US Customs & Immigration

[Mike Lowthian]

I am a Canadian. My boat is registered in Canada. Currently docked in Miami. When I arrived I cleared in with US Border officials in the usual manner. My question is when I leave (going over to the Bahamas) do I have to clear out or can I just leave the country? Any advice will be appreciated.

 

[FF]

You do need to clear outbound . perhaps at the airport.

Call to find out where .

 

[menzies]

https://iyba.yachts/news/understanding-us-entry-and-exit-requirements-for-yachts

 

[boatpoker]

You do need to clear out and acquire a "permission to proceed". You have to pay for this permission and if I remember it was about $20 or $25.

 

[Mike Lowthian]

Sorry Gents, you are wrong. I got my answer by contacting CBP directly. It is NOT necessary to clear out.

 

[psneeld]

I think if you are here on a cruising permit you do....

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/de...eporting-departure-from-u.s.,-cruising-permit

 

[fgarriso]

As per the US Customs web site.


"If traveling via boat with a cruising permit, do I have to report our departure to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) when leaving the U.S.?

Yes, whenever you depart the United States (U.S.) by pleasure boat/small vessel to a foreign country, you must obtain clearance with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) before departing. If you were issued a crusing license to cruise the U.S. territorial waters, you must clear your departure with CBP before proceeding to a foreign location."

 

[boatpoker]

Sorry Gents, you are wrong. I got my answer by contacting CBP directly. It is NOT necessary to clear out.

thats not what they told me 8 days ago.

The problem I have run into frequently is that every officer tells you something different. When I respond that the last officer told me to do x, the universal response is "That's not my problem".

This has been an ongoing battle since all of these agencies were combined under Homeland Security.

 

[wwestman]

A US flagged pleasure boat operated by US Citizens does not need to clear out. However, many islands in the Caribbean require a "Permit to Proceed" when entering their country.
Non-US Citizens are ALWAYS supposed to check out.
If you don't give the officer you talk to ALL the information, you will get the wrong answer and it will bite you in the butt later.

 

[BandB]

Often the difference is how the question is asked. The website is clear as to what those on cruising permits must do. However, that's different than what others must do. We would have to know the exact question asked on the various referenced calls and still need to hear it verified. I prefer either two independent responses or something in writing.

To Mike Lowthian: What kind of permit or cruising arrangement are you cruising under? Is it a cruising permit or something else?

 

[Mike Lowthian]

It seems no one knows for sure, even the CBP, per boatpoker's comments. Best for me to check with them when I leave to be safe. Thank you all for your input.

 

[wwestman]

It never hurts to do the right thing. Checking in and out can be a pain but if something happens you want to paperwork to show you did it right or at least tried.

 

[dhays]

It never hurts to do the right thing. Checking in and out can be a pain but if something happens you want to paperwork to show you did it right or at least tried.

I think most would agree that it good to do the right thing, as long as we can figure out what that is.

 

[Comodave]

If you got the info from a person then I would ask for the persons name and contact info. I would rather see it in print as to how to proceed. Then keep a copy of the directions. People can tell you something wrong and you have no recourse however if you have a printed copy then you have something to stand on when you are questioned. You may not have a problem leaving without clearing out but you may have trouble when you come back in if you didn’t clear out.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
I will third Mr. BP's comments regarding one CPB official not knowing what the other is/was doing or misquoting official information.
Probably the most prudent option would be to check out anyway whether or not it's "required" AND get the name/badge number of the agent you're speaking with. Record it in the ship's log including the date and time.

 

[jimdavi]

Sounds like the airport security check point...

 

[wwestman]

As a matter of course, you should always make note of any interactions with officials in your vessel log. You DO have an official log of some kind that you can show them, right?

 

[garychurch]

For purposes of US Customs and Immigration, CBP does not recognize the USVI as the same CBP Region as Puerto Rico and the Spanish Virgins. Therefore, you need to clear US customs once in the USVI and a second time all over again in Puerto Rico or the Spanish Virgins. We cleared in St. Croix assuming we were back in the US - wrong. We anchored in Culebra thinking we had been cleared into to US. It was only after going to Marina del Mar we were advised we needed CBP clearance and St. Croix didn’t count.

Also, be aware that when entering the US special arrangements need to be made to dispose of “foreign trash”. We brought trash from St, Barth and they wanted $75 in St. Croix to dispose of it. Since we were on a boat we were allowed to carry it on to Puerto Rico and pay a nominal fee at the marina for disposal. Be aware however trash from St. Croix is considered “foreign” when arriving in Puerto Rico. Glad we didn’t pay twice.

 

[firehoser75]

I think most would agree that it good to do the right thing, as long as we can figure out what that is.

Agree totally. I always try to follow the rules, especially as I do not want to lose my NEXUS privileges. However, with the way individual Customs agents are given "so much" discretion (and authority), coupled with them sometimes not knowing all of the rules (changes), it makes it very difficult to actually know what to do to fully comply
Under these circumstances, I find it baffling that sometimes I have been told that it is my responsibility to know (myself) all of the rules and to keep that knowledge right up to date, when they find that difficult themselves and that is their job!
Oh well, it is the system we have to operate within.