Police Crackdown On Overstayers?

[DocHoliday]

I heard a rumour that French police are visiting campsites looking for foreign vans that have been in the country for more than six months. Offenders are allegedly being fined and even made to pay Customs duty for importing a vehicle.

Is there any truth to this?

What could be the consequences if you were found to have overstayed?

I ask because some people I know are thinking of buying a UK van and keeping it in storage in France for the vast majority of the year.

 

[iandsm]

How would they know the van has been in France for more than six months. If it stayed in one campsite without moving that might be a clue and perhaps the campsite management might be asked how long its been there, but otherwise???????? and I suspect the French police have other things to worry about. I think its a rumour rather like gassing. Unless someone knows different.

 

[Jim]

Being French they might easily ask us to prove we have not overstayed by showing our travel docs, ie Ferry/Tunnel tickets.

 

[Vic]

With Jim on this one.

 

[laneside]

But how would they know you had not been into Spain for much of the time?

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[sallylillian]

Most sites ask you to complete a form and provide passports, which they take copies. Maybe they have to fill in a local authority form with arrival details etc, I would suspect so? When you stay in hotels they want your passport, not difficult to prove how long in a country, unless you keep moving.

 

[lorger]

You could always tell them you were gassed and took you this long to wake up.

 

[Jim]

But how would they know you had not been into Spain for much of the time?

Or any other country on the continent that has no border controls. Even if the UK eventually leaves Europe and we are forced to get a stamp in our passport at the tunnel, thereafter there are no travel restrictions so it would be difficult to prove anything one way or the other.

 

[DocHoliday]

It seems unenforceable to me, unless you stay on the one site for months on end. There are a lot of countries bordering France that you could have popped over to.

I keep all my till receipts as evidence of where I've been.

 

[gibbon]

I keep all my till receipts as evidence of where I've been.[/QUOTE]


So do I

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[mariner]

It would be a pretty stupid move if they did start that, unless they are looking for illegal workers, which is fair enough.
Most snowbirds are retired and spend alot of money in the local area, and of course the Camping fees.
Not quite sure why someone would store a UK van in France, as you have to bring it back once a year for the MOT, unless of course it's new.
The Spanish authorities see long term "over winterers" as Transients and provided their vehicles are properly taxed and insured, don't seem to be too bothered.
There are a few who stay on the sites and work in the local "Black Economy" so maybe they are after those?

 

[Flamenca]

When I came through passport control at Roscoff last month, on my return to UK, the customs guy hovering by the passport kiosk asked me how long I had been in France. I suspect he was really interested to now whether I had been to Spain and bought lots of Spanish plonk. Would I ???