Many countries in the
Caribbean require FULL entry formalities when you arrive. This includes a “Zarpa” or clearance document from your last port of call. We have seen reports of boats being turned away from
ports without proper clearance documents. We do know of boats that had to jump through extra paperwork hoops, and had clearance delayed.
This is important because in many places you pay a set of port
fees and
taxes when you clear out. It is perfectly understandable why a boat that would skip out on these
fees and
taxes would be considered an “undesirable” at the next country they show up in.
Since we have been in
Grenada we have had the opportunity to deal with the local
customs office a lot. We have our own favorite customs agent we have become friendly with. Just for our own
research, we asked him, “What do you do about boats that show up without a Zarpa?” His reply was interesting…
Quote:
“It almost always happens with boats that come directly here from the US Virgin Islands.”
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This is understandable. Outward clearance has never been an enforced requirement by the US on US flagged yachts. Many people think (incorrectly) that the
USA does not issue zarpas. They think this because it has been repeated on the
internet thousands of times (including on this forum)—but it is still
wrong. While you absolutely CAN get a zarpa from USCBP, a bit of a special effort is needed to get one.
How to get a zarpa from the USA-CBP
Quote:
“We can deny them entry, or charge them a fine not to exceed $2500.”
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How to proceed and how big a fine to levy is at the discretion of the customs officer handling the situation. There is no appeal process, but you do have a choice: Pay the fine or, Go back and get the right documents.
Quote:
“For a first offense, we will usually charge $500…”
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I’m thinking the extra hassle to get the zarpa just might have been worth it…
Quote:
“…unless they are really angry or obnoxious about it, then we go right to $2500.”
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I have never understood the people who think they can bully their way out of a situation like this. They were ignorant of, forgot, or deliberately ignored the clearing out procedure, and when called out on it try to insist they are in the right. I can assume you, no matter how much you fume and shout, the local customs agent knows the rules and holds all the
power. If he has a Monday morning hangover, and you are just making it worse, he can just deny you entry, and be done with you.
Also note, they most certainly DO keep track of your boat. If you have been fined because of a
rule violation or denied entry, you can be 100% SURE of a bit of extra scrutiny and hassle the next time you arrive in country. I do not know if the various countries databases are linked, but some certainly might be. For those countries that have a formal requirement that you clear out, you might find a large fine waiting for you when you try to clear in on your next visit.
And another note… if you buy a boat from someone who has a
history of flouting
regulations, you can expect his bad karma to follow you from port to port every time your boat's official number is typed into the computer.