Clearance Formalities
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Yacht Clearance Formalities
Customs, Immigration & Quarantine clearance into Fiji
Yacht Partners Fiji can arrange and facilitate your clearance into Fiji at any of the ports of entry; Suva, Nadi, Lautoka, Levuka or Savusavu. Clearances at any other location in Fiji, we would have to seek prior permission. Port Denarau is now a port of entry.
Customs guidelines
All yachts arriving in Fiji must give the Comptroller of Customs or Yacht Partners Fiji two days prior notice. Working hours for Customs officials are from one hour after sunrise to one hour before sunset and overtime fees are charged outside of these hours.
Documents required
- Certificate of clearance from your previous port/country;
- Crew list, detailing passport numbers, nationalities and ages of all crew and their position on vessel; and
- Passports for all onboard, which must be valid for at least 3 months from date of departure from Fiji waters.
(Please note that should anyone onboard require a visa to enter Fiji, this will also need to be provided- see ‘Visas’)
Your entry into Fiji
Customs will issue a temporary import permit for your yacht to remain in Fiji for 18months. This means that you will not be subject to any customs duty.
This clearance is subject to the following conditions:
- The yacht is the sole property of a bona fide tourist;
- The yacht is on a bona fide cruise or participating in a yacht race; and
- The yacht shall remain in Fiji for a period not exceeding 18 months from date of arrival.
If you do not abide by these conditions, your yacht may be subject to pay duty if:
- It is used commercially for consideration whilst in Fiji waters (eg: commercial charter or hired);
- The owner is in any way an employer of employee of any entity in Fiji; and
- The yacht is not exported within 18 months of the date of arrival into Fiji, unless a customs extension has been approved (which we are able to facilitate, however it is advised to give as much notice as possible).
Any time extension that you would like made to any customs permits will need to be applied for to the Ministry of Finance or Yacht Partners Fiji and should be lodged as soon as possible.
Liquor & Cigarettes
Upon arrival all passengers are allowed 2.25 litres spirits or 4.5 litres wine or 4.5 litres beer per adult and 250g cigarettes or 250g tobacco or 250g cigars for each adult over 17 years. Customs duty will be charged on all spirituous beverages over the allowance. Please note that sealing of stores onboard is not permitted.
Yacht Equipment
All equipment onboard or imported especially for the yacht will be duty free, provided they leave the country with the boat. This equipment is considered onboard a “yacht in transit”. Please note that all firearms and ammunitions must be surrendered to the Customs officer on clearance of the yacht.
Contraband Items
Please be aware that Fiji is vigilant in prosecuting those found with firearms, weapons, drugs, pornographic material and other prohibited items. If you are in doubt as to any of your goods onboard, please contact Yacht Partnersprior to your landing in Fiji.
Immigration Guidelines
Immigration officials will need to sight your last port clearance, each person onboard with their passport, and your crew list (as detailed in ‘Customs guidelines’ above). Each person will also be required to complete a passenger arrival card.
The Immigration official will then issue each person with a tourist entry visa (4 month stay), and will tear off part of the arrival card to be left in each person’s passport. This part of the arrival card must be kept by you as you will be required to deliver it to Immigration again on your way out of Fiji.
Any time extension that you would like made to any visas will need to be applied for to the Immigration Department or Yacht Partners Fiji and should be applied for as soon as possible.
Please note that visitors and your crew coming into Fiji are not able to enter on a one-way ticket. They must have a return ticket or they must have a letter of approval from Fiji Immigration that they are authorized to enter on a one-way ticket in order to join the yacht and depart by yacht. We can organize this for you with some lead in time.
Also, any crew that has arrived by yacht and is departing by plane should officially sign off the crew list and advise an Immigration officer before their departure.
All Immigration queries are best dealt with if raised as soon as possible, as dealing with this Department can be a slow process. Please advise us immediately of any issues you may have so that we can clarify your position for you quickly.
Visas
The following country’s nationals who do not require a pre-entry visa to Fiji include:
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Quarantine
As you would be used to, you must declare any prohibited items, food, plants or parts of plants, animal products including fur, feathers, skin, shells, eggs, any animals alive or dead, soil or equipment used with animals that has come into contact with soil, biological specimens and any domesticated pets (which should be kept onboard at all times).
Garbage should also be declared and the Quarantine officer will give direction on its disposal.
You may not be permitted to keep all items onboard for the duration of your visit, and this will be at the discretion of the Quarantine Officer.
Fiji Cruising Permits.
Any yacht wishing to cruise the outer islands of Fiji will need to obtain a Cruising Permit. On your acceptance of an itinerary defining the areas that you wish to cruise, we are able to facilitate a cruising permit for you, as well as any other domestic approvals needed for cruising through certain island groups.
Port Arrivals in Fiji
Any time you enter or depart from a port in Fiji, all vessels must use VHF Channel 16 to communicate with Port Control requesting information on port traffic and permission for your entry or exit.
On entering the port, you should continue immediately to the port quarantine area. You must also fly the international yellow “Q” flag, and wait for further instructions from the authorities.
During this time only the Customs, Immigration, Quarantine and Health officers are allowed to board the boat and absolutely no persons onboard are permitted to leave until the vessel is granted clearance by Customs, Immigration, Quarantine and Health officers.
A fee will be charged to you for Port fees, Immigration officer’s transport fees to and from the wharf and Health officer clearance fee. We can advise you of these fees or we can arrange the clearance for you at a fixed rate.
Departures from Fiji
You must first advise the Customs office of your expected departure at least 24 hours prior. Customs will only clear you if your port dues and all fees including health fees have been paid, and immigration will not clear you until customs has cleared you.
You will need to go through the formalities of Customs clearance and your vessel will need to be checked and cleared by a Customs officer. You will need to provide customs with your arrival customs clearance papers, crew details, details of your vessel and your next port of call.
Once you have been cleared by customs you need to depart Fiji waters within 24 hours. If your departure is delayed over the 24 hour period, then you would need to advise the same customs officer as soon as possible.
You must also advise Immigration prior to your departure so that they are ready to authorize your departure. Once you are cleared by immigration, it is expected that you will depart the port immediately.
Any delay in departure, and especially overstaying 24 hours after departure can result in large fines or even imprisonment of the yacht master and can cause many problems with your clearance from Fiji.
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