BVI paperwork for party joining us late

We've cleared our US charter boat in/out of the BVI several times - I know how to do that, no issues there. But this year we have a couple that is joining us for a few days by taking the ferry to West End after we've already cleared in with C&I a day before they get there.

So how do I add two people to the fees when I check in to the BVI - I assume I need to pay the cruising tax and the parks fee as they are per person fees. At the time I check in I don't have their passport numbers and all that stuff - and certainly they will already clear in through C&I as they disembark from the ferry. Can I pay their fees when I check in (the day before they arrive) without adding them to the passenger manifest which requires passport numbers (I think...)?

You can just add them to your BVI papers, we have done this many times.

Will this couple be on the boat when you clear out of the BVI? If not, then they need not be added to the clearance papers. If yes, then they are added to your papers when you clear out of the BVI.

Not if you get stopped by BVI Customs and/or Marine Police. They will check that there are not more people aboard than you have paid NPT permit and Customs cruising permit.

There's no names on those permits though - only name I've ever seen on them is mine and then it lists how many people the permit is good for.

Not sure about what you are saying, we check out of BVI and pick up folks in STT all the time. We just add the guests to our checkout papers and check back into BVI.

I'm talking about the cruising permit (from BVI Customs) and the National Parks Trust permit that bareboaters must have, that their charter company gives them and collects the money. If you are cruising on your own boat you probably have purchased yearly permits. I am not talking about the 5-part form that you use as you come and go to the BVI from other countries.

When your guest are clearing into the BVI they will be asked where they are staying and they must have a return ticket.
Since they're staying on your boat you should be there with your boat papers when they arrive so Immigration will be satisfied.

I, nor my guests have ever been asked to see a return ticket and rarely ask for the boat documents.

Casailor, your right we are talking private vs charter.

Guest coming into the BVI have to say where they're staying.
If they're going to be staying on a private transient boat then the boat owners of the boat have to be there and show immigration their papers.

US Customs asks that every time I travel thru....
Where you stayin ?

Wonder what happens if I say.."The White House"
...should I say... on Tortola ?

I always say in transit to bvi.

Our guests are not clearing out with us. We clear out three days after them.

So if i understand the threads here - and thanks a bunch for the responses by the way - I need to be available when they get off the ferry? Im still concerned how that works - can I even be in the C&I arrivals area? How do I meet up with them with the boat papers to show the people with the starched uniforms?

if I am understanding correctly, your friends will check in with all the ferry guests. You can dinghy to the customs dock and wait for them to clear.

So my guests wont need any boat papers to clear C&I coming off the ferry?
If understand correctly then I add the people to the cruising permit and park fees and for these I do not need to list names and passport numbers?

I think you all are over thinking this thing. When I arrrive to sail on a friend's boat I just say that and the boat's name and they wave me through. If they are not leaving on your boat you don't need to do anything. I would however notify immegrations as you clear in that you will have additional crew arrriving or with your charter company if they handle it so they can add them to the cruise permit and parks trust certificate.

I beg to differ, I have a private boat in the BVI and my guests write down the boat name and I've never once had to produce my boat papers when I've picked them up at either the airport or the ferry terminal.

We have also had guest join us, although not as often as zanshin. I agree 100% with him.

I've had guest where they told them they're staying on my boat and were let in, but one time they wanted to see the owner of the boat along with the boat papers so I had to go to the boat and retrieve them.

Might be different if its a charter boat vs private. But in this case its also a STT charter boat. Either way, I wouldn't worry about it, I'd just have them say they are staying on a charter boat and give the name of the boat. You'll be there picking them up so if there is any issue, they can contact you and tell you where to go to clear it up.

It's still wiser to bring the boat papers.
Usually when C&I get confused it goes from a mole hill to a mountain and you might have to take a trip to C&I in town and the day is wasted.