Do I have to clear in clear out?

[contrail]

Originally Posted by DockDoc

Thanks all.
I am a trusted traveler and I have the CBP roam app, but have never used it.

This will be my first time A. owning the boat I am on, and B. sailing out of waters I am checked into. Every other time I have always chartered and sailed within the territorial waters of the country I flew into.

I am sure right about now the PR officials are feeling real warm and fuzzy towards the US...

I am considering having the one crew fly to St Maarten just to avoid the hassle.

Cheers and thanks.

Puerto Rico is sophisticated enough to differentiate between the citizenry and the administration.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by DockDoc

Sailing from St Maarten stopping to pick up one additional crew in Puerto Rico. All crew and boat USA documented.

Headed to the Bahamas for a week or two before heading to the Chesapeake bay.

If we just anchor and have a water taxi bring him to the boat, we never set foot on land, and depart as soon as he is on board do we have to clear in and out?

Yes you do. Most countries these days have officials employed in border monitoring who track boats via radar and ais signals. Get used to it, you will get caught if you try to do what you intended to do.

[John_Trusty]

Originally Posted by DockDoc

I am considering having the one crew fly to St Maarten just to avoid the hassle.

Clearing in is not really a 'hassle' if you do the steps they want you to do, have the paperwork in the form they are expecting, and answer all questions without volunteering information. Your original question (which we beat to death), was could you get by under-the-radar. As is often said, the cover-up is worse than the original crime. You will absolutely love the ROAM app as it makes the entire check-in process painless, particularly if you (and all other aboard) have trusted traveler registration.

[Dsanduril]

We just cleared into Puerto Rico near Fajardo about 6 weeks ago. US flagged boat, US crew members. Dropped the hook at Isleta, used the ROAM app to notify CBP. About 45 minutes later they called back (video) and wanted to see our faces and compare them with passport photos. No other questions, inspections, or paperwork. That was it, all done, sent us a clearance e-mail and wished us a nice stay. YMMV, but for us couldn't have been easier.

FWIW, in and out of USVI afterwards we used the ROAM app and just got back the clearance e-mail, no call or questions. However, if you need to check out (because you think you need a clearance paper at your next port of call) it is a royal PITA, you have to visit a CBP office in person, and since they don't do it too often don't always even have the forms available, and you'll probably have to wait in a significant line. Avoid clearing out if you can.

For the OP, if you get a clearance from St. Martin you may want to state your destination as Bahamas (or Bahamas via PR). The US won't want to see it or take it, so you'll still have it in case someone in the Bahamas for some reason wants to see it (IME they usually don't, but YMMV). One extra crew member may be a bit of a stretch, but a possible way of hedging your bets.

[contrail]

For what it is worth, we have been informed by US CBP that the Dutch islands are now requiring outbound clearance from the US Islands, specifically the USVI. Thus, they claim to now be able to clear one out. This came to the USVI and BVI charter fleets, but I haven't tried it yet.

[Dsanduril]

Yes, that is exactly why my last comment in the post above. We were told both that the Dutch islands required an outward clearance and that CBP could issue them. Both true, just not nearly as simple as clearing in by ROAM. No worse than many places where you have to wander around town collecting stamps from various places, but the French have figured out how to let you print your own clearance from a computer terminal at a cafe.

[Edit] Culebra is a port of entry, Ensenada Honda is an OK anchorage, Dewey is a very small town, and there's a regular ferry from the big island. If you wanted to hedge your bets even more clear in there. If your crew can meet you there then also clear out as finding the CBP officer is relatively easy.[/edit]