TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Venturing to the USVI

I've been sailing in the BVI for years but have never ventured to St. John. I'm heading back in january - anyone have any thoughts on whether or not it's worth it?? Is customs a hassle to get through??

no customs hassle at all, St.John is beautiful, not to be missed.

You check in and out of Cruz Bay, on the west end.
Cruz is jam-packed and not the best place to anchor. Too busy.

It's easiest to pick up a ball in western Caneel Bay near the point, throw everyone in the dingy and tie up at the dingy dock, which is at the head of the ferry dock in the center of Cruz. Everyone must go, and take your passports directly to the custom's house, which is north (to the left) of the dingy dock.

The dingy ride can be a little splashy sometimes. Depends on wind.

I posted a sticky with links to C&I forms and maps a few years ago at this US C&I TTOL LINK

We plan on visiting St John's on either our trip in two weeks or our next trip in March, Looking over the Entrance/Clearance Statement, do we need to have one copy filed out to leave BVI, to enter U.S., to depart U.S and finally enter back into BVI (total of 4 versions)? Does the same go for the Passenger list. Also, what about the cert if fin resp for water, passenger death/injury and transportation? Does the vessel form need to be COMPLETELY filed out?

You will need to check out of the BVI.

You will need to check back into the BVI.

As US citizens on a US registered vessel leaving the USVI by boat you don't have to check out. You just leave. Not sure about other situations.

I understand all that, just wondering if we need to provide the vessel entrance/clearance forms during ALL four of the custom visits.

A lot depends on the boat registration country. Since mine is delaware registered, I need a valid certificate of import, registration card, and sometime they ask for the bill of sale.

We own, registered in Ohio but chartered in the BI, so I was wondering what all they will want. Are you saying if they ask for all that info and you don't have it they send you back to the BVI?

Where do you suggest we go? Probably only have time for one day/night.

I sent a PM...in short check out of JVD, do a dance and be nice. If you needs one, you can get one there.

DO NOT go to Sopers for this.

"cert if fin resp for water"


please explain, Jag, your making way to much of the customs process. I have never been asked for bill or sale, registration, or anything other then clearance forms in many crossings. I doubt a bill of sale is on a charter boat.

HiYa sail2wind...

Is your boat privately owned/foreign registered? And you have never had to get a certificate of temporary import? They asked for mine. To get it they asked for reg+BoS and my 200 bucks+a 12 dollar document fee.

From:http://www.bvimarineguide.com/clearance.html
Temporary Importation : $200 for private vessels staying over 30 days.

As alway, you just must be lucky! My management company said there are 2500-5000 dollar fines if you don't have one.

Same section that you quoted from starts with this:

"There is no import duty for charter boats although locally owned boats still have to pay the appropriate duty."

Yep, thats why I need to pay it. Normally the charter company hold the import cert, and customs assumes that. Horizon did have a valid CoI for my boat, yet when I pulled it from charter, I forgot to re-up it.

I am sure that quite a few of us go by the motto "Nothing is illegal, until you are caught"

Sounds like this is a charter, so that won't be necessary.

I recalled from a thread that the OP owned, and foreign registered his boat. If that boat, that he owns, is still "in charter" then he does not need to get it as the charter company holds the certificate.

If it is not in charter, you need a CoI...unless you are lucky like sail2wind

from the OP's previous post, it is not clear..."We own, registered in Ohio but chartered in the BI" ...whether others charter his boat through a charter company

Yes, we pay the $212 a year, but it's a verbal "do you have the temporary import" and I say yes and we are done. The fees are twilight zone, so whatever they say, I pay. I think the less you talk, the easier you're check in is going to be. We got the temp import papers in Road Town and were never asked for bill of sale, which is in my file in Colorado. We do carry USCG documentation.

HiYa Evan.

It is only once and a while they ask for Temp Import, usually it's the lady with the 1.5 inch long nails that are ornately decorated.

The USCG doc would clearly fill one of the "boat DOC requirements" as would a BoS.

and Yes...Twilight Zone rules apply.

Last time we checked out of JVD, changed our mind about going to USVI (friggin' tropical storm brewing) and cleared back into BVI. they asked, but never checked that indeed we cleared in/out of USVI. In this case, the less you say rule applied.

sail2wind says no customs hassle. That is true if everyone on board is a U.S. citizen. Lots and lots of hassle if you are an 'alien' and you haven't got the right visa that allows you to arrive by private vessel.

