Formalities arriving and leaving Mayotte

Created by webmaster. Last modified on 2002-08-22 17:28:27
Contributors: Liliana Vedana, Thomas Mueller, Yacht MIZ MAE
Countries: Mayotte

Yacht MIZ MAE arrived from Madagascar to the French Mayotte mainly because our Madagascar visa had expired, but also to go shopping and fill up with clean diesel fuel. The trip, as much the same for the other yachts, consisted of 32 hours under motor. On arrival, we found some 30 cruising boats anchored and tied to moorings in the Bay de Pamanzi, just north of the tip of Petit Terre, called Dzaoudzi, and anchored in 12 Mt of muddy sand on position 12.46,6 S and 045.15,9 East. Having informed the friendly Port Captain on VHF Ch 16 and 09, he arrived minutes after we dropped the hook.

He had us filling in simple arrival cards, looked briefly at the ship's registration, took our passports and was off again. Advising us that he would process the passports through Immigration he waved us good bye. One is supposed to collect the passports next day from the port captain's office on the tip of Dzaoudzi's peninsula and visit the customs office at your own leisure some 500 meters further on. All together it was a most friendly and easy going welcome. However, some boats had customs officers visiting the boat for a more thorough check of the bilges. But as long as you are straight forward with the officers, they don't even mind all your rum from Madagascar, as long as you make sure it doesn't reach the local market.

For holders of South African passports it is worth noting that they are obliged to get a visa and there is a small fee going with it, depending on the length of stay.

Clearing out is just as easy. After seeing customs (often found on their speed boat on the anchorage), the Port Captain will stamp out your passports and give you a clearance paper for your next port of call.

The large military facility also holding members of the French Foreign Legion doesn't feature at all in the clearing formalities, adds extra security to the place, but could possibly impinge on your visit to the disco.

Lilly Vedana & Tom Mueller, Yacht MIZMAE