Buying a yacht in Greece to live aboard for a year - May 2019

[steve77]

Originally Posted by Budawang

It sounds like the Greek national visa might be the solution to all our Schengen woes! Provided you can prove you have 2,400 euros of income per month for a couple. I think Spain has a very similar visa, although the minimum income requirement is slightly higher.

Italy also has this type of visa, which is what we applied for and received because we were wintering in Marina di Ragusa, Sicily. We just renewed for another two years. There are hoops to jump through, but it ends the Schengen dance. You start the process at the Italian consulate in your home country. There are several threads on this, just take an afternoon, open your favorite beverage, and use the ever-friendly and intuitive search function.

We are US citizens and US-flagged, and I think we are in the same situation as Australians with regards to Schengen.


Best of luck!

Steve

[OzDean]

Originally Posted by OZ-Sailor

and here I was worried there wouldn't be any other Aussies over there

Hey OZ-Sailor, good plans, good luck, I was in Preveza Town Quay (Greece) earlier this month and there were 5 or so Aussies there. Actually met an Aussie on the bus from Athens to Preveza, he was being met at the bus stop by his mate and maybe could give me a lift, so we got off the bus and the mate arrives riding two push bikes at once (which is a skill) with racks for the luggage, so I asked wheres the third bike, no matter it was only a km or so to the Ionian Marine, and he did arrive with cold beers.

Now to more serious matters, this may have been covered before, when you buy your boat in EU best to obtain good quality of original purchases invoice (or equivalent) from the vendor so you can prove the VAT status. Assuming you buy a private "VAT paid" boat, charter boats often sold as VAT not paid. You may need this proof down the track.

The 90 days for you has been covered and more relevant because you intend to live aboard. Regarding the boat this is 18months. Not sure if it is a blanket rule but I have now lifted my boat out twice at Ionian Marine to store on the hard stand and each time I surrender the transit log and the clock stops on the 18month time limit the boat can stay in EU, since I am not there for >90 days the 18month limit on the boat itself is a potential issue for me.

Also I have spreadsheet comparing boat specs and prices for when I was looking in 2011, can send it to you if relevant

[Brilliant425]

OZ Sailor, While searching for your boat, I'd strongly recommend you also search in Turkey for your boat. We were looking for a Moody 425 and found ours in Marmaris. Excellent selection of boats for sale, good brokers and surveyors there. It is also a great place to get upgrades and repairs done. And the bonus is you are out of the Schengen countries at least for the start. We would cruise Greece for 90 days then returned to Turkey to cruise the Turquoise Coast and to restart the VAT and Schengen clocks, no problems.

[Bunnellr]

OZ sailor,
Bòught my dufour 385 in Preveza. I think all the big issues have been covered, but be aware that flights are seasonal. We were lucky to get there. Otherwise six hour bus from Athens. Buona fortuna.
Ciao from Siracusa.

[Sunshine Coast]

Schengen shouldn't be a problem for you Oz. Australia has agreements with several EU countries including the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria and others that doesn't impact Schengen. Take a look at Exchange of Notes constituting an Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Netherlands concerning Visas and Visa Fees [1951] ATS 4

Basically it means you can have extra time in these countries. This year for example we entered the EU via Belgium, stayed 88 days then flew to England from Germany. We stayed in the UK for a week and then flew into Amsterdam where we were granted another 90 days because of the treaty. We checked with the Dutch embassy in Canberra that the treaty was still in place and it is. Another option for you is Cyprus. You can sail to Cyprus, stay three months, do a visa run and go back again. Cyprus is great, very cheap, full of expats and has a great winter climate.

[Anders]

Originally Posted by Brilliant425

OZ Sailor, While searching for your boat, I'd strongly recommend you also search in Turkey for your boat. We were looking for a Moody 425 and found ours in Marmaris. Excellent selection of boats for sale, good brokers and surveyors there. It is also a great place to get upgrades and repairs done. And the bonus is you are out of the Schengen countries at least for the start. We would cruise Greece for 90 days then returned to Turkey to cruise the Turquoise Coast and to restart the VAT and Schengen clocks, no problems.

One problem with buying in Turkey is if the boat is EU VAT paid its no longer VAT paid if sold outside EU. One way around that is if the seller sails the boat to Greece before the transaction takes place.

