moving personal belonging and furniture to Kef.
Hi Legal Eagle, I am in the process of arranging transport of some of our funiture and personal belongings to Kefalonia. I am informed that I need a Certificate of Repatriation & Law Form 1599. It is not a case of total repatriation to Greece as we are keeping our home/base in the UK, and plan to travel between the two. It is more a case of moving surplus funiture to Greece to our villa currently being built near Aghia Efimia. So:- 1. Do we need a Certificate of Repatriation & Law Form 1599, when we are employing a man with van to take our personal property to Kefalonia? 2. If so where do we get this form from? 3. Will our driver need any other paperwork when he arrives at the Greek port of entry? TDC 8)

post script
We asked a container transporting company about sending a container and the reply was. There are T2L formalities between UK and Greece , as both countries are in the EU. When I questioned what "T2L formalities" actually meant. the reply was "It’s a document that must accompany the goods." so where does this document fit in? TDC 8)

Moving to kefalonia
Even though several years ago i engaged a transport company to carry my persobal stuff from the uk to greece they did not ask for any requirement such as the T2L form. Give me some time to ask here what is required in order to be sure that you will not face any problem here.

email
Hi Legal Eagle, Thanks for the email regarding moving personal belongings, I will reply on the other matter later today by email. TDC 8)

confirming my own research
I just realised my reply to Legal Eagle could appear a bit cryptic, so for the readers of this thread here is the information I found and Legal Eagle has confirmed after speaking to the Customs Guys in Athens for us. I refer everyone to paragraph F. DUTY AND TAXATION EXEMPTION FOR PERSONS GOING TO GREECE FOR PERMANENT SETTLEMENT Greek and foreign nationals who are permanent residents abroad may be issued with a certificate of transfer of normal residence provided that they have been residing permanently in the United Kingdom for at least the last three years before they transfer their normal residence to Greece. In the event that the above persons are in Greece for any reason and they later express their wish to transfer their normal residence to Greece, they may be issued with a certificate of transfer of normal residence not later than 24 months after the date of their arrival in Greece. In order to take advantage of duty and taxation exemptions Nationals of European Union member states MUST produce to the Greek Customs authorities at Customs clearance their five years residence permit for a national of a European Union member state issued by the Aliens Department or the local police in Greece. In order to be issued with the certificate to which they are entitled allowing them to clear their vehicle, mobile home or motorcycle (over 250cc) the above persons must produce to the Consulate General of Greece the following: a) any passports they may have (Greek or Foreign) covering the previous four years. If married, spouses passports are required for the same period. b) vehicle registration document. They must have been keeper, owner and user in the United Kingdom of the specific vehicle, mobile home or motor cycle for more than six months prior to their entry to Greece. ALL UNITED KINGDOM TAXES must have been paid in total and a full driving license for at least the same period (i.e. over six months). The entitlement is one car per family. c) P60 Forms or Tax Assessment Forms for the last three years and the last P45. d) Council Tax for the last two years or if in rented accommodation a rent agreement contract. e) If a new boat over 7.5 metres long is imported to Greece it must be declared to the Customs authorities and V.A.T. must be paid there. f) Personal effects brought into Greece are not subject to Customs clearance. g) Families may import only one vehicle, mobile home or bicycle. Vehicles remain under the legal status of temporary importation for a period of six continuous months. If after six months vehicles are not re-exported they must be taken off the road that is, number plates must be handed in to the appropriate Customs office for at least six months but not more than twelve months. Vehicles which have been taken off the road, the following year cannot be driven if the person with the right to drive has been out of Greece for less than 185 days. You can find this at http://www.greekembassy.org.uk/pages_en/certificates.html With regard to Cars there is a new regulation in the process of going through which allows you to apply for Greek number plates here in the UK for your vehicle. A special plate that will allow you to be treated in Greece as per any Greek registered vehicle. After all they can do that with their cars here. However there is no time scale given here, and as Legal Eagle said to me, Greece is in the EU even if it's a bit like on paper only!!!!!!! You do need to provide the customs with a comprehensive manifest list of the contents of the vehicle for their perusal, also the stuff must look like your household belongings and not a load of brand new Fridge freezers or similar. Also a brilliant site for booking Ferries to Greece is http://www.greekferries.gr TDC 8)