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Clearing C&I bvi #110096
10/19/2016 01:42 PM
10/19/2016 01:42 PM
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 559
Apex, NC
agrimsrud Offline OP
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agrimsrud  Offline OP
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 559
Apex, NC
Cleared into bvi at west end on sunday with boat and crew. Procedure was the same as it's always been. I showed up with the paper work and all the passports and my crew stayed on the boat. I've been told that occasionally they will want to see all of the passengers. But you start with just the captain and all the paper work.


Life's short - sail more!
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Re: Clearing C&I bvi [Re: agrimsrud] #110097
10/19/2016 03:01 PM
10/19/2016 03:01 PM
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,951
St. John, USVI
RickG Offline
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RickG  Offline
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Posts: 1,951
St. John, USVI
Excellent, sounds good. We'll do the same a week from Friday in Great Harbor. How's your new baby? I am quite jealous.

Cheers, RickG


S/V Echoes, 2003 Beneteau 423
Grenada
Re: Clearing C&I bvi [Re: RickG] #110098
10/19/2016 04:35 PM
10/19/2016 04:35 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 969
NC, USA
capndar Offline
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capndar  Offline
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 969
NC, USA
Good news. We clear on next week. Hope this holds


Capndar
Masters 50 GT Sail/Power/Towing
3rd generation sailor
Re: Clearing C&I bvi [Re: capndar] #110099
10/19/2016 09:33 PM
10/19/2016 09:33 PM
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 933
Georgia & South Carolina
D
Deepcut Offline
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Deepcut  Offline
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D
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 933
Georgia & South Carolina
Will be there SOON! SUNDAY!


Wes
s/v Sea Tiger (2022 Lagoon 46)
www.BareBoatBVI.com

Re: Clearing C&I bvi [Re: Deepcut] #110100
10/19/2016 09:59 PM
10/19/2016 09:59 PM
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,993
GA/NC
GeorgeC1 Offline
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GeorgeC1  Offline
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Posts: 6,993
GA/NC
Something has come up and I am told I was doing it wrong. I often go to St Thomas to pick up and drop off crew. I always cleared in and out at the same time at Cruz. I have been told that if I make a crew change I have to clear out of the USVI and can't do the in and out. No one has said anything however I wonder if I was doing it wrong?
G

Re: Clearing C&I bvi [Re: RickG] #110101
10/20/2016 08:09 AM
10/20/2016 08:09 AM
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 559
Apex, NC
agrimsrud Offline OP
Traveler
agrimsrud  Offline OP
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 559
Apex, NC
Quote
RickG said:
How's your new baby? I am quite jealous.


She was spectacular. Capt. Jay had her running like a clock and fully sorted out. The only thing we could find or had fail after 5 days was a fridge latch and a fan switch in the master cabin.


Life's short - sail more!
Re: Clearing C&I bvi [Re: agrimsrud] #110102
10/20/2016 12:03 PM
10/20/2016 12:03 PM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,296
Colorado and Sailing the World
Maria_and_Steve Offline
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Maria_and_Steve  Offline
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Posts: 1,296
Colorado and Sailing the World
GeorgeC1 - I don't understand the "clear out at Cruz Bay" part. Private boats don't clear out of the USVI. We just leave and are not required to clear out. Maybe it is different for commercial vessels?

Re: Clearing C&I bvi [Re: agrimsrud] #110103
10/20/2016 12:24 PM
10/20/2016 12:24 PM
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,951
St. John, USVI
RickG Offline
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RickG  Offline
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,951
St. John, USVI
Quote

She was spectacular. Capt. Jay had her running like a clock and fully sorted out. The only thing we could find or had fail after 5 days was a fridge latch and a fan switch in the master cabin.


Excellent. I'm rather jealous of the drinks fridge in the cocktail table.

