Visiting the US Virgin islands

[fliti]

Please can anyone tell me the current bureaucratic position on a crew of UK nationals sailing a UK registered sailing yacht to the USVI? Does the crew need visas or does the waiver programme apply? Are there problems arriving by private transport (by yacht)? I had read that the best way was to take public transport (ferry) from Soper's Hole, BVI, then return by ferry and sail back in under the 90 day entry permit. If that is so, what permits would the boat require?

 

[laika]

Visa waver does not apply if arriving by private yacht. You need to get visas beforehand, presumably B2 if for pleasure only: I got a B1/B2 for a delivery. I got my visa at the US embassy in London. I found the process to be straightforward but relatively costly and time consuming. I've heard reports from others that getting visas en route from europe in the azores is a quicker and more civilised affair.

The immigration staff in St. John, apropos of absolutely nothing except presumably boredom (we were their only customers) went out of their way to be rude and aggressive towards us (2xbrits, 1xfrench) seeming to want to elicit a reaction which none of us thankfully provided.

 

[fliti]

Visa waver does not apply if arriving by private yacht. You need to get visas beforehand, presumably B2 if for pleasure only: I got a B1/B2 for a delivery. I got my visa at the US embassy in London. I found the process to be straightforward but relatively costly and time consuming. I've heard reports from others that getting visas en route from europe in the azores is a quicker and more civilised affair.

The immigration staff in St. John, apropos of absolutely nothing except presumably boredom (we were their only customers) went out of their way to be rude and aggressive towards us (2xbrits, 1xfrench) seeming to want to elicit a reaction which none of us thankfully provided.

Thanks for the tip about the immigration people. When did you go? Did you consider the possibility of taking the ferry, obtaining your visas that way and returning by yacht? There is some relatively recent (2011-12) confirmation on Noonsite that this works-or it did then.

 

[KellysEye]

We had B1/B2 visas for The USVI's and Puerto Rico they last 10 years and give unlimited entry. When I needed to renew mine, because of a new passport last year, the embassy was a nightmare. There was a huge queue outside that took an hour and I was I asked what I wanted the visa for. I waited for two hours in a hall and went to a window and was asked what I wanted a visa for. I waited another hour and went to another window and was asked what I wanted a visa for and was finger printed. I waited another hour and went to yet another window and was asked what I wanted a visa for and he checked my fingerprints. Then he stamped the new visa in my passport. On all four occasions I showed them the visa in my old passport, with lots of stamps for the USVI and PR in my old passport but it made no difference.

As said in the USVI's the immigration and customs people are unpleasantly arrogant, it's the same in Puerto Rico . In Puerto Rico a boat arriving had a visa problem that was sorted out in public with a 'good cop, bad cop routine.' It got really nasty before they were fined. I think the arrogance and nastiness because they have a gun and that makes them self important.

Jane had the same when she renewed hers. We applied to the embassy together for new visas and the to**ers gave us different dates.

 

[laika]

When did you go? Did you consider the possibility of taking the ferry, obtaining your visas that way and returning by yacht?

Admittedly it was 7 years ago but I did check on visa requirements relatively recently and nothing seemed to have changed. And now I've double checked it
http://london.usembassy.gov/faq-vwp.html#niv107

Didn't consider a ferry option. Firstly it was a delivery (from france) and secondly our initial destination had been the mainland US (changed by owner en route). Not sure how the ferry option would (legally) work. When you go back on the ferry to pick up the boat you're effectively leaving the US so you need another visa or visa waiver to re-enter (unless I'm missing something obvious).

 

[fliti]

Admittedly it was 7 years ago but I did check on visa requirements relatively recently and nothing seemed to have changed. And now I've double checked it
http://london.usembassy.gov/faq-vwp.html#niv107

Didn't consider a ferry option. Firstly it was a delivery (from france) and secondly our initial destination had been the mainland US (changed by owner en route). Not sure how the ferry option would (legally) work. When you go back on the ferry to pick up the boat you're effectively leaving the US so you need another visa or visa waiver to re-enter (unless I'm missing something obvious).

