will receive an email confirmation from the Belgian Federal Police that the declaration has been received and will be processed as soon as possible. Another email should arrive informing you that the declaration has been processed.

I flew my Belgian courtesy flag and my Q flag on arrival.

The Belgian Federal Police –

Naval Police Oostende

Natienkaai 5

8400 Oostende

Telephone: (32) 59 56 15 30

Email: DGA.SPN.KUST.BCPNO@police.belgium.eu

BEFORE LEAVING BELGIUM … FIRST

Take a Covid Test up to 3 days before departure (from the 4^th October this was no longer required)

THEN

Fill in a UK Passenger Locator Form on line within 48 hours of departure

NEXT

On the day of departure fill in the Belgian ‘Pleasure Craft Declaration Form’

Your passport needs to be stamped by the Belgian Federal Police on the day of departure. The Police Station is open 24/7

ON ARRIVAL IN THE UK

Fly Q Flag

AND

Fill in HM Revenue & Customs Form C1331 Part 2

THEN

Telephone the National Yacht Line on

0300 123 2012

to tell them of your arrival.

Take down Q Flag when advised to do so

ON ARRIVING HOME

Register your day 2 test (there will be an email) and take the Covid Day 2 Test that has been posted to your home ON OR BEFORE DAY 2 OF ARRIVAL back in the UK

It is not necessary to isolate.

Send Form C1331 Part 2 to the same address you sent Part 1.

My Covid Test came back negative.

How regulations will change next year is yet to be seen.