Cheers, RickG


S/V Echoes, 2003 Beneteau 423
Grenada
Re: Clearing C&I bvi [Re: Maria_and_Steve] #110104
10/20/2016 03:42 PM
10/20/2016 03:42 PM
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,993
GA/NC
GeorgeC1 Offline
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GeorgeC1  Offline
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Posts: 6,993
GA/NC
Private boats are required to clear out of the USVI if they have come from another country. In my case I come from the BVI to the USVI. For short stays customs in the USVI will check you in and out at the same time avoiding the need to come back. I have swapped out crew on those short stays. I am told now that if there is any change in crew a vessel must clear out separate from the clearing in process. This would be a hassle when dropping off and picking up passengers. Anyone know the actual rule? The same thing would apply if you have a boat delivered to the USVI which is a option I am thinking about. You would have to clear out after picking up the boat.
G

Last edited by GeorgeC1; 10/20/2016 03:42 PM.
Re: Clearing C&I bvi [Re: GeorgeC1] #110105
10/20/2016 03:55 PM
10/20/2016 03:55 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,277
Saint Thomas, USVI
CaptainJay Offline
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CaptainJay  Offline
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Posts: 1,277
Saint Thomas, USVI
A US flagged boat leaving the USVI going to the BVI does not have to clear out.

Re: Clearing C&I bvi [Re: CaptainJay] #110106
10/20/2016 05:15 PM
10/20/2016 05:15 PM
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,901
Maine
Breeze Offline
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Breeze  Offline
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Posts: 1,901
Maine
If you leave the USVI on a charter boat with crew aboard, you do not clear out. You go to the BVI ( the foreign country) and clear IN.

When you get to the BVI, you are required to clear in. If you leave the BVI for the USVI, you must clear out of the BVI and back in to the USVI, because you have crossed an international boundary.

If you change crew aboard, and didn't have to clear out the first time you left the USVI , why would you need to do anything different the second time ( o r the 3rd or the 4th, or for a charter boat changing crew weekly, any other time ?)

Interesting topic, for sure. Thanks to all for their input.

Re: Clearing C&I bvi [Re: CaptainJay] #110107
10/20/2016 07:05 PM
10/20/2016 07:05 PM
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 1,049
S
StormJib Offline
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StormJib  Offline
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S
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 1,049
Quote
CaptainJay said:
A US flagged boat leaving the USVI going to the BVI does not have to clear out.


So just like the mainland a US registered vessel can leave the US without paperwork? If you are flying a flag of one of the other countries around the globe you need to have the paperwork showing you clear out properly on your departure from US Waters to check into the next port properly? Correct?

Re: Clearing C&I bvi [Re: StormJib] #110108
10/20/2016 07:45 PM
10/20/2016 07:45 PM
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,999
Macon, Georgia
GlennA Offline
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GlennA  Offline
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Posts: 10,999
Macon, Georgia
A US flagged boat departing US waters does not need a zarpe to enter most British Comonwealth ports though one is recommended. However, as it will be a foreign flag when it departs that port it will need a zarpe to enter the next. The French and Spanish bureaucratic culture seem to particularly relish the paperwork.


Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. - Mark Twain
Re: Clearing C&I bvi [Re: RickG] #110109
10/20/2016 09:04 PM
10/20/2016 09:04 PM
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 559
Apex, NC
agrimsrud Offline OP
Traveler
agrimsrud  Offline OP
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 559
Apex, NC
Quote
RickG said:
Excellent. I'm rather jealous of the drinks fridge in the cocktail table.


Rick - Yup... the cockpit fridge is pretty sweet. Worked great. Certainly best to stock it the night before. I was kind of relieved that it worked as well as it did - it was a bit of a gamble not knowing how well it would perform in the hot sticky weather.


Life's short - sail more!
Re: Clearing C&I bvi [Re: agrimsrud] #110110
10/20/2016 09:12 PM
10/20/2016 09:12 PM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,296
Colorado and Sailing the World
Maria_and_Steve Offline
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Maria_and_Steve  Offline
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,296
Colorado and Sailing the World
We've sailed from the USVI to Sint Maarten, USVI to Antigua, USVI to Bahamas, etc. without ever clearing out of the USVI. It never has been necessary to clear out or obtain any outbound clearance papers because we are a US flagged vessel.

Other countries recognize that we do not have to clear out of US Territories, dependencies, etc. and do not expect any paperwork stating we have outbound clearance.

At least that is what we have always done.

