Azores - Clearance
The Q flag should be flown on arrival from outside the EU at the first port of entry into the Azores, together with a Portuguese courtesy flag and an Azores courtesy flag (flown below that of Portugal).
As part of Portugal, the Azores are members of the EU, with which they have a special relationship. The usual EU regulations apply, although because of their isolated position, the authorities tend to treat all arriving yachts as if coming from a non-EU country and subsequently subject them to the full range of clearance formalities.
ARRIVAL FORMALITIES
Ports of Entry:
- Vessels arriving in the Azores can clear into the EU in Horta, Ponta Delgada, Praia da Vitoria and Vila do Porto.
- ALERT: The port of Lajes das Flores, is still being re-built, expected completion 2025.
General Process:
As you approach the port of entry and before entering the harbor, make contact with the marina/harbor authorities on VHF Ch. 16 (or in Horta Ch. 09). They can provide you with anchoring/berthing instructions during working hours (Winter: 08:00 to 17:00 / Summer: 08:00 to 20:00).
At the first POE the following officials need to be seen by all arriving yachts (both those from the EU and those from elsewhere):
- Marina Office/Port Captain
- Immigration (SEF)
- Customs (Alfândega) – if Customs needs to be visited, the SEF official will direct you accordingly.
A “Lighthouse Tax” is levied for all yachts sailing in Portuguese waters. This is payable to the Policia Maritima via the Port Captain/Marina. See Fees for details.
Notes:
- Procedures do vary between islands so it’s always a good idea to ask in the marina office what local requirements are.
- In some ports you may also be visited by the Policia Maritima (who has some Coastguard duties) and the Guarda Nacional Repubicana (GNR), who are the local police. Particuarly in ports with no marina. It is likely no English will be spoken.
Domestic Cruising:
It is important to note that in both the Azores and in mainland Portugal, yachts must check in and out with all the above officials at EVERY port visited.
Officials are usually located within the marina office, or nearby. Locations and opening times of each island’s Customs and Immigration offices are tied with marina office schedules. See each port page for further details.
CLEARING OUT
On departure, fees must be paid at marina office and have passports inspected by Immigration (SEF) officials for clearance out.
Last updated: March 2024
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In the Azores, Horta is welcoming yachts already from across the Atlantic and their busy season is in full swing. Duncan Sweet of MAYS, a company dedicated to ocean cruising sailors, reports “the main waterfront thoroughfare in Horta has been given a serious rebuild over the winter with on-going work to complete a new laundry and showers complex to the south of the Yacht Club (Club Naval da Horta). Until these are completed, the original laundry, toilets and showers by the marina bar, are still operational.
The Island of Sao Jorge is having a seismic episode at the moment – some 20,000 tremors in the last two weeks. No-one really knows what, if anything, this portends – earthquake or lava effusion – however visiting yachts should be aware. The tremors are mostly in the Velas area where the main town and marina are.
You can come directly to Santa Maria – Vila do Porto !
We arrived in Horta June 17th. The COVID test is free and results back in 24 hours. All very organized and the marina, maritime police, and Peter Cafe Sport all doing an amazing job to support boats. With a negative test result document we went to Velas, São Jorge and Angra de Heroismo, Terceira; cleared in through the local marinas and anchored in both places free of charge. Ponta Delgada is not requiring COVID test for entry.
Please note – the above comment is not true. Horta and Ponta Delgada remain the only open ports of entry and at BOTH PORTS a SARS-Cov-2 test will be required on arrival, unless the regional health authority waives it in view of the non-stop travel time and the absence of symptoms. A passage time of more than 14 days is seen as voluntary quarantine. If test results are negative you will be given permission to go ashore.
s/v DellaMyra departs today, 22nd June, 2020, for Horta and Falmouth,UK
lone sailor . MMSI235102055
Hurricane Lorenzo struck the western Azores in October, destroying the breakwater at Lajes, Flores. Until repairs are complete, this port is unusable.
Ponta Delgada is a convenient place to enter the Azores : nice city, facilities for provisioning, skilled professionals if repairs are needed. But there are some issues :
– the local police considered me as highly suspect because I stopped in Ponta Delgada and not Horta like everybody ! So I had a complete police search, including drug search with dog.
– the professionals like the famous Thomas and JB Electronica don’t accept payment with credit cards, only cash or bank transfer. Cash is not possible beyond a small amount, so bank transfer is the only solution, which implies delays and possible errors on the bank apps. It is what happened to me and at my next stop in Gibraltar my mail box was full of complaining and threatening e-mails, saying I would be designed to all ports as a robber ! Visitors should make a strong pressure on these people for accepting credit cards like anywhere in the world (and in Sao Miguel by all shops and restaurants) to avoid such problems.
Just spent a fortnight here in ponta delgada marina in unsettled weather,in my opinion it is untenable in any strong south,south east or southwest winds.We had so many boats break lines and fenders.I bought a pump from Thomas through bank transfer,he put it on ferry to Santa Maria(€4.80) and the total time took 2 days.
I just watched a you tube video of a couple who were charged an engine tax based upon the weight and power of their engine. They had an electric engine which should have been exempt but were forced to pay upon threat of their boat being impounded. They were also charred a lighthouse tax. Neither are mentioned in the formalities section. Report here:-
https://youtu.be/PSm5SbcBHUQ
The old page was perfect, This is useless
couln not agree more
Must do’s if you have time on Terceira:
1. Go to the local town where there is a “running of the bulls” that particular evening (they move them from town to town). The reason to go is more to observe the way the locals commune around this event than to see the bulls themselves, who are given stimulants and then downers when they are still in their bright red boxes before being released to put on their show.
2. Terceira has several interesting caves that are worth visiting, donning the requisite hard hats, and exploring on a guided tour.
3. Lastly, driving across the island and enjoying the miles of hydrangeas lining the roads is another not-to-miss experience on Terceira in the spring/summer.