[benzy]

Just chiming in on the Shengen issue. We are an Aussie couple from Sydney. We have just finished our third season in the Med, the last two being mostly in Greece.

For the last two we have obtained a “long stay residency” (no idea what the official name is) visa for Greece from Elini at the Greek embassy in Sydney. It was very easy to get both times - we were just honest about having a boat and wanting to go sailing for longer than three months.

We misunderstood the requirements once landed in Greece the first time around. We too thought that once landed you needed to go get medical tests and all sorts of stamps etc. This is not the case. After speaking to immigration and customs and every other government office in Preveza, they confirmed that you actually don’t have to do anything as long as you leave before the expiry date on your long stay visa.

The purpose of the long stay residency visa obtained in Australia is to give you time in Greece to go through the rigmarole of getting a permanent residency visa. So, if you aren’t actually wanting a permanent residency visa in Greece, you just stay for the length of your Aussie-obtained visa and that’s it!

I’m aware people may have conflicting info regarding this. You may also find conflicting info on the web. I can’t dispute any of that and can’t guarantee anything. All I can do is tell that two years in a row we have gotten this visa (we got 6 month visas and stayed the full six months, also doing multiple entry/exit for shorts trips in and out) and have had no troubles st either end.

Hope that helps.

[benzy]

Sorry I should add that in terms of the requirements, it is pretty much what everyone has described, ie being financially independent (certain amount of money in the bank), medical certificate (got one from my GP that was a one-liner saying something like “Ben is medically fit to travel”), prof of boat ownership (Aussie AMSA rego), etc.

The one issue you have is that you will already be in Greece. So you will need to fly home, get the long stay visa, then fly back.

[Russ333]

Support previous comments regarding many good boats (just like in Greece) for sale in Turkey. Transaction settlement can be conducted elsewhere. The owner will likely not be in Turkey anyway, that's why the boat's being flogged off cheap. It's all just a matter of having all the paperwork correct, and an intermediary (often a broker) holding the funds. Competent repairs also possible, but just like in Greece you need to keep your wits about you to avoid being ripped off.
My experience in the Aegean is 2010-2015 and prior. It was not uncommon to meet cruisers who often didn't check-in every time between Greece & Turkey. Solves many problems and easy to do. Just needs a little common sense where and when you dock &/or anchor.

[Malahi]

For yachts for sale try Colin at Pinnacle Yachts Corfu (http://www.pinnacleyachtsales.com/index.html). He is English and very helpful. I bought my yacht from an Australian through him.

[xmax]

If you are interested I have two boats for selling at Athens
Bavaria 40 2008 and Jeanneau 43DS 2002 I am the owner and the boats condition is excellent.

[sycheckmate]

2016 I bought a 1998 Moody 38 in Turkey 47,000GBP. Sold in Greece 68,500GBP No Tax Paid. 2017 bought 2001 Beneteau 40CC 72,500GBP Tax Paid in Corfu - Pinnacle Yacht Sales. Has everything for liveaboard
Plenty of yachts for sale in the Ionian and Greece generally
Have had no issues with staying 5 months but believe that is changing.

[SandDancer463]

Just a quick comment, I know Checkmate who we first met in Curacao in 2007, we saw him and his Beneteau 40CC last season in the Ionian. Our boat is currently on the hard in Preveza.

But back to topic. Regarding Immigration, reading the posts has been very interesting but remember that the 90 day rule is clear, but not always enforced, depends who is on the checkout. This does not change the rule, so overstay at your own risk. Over the past 20 years of travel in Schengen, I have never experienced a "counting of the days".

Boat tax is very different and is a Customs matter and does not in any way relate to a third-country nationals immigration status. We bought our boat in Italy in 2013, tax not paid, then Croatia tax exempt. When Croatia joined the EU Customs zone we were then subject to the 18 month rule and simply went to Montenegro for a week then back to Croatia restarting the 18 months. 12 months later we went to Greece via Montenegro and the 18 months started again when we checked in at Corfu.

Now we have the boat on the hard and have surrended our cruising permit, effectively putting the boat in "customs bond" thus pausing the 18 month VAT exemption period.

It is an easy procedure but our experience is that not everyone knows the regulations about the VAT exemption, and I am referring to officials. Preveza customs, however, are very good,

If you are intending to stay for a year, remember most services are closed or very limited during winter and you could be quite lonely in a marina, town dock or at anchor.