Yep. If you've got any non-US passports holders, or don't have a green card, entry into the US on a private boat (includes charters) means they need visas even if the US has visa agreements with that country - that agreement only applies to common carriers like airlines and passenger vessels (like ferries and cruise ships).

Standard process is to check out of BVI, check in to USVI, check back into BVI. You don't want to do the USVI checkout, not required when leaving the US and the BVI is used to those returning on charters. Make sure you have a believable idea of the vessel weight, it's not always on your vessel papers.

No hassles for Canadians. No visa required. We show up with passports and ships papers.

If the USCG is trolling the area, be sure you pay attention to things like NOT exceeding the total # of people in the dingy (which should be posted in your dingy), PFD for everyone, and be sure you have all your boat paperwork in order and current. Lesson learned this Oct.

I have never seen a PFD in a dinghy. Do you take them to the restaurant or leave them in the dinghy?

Before the attacks start, technically you should have PFD's, but no one does, except for kids. Same in St.Martin, but we passed police boats in St.Martin and they just waved at us.

PFD's are required but it's rare that they'll stop you in the USVI and SVI unless a CG vessel is making its rounds or the dept of Natural Resources stop you for speeding in a harbour.
Most dinghy's have a forward locker that'll hold 3 or 4 PFD's and a few flares.

Tell the charter company in advance you plan to leave the BVI. Anytime you charter you should make sure the reservations office and the base operators know you are going to leave the country and return. Not all the boats in all the locations have that paperwork. The further away you get from Tortola the larger the challenge.

We usually spend at least one night somewhere in the USVI. Our prefered spot for a dinner and night aboard is Waterlemon Cay / Leinster Bay



That location works for us. You could easily spend a week just moving from St. John to St. John anchorages. Every group is different. I would recommend you read your cruising guides carefully with the needs of your crew in mind. St. John is packed with beauty. Some of the incredible spots lack the compact mooring field coupled with a beach bar and dining ashore many think they must have each day. There are some great St. John beaches. Some of our guests have enjoyed climbing up the steps to the unique Eco Resort at above Moho Bay. When the food service is open the breakfast can be a very reasonable offering after a morning beach walk and climb up the hill. Yes, Go to St. John and the USVI. Do your homework on where you will stop.

Food Service Moho Bay Eco-Resort

The dinghy ride from Caneel has proven too wet for some of our crew.

The Maho Bay eco resort is closed and totally disassembled.

Picky Picky <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Yes it is , it was great from the mid 70's till it finally closed.

That's about the last time StormJib (Ron Rowe) was in the BVI

A really big bummer that place closed. it was the first place my linda and I went...before we were married. ...oh, the travesty.

Also a place where we rescued a USCG cadet that got stung "by something" that went into anaphylactic shock after being bitten while snorkin' off the beach. We administered the right stuff and delivered him to the USCG cutter anchored in the above bay. And no...we did not wear our PFDs when we delivered him.

It is rather disconcerting when a USCG cutter is anchored in the same bay as you, and that big gun is pointed in your direction all night.

Dream catcher,

If you only have time for one night in St John, I would suggest you don't go to St John or find a way to change your schedule so you can spend more nights there. We did the one night stay in August, there was just too much "official business" for me for a one night stay. Check out of BVI (JVD for us) check into U.S. At Cruz Bay via Dinghy, check back into BVI at Sopers.

Sorry to put a damper on your plans,

Tony

His link was copyrighted 2013. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

With all said, and to get back to the question, I've a boat in the BVI, and things are different on the other side of the line. I've gone to St. John many times with friends and guests with zero problems. This Oct was not one of those times... I tied up at Mary's Point as usual, put my crew of 8 in the dingy and headed for customs. USCG was there as I rounded the point. Yes, I was in the wrong as far as the US side goes as I had 9 people in a dingy limited to 5, and not one PFD present. This is the one and only time Ive been stopped in 9 years. They were doing their job, training young guys, and again my mistake. Just a heads up. Regardless, a trip to St John is well worth it! Saving grace was I had current paperwork, AND I was on a charter company boat, so USCG was a bit confused as to how to play it. Still waiting for the paperwork and 'possible fines' they told me were coming, to hit the mailbox

I love St John and go there frequently but when we are in the USVI I am always more mindful of "the rules", less than a mile apart but so different.