I take your point about re-entry but if you read this,
http://www.noonsite.com/Members/sue/R2011-12-13-3?searchterm=us+vir
the suggestion is that it works, however odd it seems. If this does work, I can think of two explanations. Either your departure remains an unregistered fact and it's assumed you are still officially there when you show up with the yacht thus avoiding immigration and leaving only the yacht clearance formalities or the 90 day entry permission is for multiple entry, allowing you to leave and return, albeit under private transport. Kellyseye suggests the obtaining of a visa involves a World of pain

 

[Peroo]

We got Visa's in Trinidad - relatively straightforward -10 days from online application to passports with visa's returned by secure delivery - we were however greeted in St. Johns Immigration by "I hope you have visa's or you'll have to leave, now!" We said yes, we have visa's!

After that, sweetness and light! And smiles!

Get visa's in advance if planning to go there is our advice - makes life much simpler and straightforward and you then have 10 years to visit those parts of the US you fancy.

 

[BobnLesley]

We have a B2 visa ourselves, but when we first went into the USVI's in 2014 a yacht whom we knew well came in at the same time, having done the Sopers Hole/St. John's ferry run a couple of days before and obtained his visa waiver. He had no problems at all and nor did we; we found the Homeland Security Officers to be very pleasant and helpful, both in St John's at later in Charlotte Amelie. The visa-waiver only gives you 3 months in US waters as opposed to the 6 months you're generally permitted with a full B2 visa, but you can travel on to Puerto Rico using the waiver too; I guess there's no reason you couldn't visit mainland USA in the same way (with a return ferry or flight from Nassau to Miami).

PR/mainland US require you to obtain a Cruising Licence or Permit (obtained on arrival from Homeland Security) but if you're just going to the USVI then there wasn't any paperwork issued with regard to the boat, I don't even recall there being any checks on the boat or indeed our paperwork (Registration/Insurance) pertaining to it.

 

[john_q]

The duration of the B1/B2 visa depends on what nationality you are and the reciprocal rules between the 2 countries

i.e

UK Passport they should give you 10 year visas
Australia only 5 year visas

 

[laika]

Kellyseye suggests the obtaining of a visa involves a World of pain

My experience of getting a visa in London was precisely what Kellyseye describes. I wouldn't go so far as a "world of pain" but a hassle nonetheless. Hence the advice some others have given me that getting one in the Azores or somewhere a little more relaxed than the US embassy in London is an easier option.

Regarding re-entry with the visa waiver...it's obviously several years since I used one but they *used* to require the part they left you with to be surrendered on exit from the US (so I'd lean towards you "unregistered exit" hypothesis ). There's presumably scope here for misinterpretation of the rules or the question by an individual immigration official. I'd say "try asking US immigration for the official line" but IIRC for US visa-related queries in the UK your only option is a (very expensive) premium rate phone line.

 

[AndrewB]

I'd say "try asking US immigration for the official line" but IIRC for US visa-related queries in the UK your only option is a (very expensive) premium rate phone line.

Don't count on it. The (probably very junior) receptionist at the London embassy who fielded my request for an application form was quite insistent I didn't need a B2 visa. If I hadn't been through the process before I might have believed her!

Incidentally at the times I visited, if you arrived in USVI by yacht without a visa they could arrange one there, but they would place the yacht and crew in quarantine for up to a week while it was being arranged, and the fees were horrendous.

 

[bob234]

I take your point about re-entry but if you read this,
http://www.noonsite.com/Members/sue/R2011-12-13-3?searchterm=us+vir
the suggestion is that it works, however odd it seems. If this does work, I can think of two explanations. Either your departure remains an unregistered fact and it's assumed you are still officially there when you show up with the yacht thus avoiding immigration and leaving only the yacht clearance formalities or the 90 day entry permission is for multiple entry, allowing you to leave and return, albeit under private transport. Kellyseye suggests the obtaining of a visa involves a World of pain

I believe the reason it works is that to get the short term 90 day visa you need to arrive in the US by a recognised carrier, eg, an airline or ferry. Having done that you clear out and leave on the ferry and can then return within the 90 days on your boat.

