Current situation getting into U.S. Virgin Islands?

[simonpickard]

Hello all,

So on noonsite it says you have to get your waver (done this), then take a ferry over to get your passport stamped. Then you're free to visit with your boat.

Met someone here today who said you can just sail over as long as you go straight to immigration and customs. That you don't need a stamp in your passport first.

Any one done this recently? Any info would be most welcomed.

Regards,
Simon



Please visit my blog:
Sailing-Interlude | Sailing the Med… and beyond

[bvimatelot]

Do not sail directly in from bvi (or any other non US port). They will be very annoyed! Do it as Noonsite tells you to. I do this often when I am delivering to the US from BVI, I ferry over, get the 90 days that immigration will give you, ferry back to pick up the boat then sail it legally into USVI to clear it and yourself in. Then its the same rules: clear yourself out of the States within your 90 day permit. This palaver could of course be completely avoided had I kept my B1/B2 visa in date! Tony

[simonpickard]

Thanks Tony for the quick reply. This is what we thought and what noonsite said. Maybe the guy was drunk on one too many painkillers.



Please visit my blog:
www.sailing-interlude.com

[CarstenWL]

... guess what the guy told you is true if you have a valid B1/B2 visa (or are a US citizen).

Carsten

[bvimatelot]

Originally Posted by simonpickard

Thanks Tony for the quick reply. This is what we thought and what noonsite said. Maybe the guy was drunk on one too many painkillers.



Please visit my blog:
Sailing-Interlude | Sailing the Med… and beyond

Entirely possible - pain-killers can creep up on you! Once you have your ESTA, which is valid for 2 years, you're good to go a la noonsite instructions. My last 90 days has run out so I'm ferrying over next week to renew as I have to run a Benne 51 up to Hilton Head.

[gts1544]

Guys, I hope that I am correct in assuming that you are talking about non-US citizens entering the USVI as I have a boat in the BVI's as a US citizen and have never heard of nor used these procedures. gts544 - George

[bvimatelot]

Originally Posted by gts1544

Guys, I hope that I am correct in assuming that you are talking about non-US citizens entering the USVI as I have a boat in the BVI's as a US citizen and have never heard of nor used these procedures. gts544 - George

Yes, George - You have no problems. Non US citizens are not allowed to enter the US (which includes USVI, PR etc) on anything other than a scheduled carrier, which is a ferry or airliner. With a Visa, a non US citizen can enter however he wants (yacht, private aircraft, camel). The 90 day visa waiver programme is a concession granted by US Immigration to countries which have an agreement with the US (UK and most, if not all European countries plus some others). So this rule does not work for, for example, a Brazilian, who would need a proper visa.

tony

[gts1544]

Tony, Thanks for the wake up. I would like to think that I would have checked had I had a non-US guest aboard and decided on a wild hair, to sail over to the USVI for several days. Won't happen now! Thanks again. gts1544 - George

[bvimatelot]

No problem, George, glad to help. If you ever do have a non US guest on board, just send 'em over on the ferry then pick 'em up in Cruz Bay. There's a couple or three bars they can entertain themselves in there!

[Tom and Maje]

Go to Cruz Bay in St. John, hoist your courtesy flag and quarantine flag and go to customs. Here are the regulations.

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/det...tering-the-u.s.

[simonpickard]

Hello,

So just got back on the Ferry over to St. John's. Got our passports stamped so we're good to head over there tomorrow with the boat.

What a bloody pain in the arse through. Only country that I know of on Earth where you have to jump through hoops like this.

Pre visa wavers, needing to head over on Ferry's, notification before you leave, fingerprints and photos taken, bags searched, etc.

No wonder a lot of cruisers here in the BVI's say they give the US islands a miss.
We probably would also if we didn't have to head West. It's a shame really that some of the more poorer Caribbean islands are so much more advanced in this area for sailors. Some places we've visited are downright 3rd world but have simple computer entry / exit that takes 5mins and you're done.

Rant over!

Regards,
Simon

[monte]

Good info, we will be doing the same in a while probably. Tony, I'm surprised the esta waiver works in mainland USA, I thought it was only ok for USVI and Puerto Rico.

[poiu]

Originally Posted by simonpickard

Hello,

So just got back on the Ferry over to St. John's. Got our passports stamped so we're good to head over there tomorrow with the boat.

What a bloody pain in the arse through. Only country that I know of on Earth where you have to jump through hoops like this.

Pre visa wavers, needing to head over on Ferry's, notification before you leave, fingerprints and photos taken, bags searched, etc.

No wonder a lot of cruisers here in the BVI's say they give the US islands a miss.
We probably would also if we didn't have to head West. It's a shame really that some of the more poorer Caribbean islands are so much more advanced in this area for sailors. Some places we've visited are downright 3rd world but have simple computer entry / exit that takes 5mins and you're done.

Rant over!

Regards,
Simon

What, are you serious- they fingerprinted you? Like a scumbag criminal. Why? I suppose you might be a third world economic migrant looking to take away US jobs. Oz is third world Isn't it?

[simonpickard]

In terms of geographical location, sure. Thank god.

[poiu]

Originally Posted by simonpickard

In terms of geographical location, sure. Thank god.

I couldn't see it on your blog.

What do you have to do - get a pre-visa waiver in the BVI?

You have to notify when leaving on a boat from the USVI? You don't from the contiguous US.

Where do they take fingerprints and photos and why?