I am planning a cruise to the Bahamas for next winter. I am trying to find information on the rules for entering the Bahamas, such as what licenses are required. Also, other than our documentation information and passport, what other information should I be aware of? I am leaving Cape Cod around first week of November and will probably cross to the Bahamas from Florida in late December or early January. The return trip will begin in late May, 2009. This means we would be in the Bahamas for about 5 months. Bob rhoff@bu.edu
rules for cruising to the Bahamas & back to US
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Bahamas & US Customs
Pickup a copy of the most recent Bahamas cruising guides or Explorer Chart books, both detail the procedures for clearing customs both ways. We just returned from a trip to the Abacos in May, 2008 and here was our experience. Pre-departure. Go to the following website: http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/pleasure_boats/user_fee/user_fee_decal.xml apply for a user fee decal with the department of homeland security. The cost is currently $27.50 for boats over 30' LOA. A sticker will arrive with a number on it. You will need this number when you return to the US to clear your boat back in through customs. Next, go to your local customs office and apply for a Local Boater Option Card. Not sure if this is available nation wide, or just in FL. No fee to apply, just need your passport. This card gets you a number, and a list of phone numbers to call to report your return to the US depending on what port you return to. Each person on your boat needs this card. Bahamas Arrival: We cleared customs at Walkers Cay. We needed the boat documentation certificate and our passports and CASH money for the Bahamas cruising permit. It was $150 for our 35' boat. I believe it is $300 if you are over 35'. You will have several forms to fill out, plan to be there an hour or more. Upon return to the US, we called the number on the back of the Local Boater Option Card for the port we had returned to. Gave the officer the number on each of our Local Boater Option Cards, and the number on our boat User fee decal and in less than 3 minutes we were cleared back into the US. All in all, it was a painless process both ways.
Pickup a copy of the most recent Bahamas cruising guides or Explorer Chart books, both detail the procedures for clearing customs both ways. We just returned from a trip to the Abacos in May, 2008 and here was our experience. Pre-departure. Go to the following website: http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/pleasure_boats/user_fee/user_fee_decal.xml apply for a user fee decal with the department of homeland security. The cost is currently $27.50 for boats over 30' LOA. A sticker will arrive with a number on it. You will need this number when you return to the US to clear your boat back in through customs. Next, go to your local customs office and apply for a Local Boater Option Card. Not sure if this is available nation wide, or just in FL. No fee to apply, just need your passport. This card gets you a number, and a list of phone numbers to call to report your return to the US depending on what port you return to. Each person on your boat needs this card. Bahamas Arrival: We cleared customs at Walkers Cay. We needed the boat documentation certificate and our passports and CASH money for the Bahamas cruising permit. It was $150 for our 35' boat. I believe it is $300 if you are over 35'. You will have several forms to fill out, plan to be there an hour or more. Upon return to the US, we called the number on the back of the Local Boater Option Card for the port we had returned to. Gave the officer the number on each of our Local Boater Option Cards, and the number on our boat User fee decal and in less than 3 minutes we were cleared back into the US. All in all, it was a painless process both ways.
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