Preparing for International Clearance

The process for recreational craft and their crew arriving in an international port is often more complex than for international air travel, so understandably, the thought of casting off the dock lines and venturing abroad can feel a little daunting.

The editorial team at Noonsite.com has recently put together the following top tips to help owners and their crew prepare for and carry out international clearance:

• Ensure your boat registration is in date for the duration of your time abroad. If you need to renew it, be sure to do so early to avoid a lapse in coverage. Boat registration renewal can mostly be done online. If your boat registration has expired, you will be denied entry into a foreign country and risk legal consequences.
• Plan well in advance, particularly for visas and/or cruising permits if needed; some can take many weeks to obtain. You can find out which documents you will need on Noonsite.com
• Always make sure you get an exit zarpe showing the date and port of departure when you clear out of your home country and any subsequent countries. The authorities in the next country you visit will want to see this.
• Do your research - do you need to complete any pre-arrival notifications or paperwork prior to arrival? For example, most Caribbean nations require arriving boats to register in advance with sailclear.com
• Do you need an Agent? Some countries may demand that you use an agent. For others it is optional. Do you feel you need one? Agents will have to be arranged in advance.
• Know the ports of entry in the country you want to visit and determine which is best for you. You can only 'clear in' at these designated ports.
• Have some local currency for paying for clearance – there may not be banks near the port of entry or arrival officials may not permit you to visit an ATM to get money.
• Fly the Q flag when entering the territorial waters of a foreign country and don’t take this down until you have completed Customs clearance. It should then be replaced with the country's courtesy flag.
• Prepare to visit Customs, Immigration, Port Authority, and in some ports, Quarantine/Biosecurity. You may be lucky and all the authorities will be housed in one building, or you may have to travel all over town by foot or taxi to visit all the offices.
• Enquire about fees you are expected to pay on arrival and on departure, and be sure to get a receipt. You may find you can clear in and out at the same time, depending on how long you intend to stay.
• Dress smartly for clearance and be courteous, polite and patient. Clearance can take anything from half an hour to all day or even several days, depending on the country.
• Get a boat ink stamp with your boat name/logo and your registration number/home port etc. This can speed up signing documents, and officials love a boat stamp.
• Keep all the clearance paperwork and receipts carefully filed, as you may be stopped by the local Coast Guard or marine police who will want to inspect your entry clearance and boat documents.
• Remember, all foreign countries have a time limit for how long you can stay – both for your crew and your boat. Know how long you and your boat have and plan your cruising accordingly. Research the options to extend your stay before arrival.

For smooth clearances, ensure you have done your homework well in advance of departing your home port, give yourself plenty of time to apply for visas as appropriate, identify agents where required, and complete pre-arrival notifications and paperwork in good time.

For Caribbean cruising and yachts arriving on the ARC and ARC+ rallies, you will need to register with www.sailclear.com. 

If you are sailing with World ARC, the rally team will help with clearance in the official rally ports. The header photo shows the crew of Solaris on World ARC 2024-25 checking in at Lomaloma in Fiji.