Entering by boat: Metropolitan France
What to do to enter Metropolitan France by sea: the procedures, the papers to present and the ports where you can clear in.
Based on official sources, checked on 28 October 2026.
Before you arrive
- Notify the authorities 24 hours before arrival.
- Online procedure: Formulaire « Contrôle aux frontières : formulaire entrée/sortie » à envoyer à la capitainerie (ports éligibles) — douane.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/2022-07/11/formulaire-immigration.pdf
The steps
- Pick a border crossing point or an eligible marina from the customs list.
- Eligible marina: get the harbour office's agreement and send the entry/exit form at least 24 h ahead.
- Fly the Q flag and wait for the check (border police or customs).
- Before leaving for a non-Schengen country, send the exit form again.
Papers to have on board
- Passports for the whole crew
- Visas, if your nationality requires them
- Crew list
- Boat papers (registration certificate)
Good to know
- Arriving from a non-Schengen country (UK, Channel Islands, Morocco, Tunisia…), everyone on board is subject to border checks: enter through a border crossing point (PPF), during its opening hours.
- Customs / border police / marina federation scheme: 53 eligible marinas (list version May 2026) accept arrivals if the harbour office agrees and receives the form at least 24 h before (or on leaving the non-Schengen port if the crossing is shorter than 24 h). Same form when leaving for a non-Schengen country.
- EU Entry/Exit System (biometric registration of non-EU travellers) running since 12 October 2025, fully since 10 April 2026: plan to visit a PPF for fingerprints and photo.
- ETIAS (travel authorisation for visa-exempt non-EU nationals) expected end of 2026, date not confirmed.
- Customs info line: 0 800 94 40 40 (from abroad +33 1 72 40 78 50), Mon-Fri 8:30-18:00.
Ports of entry
The ports where you can clear in, and the services available there.
- Antibes (port Vauban)Harbour office
- Barneville-CarteretCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- BayonneCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- BinicHarbour office
- BordeauxCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- Boulogne-sur-MerCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- BrestCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- CalaisCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- Cannes (port Pierre Canto)CustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- Cap-d'AilHarbour office
- CarentanHarbour office
- Cherbourg (Chantereyne)CustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- Courseulles-sur-MerHarbour office
- DeauvilleHarbour office
- DiéletteHarbour office
- DieppeCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- Dives-sur-Mer (Port-Guillaume)Harbour office
- DouarnenezHarbour office
- DunkerqueCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- FécampHarbour office
- Grandcamp-MaisyHarbour office
- GranvilleCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- Gravelines (bassin Vauban)Harbour office
- HonfleurCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- Hyères (port Saint-Pierre)Harbour office
- L'Aber-Wrac'h (Landéda)Harbour office
- La Rochelle (port des Minimes)CustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- Le ConquetHarbour office
- Le HavreCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- Les Sables-d'OlonneCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- LézardrieuxHarbour office
- LorientCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- Marseille (port de Corbières, L'Estaque)CustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- MorlaixHarbour office
- Nantes-Saint-NazaireCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- Nice (port Lympia)CustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- Ouistreham (Caen)CustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- PaimpolHarbour office
- Perros-GuirecHarbour office
- Plouër-sur-RanceHarbour office
- PontrieuxHarbour office
- Port-en-BessinHarbour office
- Port-la-NouvelleCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône (port de plaisance et Port Napoléon)CustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- Port-VendresCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- Portbail (Port-Bail-sur-Mer)Harbour office
- Roscoff (Bloscon)CustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- RouenCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- Saint-Brieuc (Le Légué)CustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- Saint-Cast-le-GuildoHarbour office
- Saint-MaloCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- Saint-Quay-PortrieuxHarbour office
- Saint-RaphaëlHarbour office
- Saint-TropezHarbour office
- Saint-Vaast-la-HougueHarbour office
- Saint-Valery-en-CauxHarbour office
- Sanary-sur-MerHarbour office
- SèteCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- ToulonCustomsImmigrationHarbour office
- TrébeurdenHarbour office
- TréguierHarbour office
Prepare your arrival with Hullteam
In the app, free: the map of every port of entry and its offices with their contacts, the crew list and the entry forms filled in for you, ready to print or send to an agent.
Create my free accountSources
- douane.gouv.fr/actualites/verifications-aux-frontieres-des-plaisanciers-en-provenance-ou-destination-dun-pays-hors
- douane.gouv.fr/particuliers/vous-naviguez/vous-naviguez-en-provenance-ou-destination-dun-pays-non-membre-de
- douane.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/2026-07/06/Liste-ports-de-plaisance-eligibles.pdf
- douane.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/2022-07/11/formulaire-immigration.pdf
This information is gathered from public sources and sailors’ experience. It does not replace the country’s authorities, whose word is final: check before you leave.