TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands boat check-in at St John

Back in May we were down in the BVI, sailed to St John and had to check in at Red Hook. We'll heading back to the BVI in 6 weeks and want to go to St John again. Is Customs open in Cruz Bay to check in boats? I heard this was suppose to happen, not sure if it's in operation yet. Be nice to check in there and see the progress Cruz Bay has made.

http://www.traveltalkonline.com/ubb...-c-i-reopening-this-week.html#Post162344

It reopened in June. Office is located in a trailer at the head of the Creek, just past the old C&I office. Tie up at the NPS dinghy docks, and walk over.

Thanks,
I know that area very well

There is a new mobile app for checking in. https://www.cbp.gov/travel/pleasure-boats-private-flyers/pleasure-boat-overview/roam
In theory you can check in by video call. We shall see. Only took 3 different government computer systems to get it set up!

I tried the Roam app on my adroid phone in August. Didn't work. When I submitted the entry it says I have to allow the app to access my gps location. All of that was turned on. So I rather suspect - atleast at the time - that Adroid wasn't working. I know of other's that cleared in with an iPhone and supposedly that worked super. Let us know how it works for you and what device you used. Thanks and good luck!

Nice write-up on CBP ROAM

How to use CBP ROAM

USVI POEs

Reviews on it are very low. Is this much different than mobile passport? Thanks

Just used ROAM to check into to St. John from BVI. First attempt was a bust because I was still in BVI waters. Second attempt worked flawlessly. Great app that saves all the hassle of checking in at US CBP in person. One thing to note, learned that ship’s stores do not count when asked if you are inporting fruit, meat, etc.

Do you have a reference on the ships stores issue?

When my first attempt was a bust I went to the CBP office in Cruz Bay. It was there I was told that ROAM would not work if I initiated it while outside US waters. I then proceeded to resubmit online using ROAM and was approved within 5 minutes. Prior to resubmiting, I questioned the CBP office about meats, fruits, etc. which ROAM asks you to declare if you “bringing” into then US. Obviously you would always have to answer this question in the affirmative when arriving by boat unless you disposed of just about all food on board. Both CBP officers informed me that the question does not apply to “ship’s stores” because the items will not (and should not) be brought ashore.

Am I understanding this correctly...can be used by US citizen chartering BVI flagged vessel based in Tortola, intending to visit St. John's?

Yes, but the vessel has to be registered with US CBP and tagged. My boat has a USCG COD, but is licensed in BVI and managed by TMM.

This is fantastic information @stlmco!

Am I understanding this correctly - an all US Citizen crew aboard a charter in the BVI and enter the USVI (in our case plan would be St. John) and check-in via this app? In this case, all that would be necessary is clearing out of BVI prior to heading to St. John? We would then need to return to the BVI - do we need to go to customs to clear back out of USVI?

No need to clear out of USVI. (But still must clear back in to BVI.... I suggest JVD)

Used the app last week and unfortunately, submitted prior to being in US waters. Kept saying "Status pending" or "in process" so we went to CBP.

Officer immediately cleared me in by her computer without even looking at our physical passports (all was in APP). Seemed new to them and they had not noticed incoming request, but they seemed really positive regarding APP.

So as far as being in US water before initiating the app, could you be as far away as Waterlemon and initiate it or should you be sitting in Cruz Bay?
Thanks
Ellen

That is the best question of the day!
George

You need to be in US waters. On Friday, I tried submitting twice while in the vicinity of Nanny Cay and it was rejected, but once I got near Flanagan Island inside US waters the submittal was immediately accepted and moved to PENDING status for CBP review. Pretty sure it uses your GPS location to make this determination.

Please note that US Permanent Residents and non-US citizens will NOT be approved for entry to USVI from BVI (or other foreign country) using the ROAM App. They need to continue to present themselves for photo and fingerprints (as usual) at Cruz Bay or Charlotte Amalie C&I. Found this out on Friday. Good excuse to visit The Landings for a bushwacker.

@Deepcut - Got it, okay. So, the process will look like this:

1. Check OUT BVI @ JVD or West End (is WE open again?)
2. Check IN USVI via ROAM @ USVI Waters off St. John
3. Check IN BVI @ JVD

Look right? Would be very nice to skip #1!

Thanks everyone, this is really helpful.

To get technical - if we do not go ashore, raise a yellow flag, is this a valid way to spend a night as well? Or, is that only allowed if you arrive after customs has closed for the day?

Drew

ScubaDrew

Must clear out of BVI but can do this 24hours before departure.

Not sure about West End, but my previous experience with WE was long/tedious and unfriendly. To me, JVD is better choice and I have heard same sentiment from many. Hopefully this attitude will change.

Regarding staying in anchorage without clearing in, I do not know the legal answer but I suspect it would not be wise.

Everywhere I've been (10 countries in Caribbean), there's no problem anchoring and flying the Q if you arrive after hours - PROVIDED you clear in first thing in the morning. Just sailing away without ever clearing in can get you in big trouble, even if you never went ashore. If you try this before customs has closed, even bigger trouble.

I think I recall from a post a few months ago that if flying the Q, you must be in an official port of entry and immediately clear in the morning. I recall from the post the this person was flying the Q at Norman and immigration officials paid him a visit that turned out to be very expensive and time consuming.

Thanks everyone for the info.

Appreciate all of the info on Roam. We used it today and cleared our party of 7 in under 5 minutes while on a ball near Caneel Bay after 4 or 5 clicks on my phone. That was by far the best US customs experience we have ever had.

Great news! Now if we could get the BVI to have a similar process or at least clear out and back at the same time things will be vastly improved!

CDavis2, did your yacht have a DTOPS sticker from US CBP or did they let you clear in without one? I know a lot of the BVI charter yachts do not carry a DTOPS sticker and wondered how strict they were with this process.

When I used the Roam when going to St John last month it asked the sticker number and than all the boat info appeared. My understanding is you have to have the sticker.

Our boat did not have the sticker but you are able to purchase the decal when you start using the app since they accept the purchase order number in the certificate number field. Basically, I purchased the decal when I was setting up the boat in the app and it links you to a different site to make the purchase. I expect to receive it in a few weeks. Cost for our decal was something like 28 per year. The site to purchase the decal was not very user friendly and not integrated with the other .Gov sites but the purchase number worked perfectly when I used it on the app. We own the boat but I will share the info with our charter company so other people can use it.