General Documents for Entry at Foreign Ports

[svjobeth]

Hello all,

Of course, each country can have it's own quirks and specific forms, etc., for entry requirements. Certainly, there are specific documents universal to most nation's requirements for entry via yachts. We carry:

Passports
USCG Vessel Document
State of FL Registration for Yacht and Dinghy
Official Crew List
VHF Radio Station License
Vessel Insurance Certificate
Personal documents - birth certificates, marriage license, proof of medical insurance, driver's licenses

As our cruising plans develop to take us beyond the USA, we're interested in hearing from other cruisers which documents, etc., they carry as 'standard' documents in photocopy form, etc.

Thanks!

[Dsanduril]

In our experience we have been asked for your first three:

Passports
USCG Vessel Document
State of FL Registration for Yacht and Dinghy

Never the rest, with the exception of occasional requirements for proof of medical insurance/coverage.

In addition to those you mentioned most places seem to require some form of crew list that contains the personally identifying information of every crew member. Of course every place uses a different form, sometimes you can get away with generic, sometimes you can't.

There are a few places that require proof of financial viability and/or a ticket out.

We have been asked for boat insurance going into a marina, but never by government officials getting into a country.

[svjobeth]

Originally Posted by Dsanduril

In our experience we have been asked for your first three:

Passports
USCG Vessel Document
State of FL Registration for Yacht and Dinghy

Never the rest, with the exception of occasional requirements for proof of medical insurance/coverage.

In addition to those you mentioned most places seem to require some form of crew list that contains the personally identifying information of every crew member. Of course every place uses a different form, sometimes you can get away with generic, sometimes you can't.

There are a few places that require proof of financial viability and/or a ticket out.

We have been asked for boat insurance going into a marina, but never by government officials getting into a country.

Ah - I did mean to include a crew list in there. Will edit that into the list.

Interesting about proving financial viability. We've heard some countries ask about that and/or a 'return ticket,' but it's almost always been for those flying in to meet and depart on the yacht, rather than those arriving on the yacht.

Thank you!

[Nicholson58]

Foreign entities do not care about or understand your state registration stuff. They want passports, USCG documentation. That’s all. Four seasons in the Caribbean and we’ve never been asked to show a station license or proof of insurance. Bonaire was the only insurance exception. France sure as heck doesn’t care that we once had Michigan registration. The only place a Florida document might be useful is the Bahamas if your boat is not documented. The dinghy belongs to the yacht. It’s only in the US that states (who cares) require separate registration for a rubber tender. Most dinghies in the Caribbean have absolutely no markings. Most people do not want to broadcast the dinghy of XYZ yacht and it’s people are not aboard.

[svjobeth]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

Foreign entities do not care about or understand your state registration stuff. They want passports, USCG documentation. That’s all. Four seasons in the Caribbean and we’ve never been asked to show a station license or proof of insurance. Bonaire was the only insurance exception. France sure as heck doesn’t care that we once had Michigan registration. The only place a Florida document might be useful is the Bahamas if your boat is not documented. The dinghy belongs to the yacht. It’s only in the US that states (who cares) require separate registration for a rubber tender. Most dinghies in the Caribbean have absolutely no markings. Most people do not want to broadcast the dinghy of XYZ yacht and it’s people are not aboard.

Thanks -


We'd had friends clearing into Guatemala who had the dinghy registration issue come up. We've not personally heard of any country in the Caribbean ask about the radio station license, but it did come up for a while somewhere in Europe - the Azores, if memory serves. But, those things did seem unusual to us, as the asking for insurance on the yacht.