Re: Clearing C&I bvi [Re: StormJib] #110111
10/21/2016 08:51 AM
10/21/2016 08:51 AM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,359
Cane Garden Bay, Tortola
JasonHelmbrecht Offline
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JasonHelmbrecht  Offline
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,359
Cane Garden Bay, Tortola
Quote
StormJib said:
Quote
CaptainJay said:
A US flagged boat leaving the USVI going to the BVI does not have to clear out.

Correct. In Ohio we leave to go to Canada on a regular basis with our U.S. flagged vessel and do NOT clear out of the U.S.
So just like the mainland a US registered vessel can leave the US without paperwork? If you are flying a flag of one of the other countries around the globe you need to have the paperwork showing you clear out properly on your departure from US Waters to check into the next port properly? Correct?


JasonHelmbrecht
Coconut Breeze Villas
Cane Garden Bay
reservations@coconutbreezevillas.com
www.coconutbreezevillas.com
Re: Clearing C&I bvi [Re: JasonHelmbrecht] #110112
10/21/2016 09:19 AM
10/21/2016 09:19 AM
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,901
Maine
Breeze Offline
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Breeze  Offline
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Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,901
Maine
http://www.noonsite.com/Countries/USA?rc=Formalities

Basically the bottom line is that when you have checked INTO the US legitimately, there is not a procedure for checking out with CBP ( customs and border patrol).

At least, that is the way I read the explanation.

Re: Clearing C&I bvi [Re: JasonHelmbrecht] #110113
10/21/2016 09:27 AM
10/21/2016 09:27 AM
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,999
Macon, Georgia
GlennA Offline
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GlennA  Offline
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,999
Macon, Georgia
It depends on the destination country. You must have a zarpe (clearance from last port) to enter Mexico, Columbia and most western Caribbean countries. That includes US boats leaving from the US. In the DR it depends on the mood of the clearing officer but it is a legal requirement. At one time you had to clear out between ports inside the DR. Not sure if that is still true.

Best to check Noonsite for the latest regulations.


Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. - Mark Twain
Re: Clearing C&I bvi [Re: GlennA] #110114
10/21/2016 09:54 AM
10/21/2016 09:54 AM
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,490
Grenada
Zanshin Online content
Traveler
Zanshin  Online Content
Traveler
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,490
Grenada
When I depart the USVI for the BVI I don't clear out as the BVI doesn't require a zarpe when arriving from the USVI. But when I sail to Antigua or St. Martin from the USVI I'll always head into the Cruz Bay immigration office and get my outbound clearance from them. They don't actually enter anything into the computers, just put their stamp on the form. I do this because those countries want outbound clearance and I am very, very surprised that the previous poster was able to clear into Antigua without outbound papers, as those officials are quite bureaucratic.


[Linked Image]
Re: Clearing C&I bvi [Re: Zanshin] #110115
10/21/2016 04:47 PM
10/21/2016 04:47 PM
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 1,049
S
StormJib Offline
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StormJib  Offline
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Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 1,049
Whether you use the English term Outbound Clearance or the Spanish term Zarpe. A document showing you left one port free in clear is best to have before you try to enter another port. The US does not make US flagged vessels go through any specific procedure to leave. However many jurisdictions will not let you in if you cannot prove you left your previous port with the exact passenger list in good standing. Noonsite and other cruising forums detail families with boats confiscated in Mexico or Americans in the pacific sailing hundreds of miles back upwind to Haiwai to get a clearance document they failed to pick up on the way out.

I guess you could look at it this way. Do not go further than you are willing to back track without the proper document saying you, your crew, and your boat left in good standing from the previous port.

The document is basically telling the next port captain you left without running out on any bills, or fines, no one on your crew list was wanted for a crime or prohibited from leaving the previous port for some reason. All good things to know if you are the immigration officer in charge.

Re: Clearing C&I bvi [Re: StormJib] #110116
10/21/2016 10:20 PM
10/21/2016 10:20 PM
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 463
Chicago
YachtReprise Offline
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YachtReprise  Offline
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 463
Chicago
It would be just foolishness not to get an outbound clearance stamp from the USVI if traveling to any foreign port other than the BVI.

Why risk it for just an extra hour in Cruz Bay?

We all have nightmare stories of a C&I agent who got up on the wrong side of the bed. Mine was in St. Kitts...of all places.

