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Bahamas and CBP


slowflyin

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I've been searching threads and have found tons of useful info regarding travel to the Bahamas.  However, I can't seem to find a narrative describing what to expect during an actual CBP inspection.   Do you remove everything from the aircraft?  If so, tote in inside or lay it on the ramp?  Do they meet you at the plane?..........   Any experiences with this phase of Bahamas travel would be appreciated.   With all the negative publicity regarding CBP and GA the last couple of years I'll admit I'm a little apprehensive.  Sad state of affairs when CBP concerns me more than single engine over the Atlantic.  :)

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Every airport's CBP staff does it their own way. But there is nothing to be concerned about as they'll tell you want they want you to do. Just stay with the plane till they meet you. That said, at FPR they have you unload all your bags and have carts there to ferry your bags into the office. Their main pet peeve is that they want to hear from you in advance by phone even though they have your filed eAPIS manifest.  

Edited by kortopates
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As mentioned above, make sure to call the customs office you are going to at least an hour before crossing the ADIZ. Make sure to get the initials of the officer you speak to. Other than that no sweat. We went to the islands twice this summer. They have you bring your luggage in and they scan it. One time the officer stuck his head in the aircraft and the other time no one came out to the aircraft at all.

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I travel the Caribbean almost every winter.  Customs is a pain but it is doable.  Getting through to customs on a phone can be a real challenge depending where you are.  Ft. Pierce is a especially big pain in this regard but Ft. Pierce rates high because it has reasonable fuel prices and a restaurant.  Ft. Pierce has limited ramp space for the customs operation.  If you cannot make the needed phone call you could send an email to a friend and ask them to call customs for you.

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Friend of mine used to fly DC-6 cargo into Haiti from Miami.

Bureaucracy was untenable and clearance could take hours until he put a black cat in the cargo hold.

After that he kept getting the quote "Everything OK". "Everything OK" and clearance was reduced to a matter of minuets.

You can't make this up.

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I have flown to Bimini from Ft lauderdale executive . 

Customs man said hi, how many, are you bringing in anything illegal . I said no sir. .and the said ok have a good day. into Bimini and into FXE, 

I did not even pay a charge in Bimini for anything. Except the ferry charge and lunch. . I was expecting a entry fee, but they forgot or something.They asked what I was coming in for , and I said conch chowder .  I was just there for lunch. 

ADIZ crossing and Time of day , clock time of arrival is something to be aware of., so you are right on the money with your expected time of arrival . 

 

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I fly from Tampa and Ft Pierce to the Bahamas at least twice a year.  Most spots in the Bahamas have cell coverage and a lot of them have internet.  If you are qualified do yourself a favor and file and fly IFR, it makes things really easy.  I have found CBP to be reasonable and easy every time just make sure to do the following and you will be fine:  Call ahead to the CBP office, get the initials of the officer you speak with.  If plans change call them back asap or if you are in the air ask ATC to help you out with a call.  0 out of 10 times I have had to wait in the plane until an officer comes out,  I always unload my bags and take them in for inspection. I have never been asked for a radio station license or any other permits / credentials besides my passport and a CBP sticker for the plane however I bring all of them and a copy of my liability insurance.  Leave the cargo door open and door unlocked when you go in there is a chance they will take a look while you are clearing customs.  I have only used Ft Pierce and Palm Beach for entry so other ports may be different.

As for entering the Bahamas its REAL simple!!!  I usually stop at N. Eleuthera to clear customs and top off the tanks for the trip back then head south to the out islands to enjoy.  N. Eleuthera is a good operation with easy customs and a nice FBO, if it fits your route stop here and avoid Nassau.  Cat Island is a great place to visit.  It has a trailer on the field for customs however they are often on break and you may need to wait 20-30 mins or go hunt down the officer in the terminal, no fuel at CAT but there are many options for fuel within 30-40 min flight.  Be aware when departing in the afternoon even though they say it is staffed there was no one to be found so I had to depart and clear outbound customs at N. Eleuthera and almost missed US customs before they closed.  Leave extra time for everything when flying in the Bahamas as things move at Bahamas time, if you expect it going in it won't bother you :).  

As for the weather or worrying about instrument approaches, if it is not VFR there is probably a nasty system or storm that you don't want to fly in anyway.  The highest point in the whole Bahamas is Mt Alvernia on Cat Island, its 206ft AGL so VFR is almost always and option.  Make sure your crosswind landing techniques are up to snuff as many runways are built to fit on an island not to face into the wind, there is usually a decent wind from the east.  During the summer months thunderstorms can be a issue but they are usually scattered,  However they usually form over the islands (the airport you want to land at) as the ground heats up so I always carry a lot of extra fuel. 

Have a great time!! The Bahamas is the best GA trip I have ever taken and no matter what you read about fees and CBP once you get there you will realize its really not a big deal and the freedom of flying your own plane to the Islands outweighs the small amount of BS.  HAVE A GREAT TIME AND POST PICS.

