Puerto Rico customs and immigration rules for US citizen from USVI

[Hoosierdoc]

We are looking to visit Spanish VI this summer from a boat leaving out of St Thomas. Everyone is a US citizen. I have read that PR is a different than USVI from a customs standpoint and we need to check in somewhere in PR.

I also see visa not required for citizens but we need to get a decal and pay fee of $27 or so? Is that per person or vessel?

Would we need to check out in USVI, in at PR, then out at PR and in for USVI again? Seems complicated for US territory.

Can the ROAM app be used for all of it if it's outside the emergency declaration where it's shut down?

[SVHarmonie]

Originally Posted by Hoosierdoc

We are looking to visit Spanish VI this summer from a boat leaving out of St Thomas. Everyone is a US citizen. I have read that PR is a different than USVI from a customs standpoint and we need to check in somewhere in PR.

I also see visa not required for citizens but we need to get a decal and pay fee of $27 or so? Is that per person or vessel?

Would we need to check out in USVI, in at PR, then out at PR and in for USVI again? Seems complicated for US territory.

Can the ROAM app be used for all of it if it's outside the emergency declaration where it's shut down?

Technically, it is not PR that is "different," it is the USVI. They have special customs rules, and as such many goods that are duty free in the USVI that are duty paid in all other parts of the USA (like PR) hence, the requirement that even US citizens check in when going from the USVI to PR or any other part of the USA.

The decal fee is per vessel. If you check-in in person, without ROAM, you do not NEED the decal, they will charge you a fee at the time. But the decal will make things go smoother in any event.

As in other parts of the USA, for PR and USVI checkout is not required. No need to check out of the USVI. No need to check out of PR. No need to check IN to the USVI when arriving from PR because there is nothing they are going to charge you duty on.

Can't help you with the current status of ROAM, but it is normally usable for checking into PR.

[Hoosierdoc]

awesome, thank you. that makes sense