Well, persistence does pay off sometimes! Due to the pressure brought to bear—and their wish to accommodate foreign sailors (despite how it seemed at times!)—Norwegian Customs have changed their rules on the overwintering of foreign boats in Norway. This is great news for us as foreign sailors, but it is also good news for those marinas and boatyards in coastal villages that were also losing out.
Copied below is the letter that one of our readers has just received:
Dear Sir,
Reference is made to your email below.
We are pleased to inform you that as of yesterday, 5 October 2011, the Directorate of Customs and Excise has amended the rules so that foreign boat owners can lay up their boats in private marinas for up to one year. Boat owners must apply to Norwegian Customs and Excise (Tollvesenet) for permission beforehand, and a special application form for boat storage has been made for this purpose.
Currently, this application form is only available in Norwegian, but it will be made available also in English within short time – please see information on our website www.toll.no.
For submitting an application and for more information about the new regulations, please contact the appropriate customs region directly.
Yours sincerely,
Louise Holtoug Amundsen
Assistant Director
Customs and VAT Section
Norwegian Directorate of Customs and Excise
As authors of the Norwegian Cruising Guide and foreign sailors who love to spend time in Norway, we’d like to express our gratitude to:
- Customs, who have made this change during the very difficult aftermath of the terrorist attack in Norway. This confirms our belief that Norwegian bureaucracy wants to work with us, not against us!
- Hans Jakob, Norwegian correspondent for the Guide, who has been working tirelessly behind the scenes for the benefit of foreign sailors on this and many other issues.
- The many Norwegian sailors and marina/boatyard owners who have lobbied on behalf of foreign sailors.
- You, our readers, who have repeatedly expressed their concerns on this issue to Norwegian Customs.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Hi,
I will send the following e-mail to the customs regarding teh remaining question of the maximum (overall) time of stay.
Dear Sirs,
with great pleasure I got the message of the publishers of the „Norwegian Cruising Guide”, that no longer the owners of foreign boats will be put under pressure by unpractical custom regulations.
Thanks a lot for this change although too late for me, as I was one of those “victims” who endured a “long voyage” of time and nerve consuming efforts to succeed with the intention to get an accepted place for a boat for the winter.
It remains one question regarding the allowed time of stay.
Background: I got your information, that a foreign boat is allowed to stay in Norway one year, when applied for maximum two years. But unfortunately I also was told that the storage time is included in the whole time of the allowed stay of one year respectively two years =
That rule has been changed as well or is it still the rule?
If yes, the problem for foreign boaters is only half wise solved. In reality it means an allowed stay in you country of not more than two seasons = boating people are pressed to be in a great hurry, when they like to go further north. It is not possible to take the time for longer stays in harbours, to make friends, explore the landscape and go on trips ….. and – that’s clear – to spend as well more money, which is a pity for your commerce, too.
In former times (before the EC) I experienced the habit of the customs in other countries that the time of the storage (under customs surveillance) did not reckon, what seems to be logical for me.
I am very curious to get your information concerning this case and have to thank you very much in advance for your kind message.
Best regards,