Cost For Cruising Permit

[rosatte]

Goodday lads we are planning a trip from great lakes down east coast and on to bahamas next fall we are wondering how much a crusing permit for the Bahamas will cost and how long we can stay we are Canadian citizens. .cheers lads

[IntoMyHealth]

I'll be the first to reply from the "never been there, never done that" crowd. I think it's $300, good for a year.

[Ribbit]

Originally Posted by IntoMyHealth

I'll be the first to reply from the "never been there, never done that" crowd. I think it's $300, good for a year.

Makes note to avoid the Bahamas . . . .

An old friend and neighbour used to be head of security there for ages, and I had planned on popping in for a visit to his old armoury.

Pass.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Ribbit

Makes note to avoid the Bahamas . . . .



An old friend and neighbour used to be head of security there for ages, and I had planned on popping in for a visit to his old armoury.



Pass.

300 for a year isn't bad.......


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[rosatte]

Thats what i thought 300 not bad...but he did say never been there

[hellosailor]

Cost depends on the size of the boat and number of souls on board.
No idea if you pay the same rates as Colonials, being as you and they are both former British properties and there's often a break for that.


And "next fall" means the rules may very well change, as they often do annually, before then.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by rosatte

Goodday lads we are planning a trip from great lakes down east coast and on to bahamas next fall we are wondering how much a crusing permit for the Bahamas will cost and how long we can stay we are Canadian citizens. .cheers lads

Would not a review of that countries website for customs & immigration information be as specific as it could be for the here and now?

What's your plans for sneakin' through the USA to get to the Bahamas?

[rosatte]

Boats a 34ft.r and yea could review country.s website but though this would get us a round about idea...and not gonna skip usa .going down coast with several dedicated stops

[colemj]

Boats less than 35' are $150USD for a cruising permit that is good for a year.

Immigration is free and good for either 90 days or 120 days, seemingly depending on the whim of the particular officer.

Mark

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by colemj

Boats less than 35' are $150USD for a cruising permit that is good for a year.

Immigration is free and good for either 90 days or 120 days, seemingly depending on the whim of the particular officer.

Mark

There also used to be a fishing liscence. Nominal cost as I recall.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

There also used to be a fishing liscence. Nominal cost as I recall.

A fishing license has always been free, but in the Bahama bureaucratic tradition, you must specifically ask for one when checking in.

And you must specifically ask again for a pole spear endorsement if you plan to use one.

And you must specifically ask again for a Hawaiian sling endorsement if you plan to use one.

Mark

[Ribbit]

Originally Posted by colemj

Boats less than 35' are $150USD for a cruising permit that is good for a year.

Immigration is free and good for either 90 days or 120 days, seemingly depending on the whim of the particular officer.

Mark

Ohhh, I was thinking of popping in for no more than a couple of weeks, not intent on cruising around for a while. So may be ok.

Old Jack had lots of photo's of the armoury he was in charge of, and took great pride in it, as well as where he lived, and it's just a nostalgia thing of a great guy that's now passed on.

He was one of the last, if not the last senior RAF guys out of France during the evacuation of France (at the time of Dunkirk, etc), and made sure everyone was getting out ok, before getting a ride home in the bomb bay of a bomber. A great character, sadly missed.

[Nicholson58]

DO check on Noonsite.


We plan to be leaving form Muskegon Michigan in the spring. Going the same way I think. Look for ROXY.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by Ribbit

Ohhh, I was thinking of popping in for no more than a couple of weeks, not intent on cruising around for a while. So may be ok.

If you are boarded and caught without checking in, you will lose your boat and be spending a lot of time and money extricating yourself from the Bahamas. And not from the nice and pretty part of the Bahamas shown in vacation guides.

The BDF is out on the water boarding people quite actively because they now have a lot of boats, the Haitian refugee problem is getting worse, and they know people are flaunting the immigration laws regularly.

You might get lucky, you might not.

Mark

[BobH260]

The cost of the cruising permit can vary depending on where you clear. Some offices charge $150 for boats under 30', and $300 for a boat over 30'. Other offices charge $150 for boats under 35' and $300 over 35'.
The government has gone back and forth on the length of the boat. The office seem to do what they want.
Also they only deal in cash on the barrel.
We are a Canadian documented vessel, our official length is 34.5' and have paid $150 each time we cleared, usually get a 90 day visa, easily extended if need be. Always ask for your fishing license if you intend to do any.
I have talked to cruisers there that have had their boat in the Bahamas for 5 years on cruising permits.
Bob