Thanks again -

[atoll]

you might want to include in that list,your "port clearance" from your last port.

also if the yacht has ever been through the panama canal there might be a admeasurers certificate and your unique panama canal number onboard.
which will save you getting measured again

st helena and acension islands require proof of 10 million in medical and evacuation cover

many countries require a valid yellow fever certificate for all onboard.

singapore requires vessels have a wreck removal clause in their insurance
as well as a mmsi number and an active AIS transponder

[svjobeth]

Originally Posted by atoll

you might want to include in that list,your "port clearance" from your last port.

also if the yacht has ever been through the panama canal there might be a admeasurers certificate and your unique panama canal number onboard.
which will save you getting measured again

st helena and acension islands require proof of 10 million in medical and evacuation cover

many countries require a valid yellow fever certificate for all onboard.

singapore requires vessels have a wreck removal clause in their insurance
as well as a mmsi number and an active AIS transponder

Thank you!


$10 Million in med/evac coverage sounds crazy-high! Interesting note on the MMSI/AIS requirement. That's something I hear more and more countries are looking for. Fortunately, we already have both - but (affordable/reasonable) full insurance coverage for cruising remains a bit elusive...

[sck5]

The government may not want to see boat insurance but marinas often do

[svjobeth]

Originally Posted by sck5

The government may not want to see boat insurance but marinas often do

Yep, I included it as couple of our friends have been asked for proof of insurance coverage, usually liability, for their boat by some government entity. Seems rare, but it apparently does happen.


Thanks for the reply.

[Dsanduril]

Originally Posted by svjobeth

...$10 Million in med/evac coverage sounds crazy-high! ...

It sounds a bit high, but in reality you can purchase it on island (St. Helena) for about US$1/person/day. The insurance covers both St. Helena and Ascension and they even suspended the insurance (so we didn't have to pay the premium) while we were on the 4-day passage between the two. All in, for two people, I think our total cost was less than US$30 (November 2018).

[svjobeth]

Originally Posted by Dsanduril

It sounds a bit high, but in reality you can purchase it on island (St. Helena) for about US$1/person/day. The insurance covers both St. Helena and Ascension and they even suspended the insurance (so we didn't have to pay the premium) while we were on the 4-day passage between the two. All in, for two people, I think our total cost was less than US$30 (November 2018).

Good to know - thanks!

[Dsanduril]

Since we're on the topic, another item to add to your list is visas. There's lots of places some people can travel and not worry about it, but mention of Ascension reminded me that you're supposed to have a visa, which includes a moderately thorough background check, before you arrive (military/spy base you know).

As US citizens we have found most (but certainly not all) places we have visited have allowed us to just show up and get a tourist visa of some sort on arrival. But there are places on the South Pacific Milk Run where you need to be admitted in advance. And if you're South African (for example, not trying to pick on them), well, all of our South African friends have had a much harder time of it than us in many places.

[svjobeth]

Originally Posted by Dsanduril

Since we're on the topic, another item to add to your list is visas. There's lots of places some people can travel and not worry about it, but mention of Ascension reminded me that you're supposed to have a visa, which includes a moderately thorough background check, before you arrive (military/spy base you know).

As US citizens we have found most (but certainly not all) places we have visited have allowed us to just show up and get a tourist visa of some sort on arrival. But there are places on the South Pacific Milk Run where you need to be admitted in advance. And if you're South African (for example, not trying to pick on them), well, all of our South African friends have had a much harder time of it than us in many places.

Yes, Visas should definitely be on the list. We're US citizens and in our research, have found the Noonsite website to be a very valuable source of information about requirements. I don't think any of the places we're planning to visit in the next two or three years require Visas, beyond the tourist variety. However, we're both experienced business travelers and have dealt with them before.


Thanks!

[chuckr]

We have checked in and out of 53 different countries from Colombia to Russia. We walk in with Boat USCG Documentation, Boat Insurance, Passports - and I have a semi blank crew list that I can make out on the spot if they want one.


OH forgot - sometimes they want to see your capt license. I use my ASA credentials and that has worked with no issues.


Never anything else.

[wtmf]

what would be needed if instead of a dingy I use a hovercraft? could also use it to go to the store, "on land"?