reentry to US from Bahamas cruise

[John_Trusty]

No, you don't have to do anything to clear out of US. Check with destination country if you need a Zarpe document for entrance (Spanish / Portuguese for 'sail away') which is an official departure document. For a while, Mexico wanted this and gave you a hard time etc.. The US CBP can generate one, but their agents don't like to and it's a hassle for all concerned if you don't need it.

A clarification for anyone just going out for a sail - if you don't touch land in another country (dock, anchor, anything), you have not left your country. You can sail outside your territorial waters, and even cross into other territorial waters, all you want and you are just in-transit.

[Sea Lyon]

Originally Posted by dcareri

Sea Lyon,



We've used the ROAM app multiple times in Puerto Rico (Fajardo) and the USVI (St Thomas) and it worked like a charm.

Thanks! Sounds like a good option!

[hellosailor]

Sarge?
"Really, what happens if I go cruise around and then just go home?"
You could become the poster boy for a major federal civil rights suit, if you wanted to be.
In theory, once I have identified myself as a US citizen, I'm entitled to "life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of..." and yes, the strict constructionists say that "liberty" does mean the right to come and go as you please.
That opinion doesn't seem to be shared by a lot of folks, and the final definition of what liberty is or isn't comes down to those wonderful folks on the US Supreme Court. Who are all so frequently split, 4:5, on all the simple rulings.
"I live here, sonny. Now step out of my way or I'll tell the IRS I'm going to be late filing my taxes this year because of you, and YOU can explain that to them."
Yeah, the system needs some work.

[John_Trusty]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

In theory, once I have identified myself as a US citizen, I'm entitled to "life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of..." and yes, the strict constructionists say that "liberty" does mean the right to come and go as you please.
That opinion doesn't seem to be shared by a lot of folks, and the final definition of what liberty is or isn't comes down to those wonderful folks on the US Supreme Court. ...

I do not want to get 'political' on a sailing forum, but allow me to clarify this statement for any readers not familiar with US law. The quote comes from the US Declaration of Independence; essentially a letter from our colonial government to the UK government. It is an aspiration for how people should be treated, not a law, and has absolutely no legal effect in the US. There is no 'entitled'.

Even in this context, the concept of liberty never included unbridled freedom. In the 18th century, if you robbed, did not pay your taxes, or committed some other crime, you were punished by the State. I have met very few people, including sailors, who really want to be completely free of all laws. It's a fun fantasy, but I do not want to actually live it a place where I must defend my life and property every minute of the day.

[SaltyTails]

Another vote for ROAM, my wife signed us up through the app before we left the Bahamas and once we arrived back in Florida we had a 2 minute facetime call on the app and we were good to go.

[SV Bacchus]

And Another vote for ROAM. We filled out our paperwork on the mooring in Marathon then drove to Key West for a face to face interview. Quick and simple.

Spent 4 months in the Bahamas and on the way back, somewhere in the Gulf Stream when cell service became solid, I opened the app, answered the questions and hit send.

Real quick, under 2 minutes, I received a notification I would need to FaceTime an agent. The reason was because of one of the answers I gave to the stock questions. When I explained my answer the agent chuckled, said "I appreciate why you answered the way you did. It isn't a problem and you are cleared to enter the US." Probably foolish question on my part but I then asked "OK to take down the Q flag?" He said "Yes, you are done and will receive a confirmation notice shortly."

I did and that was it, so easy.

[hellosailor]

John, it is disingenuous to confuse "liberty" as it was used and meant in our founding charters, with "absolute freedom to do what you will". And that's not how the courts have held it.

Furthermore, that document and phrase have standing in law. They are the basis for the many legal rulings in the US that say you may not be detained anywhere by anyone without good legal reason--that's called "false imprisonment" and even if it is just a train conductor who locks the train doors and refuses to let you out (without legal cause) that's false imprisonment and it is held to be a *federal* civil rights violation, even if it is not a violation of local criminal codes.

In the Cold War days, it was a major point of pride that a US citizen could always leave the country without anyone's permission, while Communist subjects normally could NOT leave their homeland without an exit visa. I know one former professor who literally walked out of Czechoslovakia in the dead of winter, with his wife and one suitcase each, after the Soviet takeover. He could leave, legally, but he could sneak out and seek asylum.

No, we don't have the freedom to go berserk without consequences. But we *are* generally entitled to our "liberty" to move about, and our highest courts have affirmed that as a *federal* civil right. By all means, explain to them that they're wrong.