Edited by Jeev
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It's interesting that if you're a boater, all you have to do is call 1-800 number to be cleared in.

 

Think of the number of unemployed CPB agent there would be if everyone could clear by phone.

Clarence

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My wife and I fly to various islands in the Bahamas 3-4 times per year.  The general rule is that you must land at the CBP POE closest to where you cross the coastline on returning to the U.S.  However, if you are based at an airport that is a POE, you can apply for an overflight exemption to return directly to your home airport.  For us, that means we return either to Fort Pierce, Florida, or Leesburg, Florida (our home base). I have been flying to the Bahamas for twenty years; in the earlier years, after arrival at Fort Pierce you would stay with the plane until they met you.  Now you remove the baggage and take it inside; flight related items (rafts, lifejackets, etc.) may remain in the aircraft.  In all this time, I have had my plane inspected once and my bags inspected twice.  

I have only used other POE's (Miami, West Palm Beach) rarely, and am unfamiliar with their current procedures.  

The phone call prior to return can be excruciating on the out islands.  First and foremost, make sure you have an international calling plan and are set up to make those calls. Just to make sure everything is in working order I usually make a test call back to the states as soon as I arrive in the Bahamas so if there is a problem I can correct it before I really need to make that call when the trip is over. There can be a real problem with cell phone service on the out islands, and it is not uncommon on the out islands to have a power outage.  When the island loses electricity, they lose cell phone service, too.  The good news is that almost all of the FBO's are willing to help you make that call with their lines.   

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My wife and I fly to various islands in the Bahamas 3-4 times per year.  The general rule is that you must land at the CBP POE closest to where you cross the coastline on returning to the U.S.  However, if you are based at an airport that is a POE, you can apply for an overflight exemption to return directly to your home airport.  For us, that means we return either to Fort Pierce, Florida, or Leesburg, Florida (our home base). I have been flying to the Bahamas for twenty years; in the earlier years, after arrival at Fort Pierce you would stay with the plane until they met you.  Now you remove the baggage and take it inside; flight related items (rafts, lifejackets, etc.) may remain in the aircraft.  In all this time, I have had my plane inspected once and my bags inspected twice.  

I have only used other POE's (Miami, West Palm Beach) rarely, and am unfamiliar with their current procedures.  

The phone call prior to return can be excruciating on the out islands.  First and foremost, make sure you have an international calling plan and are set up to make those calls. Just to make sure everything is in working order I usually make a test call back to the states as soon as I arrive in the Bahamas so if there is a problem I can correct it before I really need to make that call when the trip is over. There can be a real problem with cell phone service on the out islands, and it is not uncommon on the out islands to have a power outage.  When the island loses electricity, they lose cell phone service, too.  The good news is that almost all of the FBO's are willing to help you make that call with their lines.   

It would be nice if there were a standard policy for border crossings.  I would never dream of leaving my plane unless instructed by the customs officer, after all they pack a pistol.  

Clarence

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You have lots of information so not sure I will be adding anything but here goes.

You can't fly after dark in the Bahamas, and in many places the customs office will be closed by 4:30.  This is highly variable from one airport to another, so best to check.  We make the trip from Minneapolis, so in the winter when it gets dark early we usually stay overnight in Ft. Pierce and fly out the next morning.  The one way I found to make the trip in one day was to fly to Nassau to clear customs.  The FBO there was super helpful and even hastened my trip through Bahamas customs, got me fueled up and back in the air just in time to land at Congotown at sunset.  Nassau customs is open late, call the FBO to find out.  You must file a flight plan to depart Nassau, but the FBO will get that done for you.

Legally you need a life vest for each passenger (Bahamas air reg.) and you can rent one at Ft. Pierce.  

Customs has never been a problem in the Bahamas in dozens of trips there.  You need to fill out a Gen Dec, and if you are flying to more than one island you need a Cruising Permit.  Then you can go anywhere (once you have cleared the first customs station).

Make sure your plane is in great shape.  Even a flat tire can be hard to get help with in the Bahamas.

There will be a head tax per person when you leave the islands.  It has changed in the last couple of years.  Somewhere around $25-50 per person.  Bring chocks and ropes to tied down with.  Most places won't have them.

I hav e had nothing but great experiences with Ft. Pierce customs.  You pull up, grab a luggage cart, filll it up and bring it in with your paperwork.  You can leave flight related stuff in the plane as someone said.  Never had an inspection.

I am sure you know you must file an eAPIS manifest leaving and returning.  You must call customs at least one hour before your return and they will want an ETA.  They will look you up in the eAPIS system and if you have filed they will say you are ok to return.  As someone mentioned, it can be a problem making that phone call because of cell reception.  If you are at an airport that does not have an FBO, some will have a pilot's phone, and those that do not will have a commercial flight desk.  Don't hesitate to ask them for help regardless of what airline it is, I have had several of them let me use their phone to make the call.

Edited by jlunseth
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