Do I Have to Clear out of the Bahamas
When you get close to the end of your trip in the Bahamas, it is probably time to start figuring out what you need to do to clear out of the Bahamas. While we were there, there was a lot of confusion, with both Bahamas Customs and fellow cruisers, as to what process needs to be completed to clear out of the Bahamas.
The Bahamas had recently changed their process on clearing out, which has fueled the confusion of following a new process. Do you have to clear out in person? Do you have to clear out using Click2Clear? What about if you brought a weapon with you; do you have to clear out in person then? It seemed that whomever you asked, the answered varied by the day.
Updated Process to Clear Out of the Bahamas
According to non-governmental web sites, on July 1, 2022 the Bahamas changed their clearing out process. All pleasure vessels in possession of a Temporary Cruising Permit (C39) will no longer be required to physically clear outbound before leaving the Bahamas (if you are heading back to the United States).
According to the Bahamas Customs website regarding clearance outbound of pleasure vessels, it still states:
- Before leaving The Bahamas, all Pleasure Vessels are required to clear outward on Form C28A: Entry Outward of Pleasure Vessel.
- Temporary Cruising Permit must be present at the time of application.
- Upon approval of the C28A a Certificate of Clearance of a Pleasure Vessel will be issued.
- There is no cost for this process.
NOTE: The vessel will be checked at this time to ensure that all the items declared on arrival, such as firearms, ammo and accessories that are listed on the Cruising Permit are on board at the time of departure.
Additionally, all seafood onboard will be verified in accordance with the fishing regulations as outlined on the back of the Fishing License issued on entrance.
Clearing out of the Bahamas is Clear as Mud
So how should you clear out of the Bahamas? While I don’t have a clear-cut answer for this, I’ll tell you how we cleared out of the Bahamas and what happened when we did.
On Click2Clear, there is a Create Outbound feature that I noticed when creating our inbound record. Since we were carrying firearms onboard, and there is a process on Click2Clear for outbound vessels, we decided to use Click2Clear to create an outbound record. One of the running theories around the islands at the time was that you still had to clear out in person if you had firearms onboard. Creating an Outbound record in Click2Clear is a simple process, which I will go through down below.
Once we created our outbound record in Click2Clear, Scott immediately received an email stating that we needed to go to the Customs office to clear out in person.
We went to the Customs office at the Green Turtle Club Resort & Marina on Green Turtle Cay, with our Cruising Permit and passports in hand. The Customs official informed us that we did not need to clear out in person (contrary to the email we received) and we did not need to take any action to clear out of the Bahamas. She did not look at any of our paperwork, ask for PCR number, or our passports. This surprised us as we were also leaving with an additional crew member heading back to the United States but we did as we were told by the Customs agent and went on our merry way!
How to Create Outbound Record in Click2Clear
The Bahamas Customs Official has a great tutorial Click2Clear Cruising Permit Module: Clearing Outbound (Tutorial) for how to easily copy your information from your inbound record and put it into your outbound record. Go to Click2Clear SEW to get started. I also have more information about Click2Clear in this article here.
Note: You will receive a new Rotation Number (PCR- number). Make sure you write this down and keep it handy so you can pull up your outbound record if you need to edit your departure date.
Arriving to the United States using the CBP ROAM App
Once you arrive back in the United States, you need to clear in with the US Customs and Border Patrol (CBP). CBP ROAM™ is a free mobile application that provides an option for pleasure boaters to report their U.S. entry to CBP via their personal smart device or a tablet located at local businesses to satisfy reporting requirements. While the app is free you will need to obtain a ‘User Fee Decal’ for your vessel and enter that number in the system in order to check in. The ‘User Fee Decal’ costs $32.62 per calendar year and is well worth it as it makes the checking back in process in the U.S. much easier.
In the CBP ROAM app, travelers can get approved as a Verified Traveler. Simply enter the traveler’s name and passport information and you will receive an email from Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) with a Verified Traveler Number upon approval. Enter this number into the ROAM app to receive the benefits of being a Verified Traveler, such as expedited processing. This information can be entered ahead of arrival back into the United States.
Upon entry into the United States, simply go to the ROAM app and notify CBP of your arrival. They may want to set up a virtual meeting with you via video, or they can also simply approve your entry, which was the case for us.
What if You are Leaving the Bahamas and Headed to a Country other than the United States?
Other countries do require documentation that you have cleared out of the country you have left. I recommend that you clear out of the Bahamas using Click2Clear as well as visit the Customs Office to ensure you have the proper documentation before leaving the Bahamas to go to your next Port of Call (outside of the United States).
In Summary, clearing out of the Bahamas to return to the United States has become simpler. The general consensus is that you do not need to clear out in person, which makes staging for your crossing back to the United States much easier. If you have any experiences in your clearing out process from the Bahamas, we would love to hear from you.
Live your dream,