Usually deference and politeness go a tremendous distance to soothe the savage beasts. Not so on this occasion. I was just lucky to escape the ordeal (in 6 hours!) with my boat.

...and I HAD my zarpe! I shudder to think if I didn't...

Re: Clearing C&I bvi [Re: YachtReprise] #110117
10/22/2016 12:14 AM
10/22/2016 12:14 AM
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,347
USVI
LocalSailor Offline
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LocalSailor  Offline
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,347
USVI
all customs officials like shuffling paper - I always get a clearance out from the USVI or BVI when heading down island or Bermuda.

Re: Clearing C&I bvi [Re: StormJib] #110118
10/23/2016 01:11 PM
10/23/2016 01:11 PM
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,951
St. John, USVI
RickG Offline
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RickG  Offline
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Posts: 1,951
St. John, USVI
When we went to St. Martin from USVI we cleared out in Charlotte Amalie. We brought two copies of the clearance paper work, but only needed one. They did not keep a set of documents or make a copy. We did get our stamp and the customs officer in Marigot wanted to see and kept that document.

Cheers, RickG


S/V Echoes, 2003 Beneteau 423
Grenada
Re: Clearing C&I bvi [Re: RickG] #110119
10/23/2016 07:29 PM
10/23/2016 07:29 PM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,296
Colorado and Sailing the World
Maria_and_Steve Offline
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Maria_and_Steve  Offline
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Colorado and Sailing the World
We check in at IWW at Sandy Ground in St. Martin. Much easier. No outbound clearance needed from the USVI.

Re: Clearing C&I bvi [Re: Maria_and_Steve] #110120
10/25/2016 06:49 PM
10/25/2016 06:49 PM
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 5,720
Massachusetts
maytrix Offline
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maytrix  Offline
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Posts: 5,720
Massachusetts
We checked in last Friday at gun creek. Beerman came in with me and we both filled out the forms. Total was $34. And it was a holiday so I think we paid extra for that.

Cheaper then I expected. Although we didn't pay any cruising tax or NPT fees since they don't do that there. I also told them we'd be getting a commercial license since the boat is going in to charter here so that may have impacted things as well.

They didn't say anything about two of us being there or not having any other crew with us.


Matt
Re: Clearing C&I bvi [Re: maytrix] #110121
10/26/2016 11:22 AM
10/26/2016 11:22 AM
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,100
Maryland
Twanger Offline
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Twanger  Offline
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Posts: 6,100
Maryland
In 32 years of cruising to the BVI we have never, ever cleared out of the USVI when headed to the BVI. Never had a problem.

(Same with the SVI, but strangely you need to check in with Customs in Dewey/Culebra, even though PR is part of the US. If your boat has a sticker this can be done by phone-call usually. You need to have all passports handy.)

Couldn't comment on going to other destinations.
Couldn't comment on the new BVI rules going into effect.

Your charter company will steer you in the right direction if you are chartering in the USVI and sailing to the BVI. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" />

Re: Clearing C&I bvi [Re: Twanger] #110122
10/26/2016 08:23 PM
10/26/2016 08:23 PM
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 2,151
Ontario, Canada
warren460 Offline
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warren460  Offline
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Posts: 2,151
Ontario, Canada
Going from usvi to svi and needing to check in makes sense because you are moving from a duty free zone to a duty zone.

That's similar to going through customs on arrival by ferry in stt and then again when departing stt in a flight to the continent.


Warren S/V Scuba Doo
Lagoon 50 (winner of best crewed yacht under 55 feet at the St. Thomas crewed yacht boat show).

https://www.cyabrochure.com/ebn/2307/pdyrX/6642/4///
Re: Clearing C&I bvi [Re: Maria_and_Steve] #110123
11/13/2016 03:00 PM
11/13/2016 03:00 PM
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 55
NC
GoneSailing Offline
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GoneSailing  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 55
NC
Quote
Maria_and_Steve said:
GeorgeC1 - I don't understand the "clear out at Cruz Bay" part. Private boats don't clear out of the USVI. We just leave and are not required to clear out. Maybe it is different for commercial vessels?


From what I understand a US flagged vessel does not have to clear out of the US. Foreign flagged vessels have to clear out since Homeland keeps track of the time in US waters for foreign vessels.


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