One-way airfare to Martinique

[Symphony]

I am picking up a Boat in Martinique to bring back to the US.

Has anyone entered Martinique recently?
Does Martinique immigration require me to have a return air ticket?

Has anyone experienced gaining entrance with only a letter or contract from the owner of the boat?

Thank you

[boatman61]

Maybe you should contact your nearest French Embassy.. they should be able to advise you on entry by air.

[Symphony]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Maybe you should contact your nearest French Embassy.. they should be able to advise you on entry by air.

Good idea, Boatman. I searched all of their information website, so I know that I am clear of needing a visa, but I can find nothing about Crew in transit.

I guess I will have to straighten up my voice and call them. :-)

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Symphony

Good idea, Boatman. I searched all of their information website, so I know that I am clear of needing a visa, but I can find nothing about Crew in transit.

I guess I will have to straighten up my voice and call them. :-)

Hope your accent is 'good ole boy' and not too mid Atlantic.. they might think your a Brit and refuse to understand you..

[Palarran]

I would bet that it's cheaper to buy a round trip ticket than a one way.

[Symphony]

good idea - I'll use check -
a round trip ticket from JFK is a little less than double the cost of a one way ticket.

the French consulate accepts calls regarding immigration and visas only between 4 and 5pm each day.

The general rules for entry is a round trip ticket and money in your pocket. They won't accept "Open" tickets as proof of round trip. There is an exception for Long Term Visa holders and Airplane crews. Yachts and "crew in transit" are not mentioned.

[majones]

Originally Posted by Symphony

good idea - I'll use check -
a round trip ticket from JFK is a little less than double the cost of a one way ticket.

the French consulate accepts calls regarding immigration and visas only between 4 and 5pm each day.

The general rules for entry is a round trip ticket and money in your pocket. They won't accept "Open" tickets as proof of round trip. There is an exception for Long Term Visa holders and Airplane crews. Yachts and "crew in transit" are not mentioned.

Purchase two one way tickets. The return ticket should be a fully refundable ticket. Cancel the return ticket once you have the boat. Or so I have read somewhere on CF.
Michael

[belizesailor]

Assisted owner moving new boat out of Martinique a last year. Immigration was lax...in fact, we strolled right out of the airport before we realized we had never been challenged by immigration! Had to go back and find an immigration officer to get our passports stamped (they did seem a little embarrassed).

Most countries have a proof of onward travel law on the books but enforcement varies. What is more consistent is a pre-departure check by airline because they get stuck with taking you back if you are denied entry...that's where you are most likely to encounter this issue.

What I do is book a ticket on Expedia, print it or at least have image copy (depends, some places only like paper), then cancel within their 24 hour cancelation grace period. A letter from boat owner etc is sometimes handy too, but the printed ticket will be more likely to be accepted without question.

If you are concerned about the airline looking up your reservation to comfirm, which I dont think Ive ever had them do, then book it less than 24 hours before your flight and cancel after check in. Ive literally booked a ticket on line while in the check in line and then canceled it while waiting at the gate.

[Symphony]

Thanks, all.
Belize sailor- great plan.

[ffelker]

I flew into Martinique on a one way ticket in late February. I was chartering 1-way from Martinique to Guadeloupe. So I did have a return ticket to the US, but it was from a different island. Nobody paid any attention to any of these issues. Not the airline (Norwegian Air) and certainly not French Immigration.

I routinely fly into the caribbean on 1-way tickets. I've never had any problems. If questioned, I think that if you simply explain that you're picking up a boat that would be sufficient. You surely have some sort of documentation of your planned journey. But the prior suggestion by belizesailor is easy enough if you want to be extra safe.

[jmschmidt]

I bought a one-way ticket from all the way from Honolulu to Beef Island (Tortola) for $440.00 including the San Juan to Beef Island connecting flight. One-ways are the unknown gems in the airline world. Got a one-way back from the BVI once for not much more. A round trip would have been 2-3 hundred more.

There a reason for this anomaly but one would have had to spent fifty years in the airline business to know that.

Never had any trouble in Cayman, Bahamas, BVI, etc. with immigration over one-way tickets.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by Symphony

I am picking up a Boat in Martinique to bring back to the US.

Has anyone entered Martinique recently?
Does Martinique immigration require me to have a return air ticket?

Has anyone experienced gaining entrance with only a letter or contract from the owner of the boat?

Thank you

Hi. I have an interest in this topic of "one way tickets" to Caribbean nations for the purpose of traveling to one country then exiting the country on a boat (to then go to the USA or other countries).

I am curious too, how it may be influenced by the status of the person.

I hope you will answer the following sincere and friendly questions, and also post what you find out. And if you have the opportunity to speak with an official (airline or country) please ask these same questions and post what you find in this thread (or send me a PM if you prefer). Thanks!
___________

In your case, you wrote you are "picking up a boat."

Are you going to be the owner of that boat? Owner status. Does it matter to the Country officials or airline?

Are you going to be the professional delivery captain? Professional service provider.

Are you going to be a member of the crew who neither owns the boat nor is paid to serve as a delivery captain?

[jmschmidt]

I received your response. Thanks. I can't speak for any others but in my case I am a US citizen with a US passport and hold a US Coast Guard master's ticket and a few other federal issued licenses and permits. My company owns a charter boat based in the BVI. I also do delivery gigs. I travel with a "Crew Letter" from on company's letterhead which states the purpose of my travel. I've never been asked to show the crew letter by any airline of immigration official. Verbal explanations have always been accepted.

My guess is that if you have a passport from any major country, especially a country who's citizens enjoy visa fee travel to many areas of world, you will not have any trouble with airline or immigration personal. I've sailed with crew members who had only a passport as a credential and they too have not had a problem. Also, any boat owner can give you a "crew letter". I

[TheOffice]

Flew in and out on Norweigian. They never asked how we were leaving.

[sck5]

you dont need a round trip ticket. what you need is a ticket to another country so you are no longer the airline's responsibility. You could, for ex. get a ticket on LIAT from Martinique to St. Lucia, which is the next island down. That would do the trick. You dont need a ticket all the way back to where you came from. And even if you DID need a ticket back to your home country, the nearest point is San Juan, PR, not wherever you live on the mainland