New taxes in Greece

[Palarran]

Originally Posted by CatNewBee

Thank you'll for the input!

Sooo - what your saying is the Greeks have become much more efficient lately.

[Palarran]

Originally Posted by Dark Horse

Fact is the cruising taxes all around the world are mostly just a money grab. Nothing is done with that money to make cruising better, or to collect garbage or anything else. Its just a grab.


It totally ignores that cruisers coming into your country spend money there and usually a far bit of it. Generally at least 2 to 3K US per month and usually more.



The taxes that change by foot are the most egregious example. There are some people that think big boat! rich...... lets get them. Fact is we are on a 34 year old 50 foot boat that we likely would be hard pressed to get 75K for.


If the wife wants to go we will go but for the most part I don't see any reason to go to Greece. But it looks like it is a major hassle to pay and there lots of other places in the world that don't make it hard and expensive to visit.



When it comes down to it most anchorages look the same, and tasty food can be found anywhere except a buffet. Having to wander for 3 days trying to find a way to pay a cruising tax is a waste of precious time.

Wow, you should stay away from Greece. We love it and think there isn't anyplace better in the world, but that's just us. And about 100,000 others.

[CatNewBee]

We love Greece and the Greeks too, it's just part of the game...

Next time we would go straight to the agent, it's easier and saves time. But after the journey we do understand the people and the country better. We could feel the pain they face to just pay an invoice or draw money on the counter. There are millions of people sitting all day long with a number in queues for something instead of doing productive things...

There are tons of people managing the queues and doing easy tasks complicated...

Then all makes sense, some how. We will learn a lot the next week's, I'm am sure, and finally we will like their way to do things more relaxed.

[Palarran]

I should point out that if you want to use an agent, you can call the Kronos Agency. They are friends of the forum member who started this thread, Yeloya, and excellent people. I used them twice and felt they were worth what they charged plus some. They are a part of a larger group of agents across Greece so if they can't help you, one of their associates can.

I remember the owner telling me "You are now a part of our family, if you have any problems in any port, call us and we will help". Fantastic.

Kronos Yacht Agency, Rhodes Greece - Greece Yacht Agency Services Bunkering - Provisioning

[mat jam]

The new tax is a simple procedure. Log into the website. Fill in the details. Do a temp save. When you add an ID make sure to use a permanent one. Do not use a passport as they expire. Use a national ID. You will then get an email. Check your spam box. Sign into your email with the same browser (do not use explorer). Then click the link. Then fill in the expanded form. Click the months you will be sailing. Submit. Immediately do a search and get your PDF form. Print it out. Fill in the date at the bottom (otherwise the post office will send you to the port police and they will just fill in the date. Make sure to fill in the date using the greek order sequence). Pay at the post office. Failure to pay will illicit a 1100 euro fine.

[CatNewBee]

Yes, that's the theory... In reality you've got a Unexpected error message when saving your final forms...

[Sojourner]

So we'll be entering greece next week, and I've been following all these threads about the new tax. On the Amel forum, several recommended an agent out of corfu which I'll be using. Seems very friendly and reasonable. I'll post my experience here. Sometimes it's fun to do everything yourself... in my experience running around from one inept government official to another to another doing poorly thought out paperwork for a brand new law, it isn't worth the hassle.....

[mat jam]

Originally Posted by CatNewBee

Yes, that's the theory... In reality you've got a Unexpected error message when saving your final forms...

Are you inputting the inputs correctly?

After you register, the next step of the form has 3 sections. You have to click on the 2 headings at the bottom of the page and fill them out. When you have filled out all required fields without mistakes and submit you will get an error message because a new field has opened up at the top and after you submit again another error message depending on how many more fields have been added at the top of the page dependent on your requirements. The error messages explain things clearly. When all is good you will get success message.

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by mat jam

The new tax is a simple procedure

As opposed to just handing the money to the first relevant Greek government official you're in contact with?

We all know what would usually happen then, which is why all this **not** simple rigamarole is required.

Then again, places where a bit of chaos and routine corruption reigns are so much more interesting than squeaky clean well organized regimes like Switzerland and Singapore. IMO efficiency greatly reduces a culture's potential serendipity and synchronicities.

[boatman61]

Just get an agent at your 1st official port of entry.. they'll get Everything sorted in a couple of hours..
Well worth saving on the time, effort and possible taxi fares if you diy, time that can be better spent chilling with an frappe coffee or cold beer and munching on souvlaki and Greek salad while you wait.

[pmx]

Hi everybody,


what if you are controlled just when you enter the Greek waters, obviously before you have had any chance to proceed to the paperwork and payments ?


I didn't see mention of this obviously common situation in the TEPAI FAQ (...maybe I missed something ?)


Thanks !

[MartinR]

Originally Posted by pmx

Hi everybody,


what if you are controlled just when you enter the Greek waters, obviously before you have had any chance to proceed to the paperwork and payments ?


I didn't see mention of this obviously common situation in the TEPAI FAQ (...maybe I missed something ?)


Thanks !

I can not see this being any problem, as all vessels have the right to "innocent passage". This is by international convention.

The TEPAI can only apply once the vessel has been in a port and is in possession of a DEKPA or Transit Log.

[pmx]

I believe this is the common "clearance" procedure.


But it seems to me that the Greek law, and the TEPAI FAQ, says that the TEPAI is due as soon as the boat enters Greek waters.

Q What is payable for ships entering Greek territorial waterson or after 09-5-2019?

Α Such a ship should pay at least the TEPAI for the month of May. The fee shall be payable prior to the ship’s entry into Greek waters or upon entry -at the latest.Afterwards, such ships shall pay TEPAI for each month of stay in Greek territorial waters, either on a monthly basis (before the start of the month); or for multiple months at a time. More details are provided hereinbelow.

So the question is : what if you are controlled at sea just after entry in the Greek waters, any experiences ?


Looks like an chicken-egg problem...

[pmx]

For convenience, the official TEPAI FAQ , from the Greek gov't site :

https://www.aade.gr/dl_assets/etepai/etepai_faqs_en.pdf

[pmx]

OK, I finally found that it is possible to pay in advance via international SWIFT transfer.
(I read in a recent post that you had to pay at a local Greek post office).


Here is the procedure (links are probably already in this thread).



eTEPAI :

https://www.aade.gr/dl_assets/etepai...rmanual_en.pdf


Payment :

https://www.noonsite.com/wp-content/...Chris_Robb.pdf


But what puzzles me is that I can't see how to get the necessary "official proof of payment" after completion of the SWIFT transfer.
I'll have to read all this again...

I guarantee that sailing the French waters is much, much simpler !