Jost Van Dyke Customs Shakedown

[lestersails]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Problem with this tale is that is told in the third person.. the OP was not there so the whole thing is hearsay as far as I'm concerned..
Having dealt with the BVI C&I in the past I know they can be slow and frustrating at times but.. that's the nature off the beast.
Their country, their rules, if folk can't deal with it go elsewhere.

I second boatman here. We used to go between USVI and BVI regularly. I read up on the rules and the decorum, and followed both to a T. Proper port, proper procedure, proper clothing. I entered with a cheerful "good day sir" and answered every question with a "yes sir" or " no sir" and did exactly what they asked and apologized if I made an error. Every time it went smooth as could be. Yeah, with all their taxes and fees it is a bit exorbitant, but cruisers don't otherwise rain money and they need the dough. The BVI culturally has an interesting mix of the British Empire's fetish of bureaucracy and formality with the chaos and sometimes desperation of a developing country. If you know the protocol and and culture and follow it, odds are you will be fine.

As opposed to one of the posters on this forum (different thread) just a few weeks ago who blithely advised that it was no problem at all to jump down from BVI into a bay on the north side of St. John and back into BVI without C&I. Bonkers.

[Montanan]

The BVI began to open to international travel in December 2020, relaxing the COVID protocol requirements and eliminated them in 2022.

Immigration regulation was heightened during the COVID lockdown era.
Many Covidiots had difficulties in following the protocols.

The USVI and BVI entered into reciprocal agreement in 2021 as to availing charter boats and small cruise ships to operate easily between the territories so long as annual permits and fees for the vessel where completed and individual cruise [per passenger day]. Those vessels must follow C&I regulations but are allowed to have freedom of chartering operations within and between the Virgin Islands.

https://onealwebster.com/bvi-cruising-home-permit-act-2021/


THE CRUISING AND HOME PERMIT ACT 2021
The British Virgin Islands Cruising and Home Permit Act, 2021 was passed in October 2021, replacing the Cruising and Home Permit Act (Cap203). This new piece of legislation regulates charter boat owners and small cruise ships if they wish to operate in the waters of the Virgin Islands and provides new permit provisions and fees for home-based and foreign-based charter boats. The Act is designed to increase and enhance charter options in the Virgin Islands and now allows small cruise ships to begin and end their cruise at designated home ports in the BVI. The penalties for non-compliance of obtaining a permit and paying applicable fees before cruising is steep.



HOME PORT & SPECIAL PERMIT FEES
Classification Annual/Cruise Fee

Home Port fee (annual) $1,500


Special Permit fee (per cruise) $500.00

. . .

Penalties for non-compliance of the Act’s requirements are as follows.

Any charter boat owner who fails to obtain a valid cruising permit is liable on summary conviction to a fine of US $5,000.

Any owner of a small cruise ship or cruise ship who fails to obtain a valid cruising permit is liable on summary conviction to a fine of US $5,000.

Both of these offences may be compounded. When compounded, the owner will pay a per person fee of US $30 per day for all persons cruising on the vessel as long as that offence continues, but not to exceed seven days, as the Commissioner may allow. The compounding effect of the offence does not apply to an owner or agent previously convicted of this offence or who has on two previous occasions compounded the same offence.

Any person who fails to comply with or contravenes any provisions of the Act, where no penalty is provided, is liable on summary conviction of a fine of $500.

The new Act’s requirements are fairly straightforward and it is critical that all vessels comply in order to maintain a safe and organized cruising experience in the territory’s waters. The Virgin Islands is known internationally for having one the best sailing waters in the Caribbean with line of sight for each destination a natural beauty and bounty that sailors and guests, far and wide, repeatedly choose. The Act continues to be relevant because it has been part of an effort to boost maritime competition and stimulate the BVI economy. The time and attention paid by maritime governance agencies to ensure safe and pleasant sailing affirms the territory’s commitment to protecting vessel owners, passengers, and the Virgin Islands waters.