TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Use of CBP Roam under owner use?

I'm hoping someone has a definitive answer for this:

If my Moorings catamaran is US flagged (USCG registered), and I am operating it under contractual owner use, should the vessel be eligible to enter the USVI from the BVI using the CBP Roam app?

Is it correct that when the same vessel is being used by an operator under a Moorings charter contract, it would be ineligible to use CBP Roam?

My boat is currently registered under a 1-year BVI (home-based) registration while USCG registration is still in process, but that will expire next month.

Thanks!

If all passengers are U.S. citizens and boat has current Roam registration you should be fine regardless of boat registration. However if even ONE person is not U.S. passport holder, ALL PASSENGERS will have to stop in Cruz Bay and appear at U.S. CBP. We did it twice this year under those exact circumstances. Boat was registered in BVI.

I’m not sure if owner or charter status matters, except for BVI park fees coming into BVI which are, of course, charged when clearing into BVI. And return also subject to the new rules impacting charter operators not BVI based, which wouldn’t apply for Moorings.

I agree. We used CBP Roam with several US Citizens and even two Canadians on a Waypoints charter out of Frenchtown. It was almost too easy. After we keyed in all the info, we got the "You're cleared for entry" in about 15 minutes. Certainly better than the rigamarole going in and out of the BVI.

Between these comments, the comments from the USVI customs officials, the Moorings owner care liaison, and the AI sources I've consulted, I am no closer to understanding the conditions under which CBP Roam can be used :-/

Mr EZ, not sure what’s behind your hesitation. If it doesn’t work what have you lost?

Even if the boat is not registered with ROAM, you can use ROAM (just fill in the registration number as all zeros - it was 5 or 6 digits as I recall), put in the rest of the info (as others have said - all US citizens), and you should be good to go. I cannot quote chapter and verse as to why it works, but repeated instances have worked just fine (I think we've done it 3 times that way).

Good luck!!!

Registering for ROAM for the USCG vessel is straightforward. You also need to add travelers in the app. The app has the eligibility requirements in more succinct detail than the CBP web page - "US citizens, nationals, and lawful permanent residents; Canadian citizens, permanent residents who are nationals of a Visa Waiver Program country"

We've used ROAM more than a dozen times and it was pretty smooth. Sometimes the approval comes through right away. Sometimes they want a video call and see each person with their passport. One time it was a day trip and our guests had already headed home and it was not a problem. I wish the BVIs had the equivalent, but I do not expect that to happen.

We've had the ROAM program manager out for SSCA events in Baltimore. The CBP wants us to use ROAM to reduce workload. No more walking to the airport on Culebra, I hope.

Cheers, RickG

Thank you for your responses.

One issue is that though I applied for 5 year USCG registration more than a year ago, the application is still pending and Moorings obtained a 1-year BVI "home based" vessel registration. I had been led to believe that this prevented me from using the Roam app to enter the USVI, which the officer in Cruz Bay seemed to confirm.

The second issue is that I have been led to believe that a Moorings boat chartered to paying customers was classed as a commercial vessel, while our boat, with just my wife, myself (the owners) and non-paying US citizen guests aboard would qualify as a pleasure vessel and that this also affected the eligibility to enter the USVI using the Roam app.

Ultimately, it may depend somewhat on the officer processing the request, but I do not like leaving myself open to reprimand, so I prefer to know I am operating within the rules, even if the processing authority doesn't know or doesn't care.

The worst possible outcome is that the CBP agent doing the review requests you and your crew appear in person, with a possible significant delay. You can anchor in the Cruz Bay Creek in 6-feet for 3 hours. You can tie up your dinghy. at the dinghy dock near the NPS Visitors Center in the creek (concrete, not the dock) or the dinghy docks on either side of the ferry wharf (possible port fee). Note your ROAM arrival number. If you're detail oriented, you can also download, fill out the arrival documents, and print.

Cheers, RickG

Thanks Rick. If the agent requests that I appear in person is it not possible that he then lectures me about my inappropriate request? That's what I hope to avoid if at all possible.

We hadn't done this for 15 years. I'm sure navigating the process and dealing well with officials is an important skill for a cruiser, and I have to admit that in that sense I'm not one. I'm kind of hard of hearing and accents exacerbate the situation. My wife helps out as much as she can. But we really loved St. John. I especially liked the Hurricane Hole and Lameshur.

We dinghied from Caneel, not brave enough to anchor in unfamiliar Cruz, but it didn't look so bad - this was still a few days before the crowds descended. Funny thing - we tied our dinghy to the customs dock and as we were leaving, from an unmarked booth, came the request that we pay $12 dockage fee for our dinghy :-). Next time we know to tie up at the NPS and walk over.

Make sure you lock your dinghy at any dock in Cruz Bay.