 

[BrianH]

Thanks for the tip about the immigration people. When did you go? Did you consider the possibility of taking the ferry, obtaining your visas that way and returning by yacht? There is some relatively recent (2011-12) confirmation on Noonsite that this works-or it did then.

Perhaps way out of date but I did this in December 2009. After clearing from Road Town, BVI, I made the mistake of thinking the ESTA Visa Waiver Program would suffice for the USVI. Trying to enter Cruz Bay, St John, found it was good only for anyone arriving on a commercial carrier. It was US immigration there that proposed the solution - to return to Tortola, come back by ferry, get a WT/WB visa, which is valid for 90 days, return by ferry and arrive back by yacht to clear in with customs only, not immigration.

West End (Soper's Hole) where the ferry leaves from on Tortola is a port of entry with plenty of spare moorings so easy to clear in and out between leaving the boat and travelling to/from BVI and USVI.

If you are going on to Puerto Rico it is advisable - no, essential - to obtain a cruising permit in St John when clearing in, which was not offered to me and proved a big problem in San Juan when I tried to clear out there.

 

[Gerry]

Please can anyone tell me the current bureaucratic position on a crew of UK nationals sailing a UK registered sailing yacht to the USVI? Does the crew need visas or does the waiver programme apply? Are there problems arriving by private transport (by yacht)? I had read that the best way was to take public transport (ferry) from Soper's Hole, BVI, then return by ferry and sail back in under the 90 day entry permit. If that is so, what permits would the boat require?

Go to Cuba first! get your B1/2 visa in Havana at the American consulate which is situated in the Swiss Consulate- actually dominates it! We were ushered to the head of the queue(awkward). Returned the following day to collect completed documentation. Completely painless experience. Wonderful arriving in Key West USA to see their confusion that we got aforementioned visas in Havana!

 

[bjl]

I left my yacht in BVI in April 2014 and caught the public ferry to USVI. As a non-US national I was first in line at the passport control and within 5 minutes had a 90-day multiple entry stamp in my passport. I returned to BVI on the next ferry.

Do be aware that you need need an ESTA in order to be eligible to travel to the States in the first place. I got mine at the ferry ticket office.

I didn't sail to the USVIs. My first entry into the States by yacht was into Culebra. It was there that I was issued with a Cruising License during the clearing in process. You can ask for it to be valid for up to a year.

Clearing in to and out of Puerto Rico was straight forward.

I subsequently applied for and received a B1/B2 visa in the US Embassy in the Dominican Republic. The only interview, which I had arranged online a few weeks before I arrived in DR, lasted about 3 or 4 minutes. I collected my passport the following morning.

As for US Embassy staff and US Customs and Border Protection officers, I have always been treated with the utmost courtesy and respect.

 

[fliti]

I left my yacht in BVI in April 2014 and caught the public ferry to USVI. As a non-US national I was first in line at the passport control and within 5 minutes had a 90-day multiple entry stamp in my passport. I returned to BVI on the next ferry.

Do be aware that you need need an ESTA in order to be eligible to travel to the States in the first place. I got mine at the ferry ticket office.

I didn't sail to the USVIs. My first entry into the States by yacht was into Culebra. It was there that I was issued with a Cruising License during the clearing in process. You can ask for it to be valid for up to a year.

Clearing in to and out of Puerto Rico was straight forward.

I subsequently applied for and received a B1/B2 visa in the US Embassy in the Dominican Republic. The only interview, which I had arranged online a few weeks before I arrived in DR, lasted about 3 or 4 minutes. I collected my passport the following morning.

As for US Embassy staff and US Customs and Border Protection officers, I have always been treated with the utmost courtesy and respect.

Thanks for this helpful post. May I ask why you subsequently applied for a B1/B2 visa? Was it because of an intent to remain longer than 90 days in US waters or was it required to clear in at Culebra?

 

[capnsensible]

Did the ferry option from Sopers Hole bit a few years ago. Doddle.

 

[bjl]

I wanted to cruise the US east coast during hurricane season, which I did, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.