Explore: St. Kitts & Nevis - Formalities
Clearance
COVID-19 coronavirus: New procedures are in place for arriving yachts – see Biosecurity for details.
St. Kitts & Nevis have ceased using SailClear.com in favor of eAPIS. APIS dates from 2007 and is much more onerous than SailClear, as well as being mandatory.
It is important that the eAPIS Immigration forms are completed in advance of arrival or skippers may face a large fine. This is in addition to clearance paperwork that has to be completed on arrival.
Complete the online form prior to visiting Immigration and Customs at the eAPIS Website. Note, this does require you to have ExCel installed in order to complete the form.
Expect to also fill in plenty of forms, in triplicate, on arrival.
Nevis
All vessels approaching Nevis are required to contact the Nevis Air and Sea Ports Authority (NASPA) on VHF Channel 16 in order to be assigned a mooring within the first 24 hours upon arrival.
Customs, Immigration and the Port Authority are all located in the one building in Charlestown.
St. Kitts
There is a Customs office at Zante Marina and this is reported to be the most convenient place to berth the boat and complete formalities (although prices are a little higher).
Immigration and the Port Authority will have to be visited at the cruise ship terminal in Basseterre.
Domestic Clearance
If moving between Nevis and St Kitts – clearance is not required.
Arrangements can also be made to visit anchorages outside the Ports of Entry after clearance for another country has been granted.
Last updated: March 2019
Immigration
All visitors require a passport valid for 6 months.
Visa is not required for citizens of many countries including most western and northern European countries, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA for stays of up to 90 days. Check this official St Kitts and Nevis website for a complete list of nationals which require a visa.
Regional and international aircraft and vessels are required to submit Advance Passenger Information prior to arrival in and upon departure from any of the CARICOM Member States. Complete the online form prior to visiting Immigration at the eAPIS Website.
It is likely you will be able to clear in and out with Immigration at the same time.
Last updated: July 2018
Related Businesses
Christophe Harbor
To the south of Basseterre, this is St Kitts newest marina, and opened in 2015. It is primarily a superyacht facility with on-site customs and... Read More
Customs
Firearms must be declared and usually are bonded on board.
Last updated:Â July 2018
Related Businesses
Christophe Harbor
To the south of Basseterre, this is St Kitts newest marina, and opened in 2015. It is primarily a superyacht facility with on-site customs and... Read More
Customs – Basseterre
Address: Marina Office, Port Zante Marina, Basseterre, St Kitts, St Kitts & Nevis,
Customs now has an office at the marina.... Read More
BioSecurity
COVID-19 CORONAVIRUS RESTRICTIONS:
https://covid19.gov.kn/
www.stkittstourism.kn
www.nevisisland.com
03 November, 2020: **OPEN**
- The Islands opened to tourists on 31 October.
- All vessels should register with SailClear prior to arrival to assist with documentation and proof of transit time.
- Vessels wishing to visit must complete a Travel Authorization form prior to arrival (knatravelform.kn).
- All crew must upload proof of a negative Covid-19 PCR test taken 72 hours prior to departure from last port, or prior to departure if at sea longer than 3 days.
- The vessel will be required to dock at one of six ports, submit the Maritime Declaration of Health to the port health officer and interact with other border agencies. The six ports are: The Deepwater Port, Port Zante, Christophe Harbour, New Guinea (St. Kitts Marine Works), Charlestown Pier and Long Point Port.
- Once approval is given vessels may need to quarantine on arrival. This is determined on a case-by-case basis.
- Yachts and pleasure vessels over 80 feet must quarantine at Christophe Harbor in St. Kitts. Yachts and pleasure vessels less than 80 feet must quarantine at the following locations: Ballast Bay in St. Kitts, Pinney’s Beach and Gallows in Nevis. There is a fee to monitor yachts and pleasure vessels that are less than 80 feet that are in quarantine
- See full details at the Tourist Board Website.
13 October, 2020:
CARICOM Adds Negative PCR Test Requirement to Travel Bubble.
05 October, 2020:
- Borders will re-open for commercial air and sea travel on October 31st.
- https://www.stkittstourism.kn/travel-advisory-update
21 September, 2020:
- St. Kitts and Nevis is among the CARICOM states identified as low-risk COVID-19 destinations that will allow travel from similar states without PCR tests prior to arrival and without having to undergo a quarantine period, effective Friday (September 18).
- An agreement was reached to create a Travel Bubble at a recent CARICOM meeting held on Friday, September 11.
- St. Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines will be in the Bubble as they presently meet the criteria.
- This ruling will apply once borders open.
14 September, 2020:
St. Kitts and Nevis will re-open borders in October.
07 July, 2020:
- From today three (3) vessels per day will be allowed to enter St. Kitts Boatyard (SKWM) for hurricane season 2020 but with strict rules as implemented by the Government. Different agencies will be present and controlling the operation with zero contact by them.
- Boat owners are ask to make arrangements for someone to pick them back up on the same day due to the fact that individuals are not allowed to enter the Boat Yard or land on St. Kitts at all.
- Customs, Health and Immigration paper work and fees along with the SKMW contracts and paper work and fees has to be done online 24 hours before arrival.
- All yachts coming must have a confirmed booking with date and time for Hauling. Payments can be made via credit card over the phone or via wire transfer. Any vessel that arrives without booking or documents will NOT be accepted and the Coast Guard will make them leave the island.
- On arrival all vessels will be sanitized before being placed in the yard for storage.
- Further information:
Customs: 1-869-762-8291, or, [email protected]
Immigration registration for vessel and crew: https://caricomeapis.org
SKWM Office: 1-869-667-8930 / 662-8930
19 May, 2020:
On April 20 the state of emergency was extended by six months, and intermittent curfews were rolled out. No date has been announced for the reopening of the borders.
20 April, 2020:
- Saint Kitts and Nevis has renewed the curfew for another week to April 25.
- All sea ports remain closed to regional and international seafaring and private boating.
- A visitor shall not be permitted to enter and disembark for any reason, including transiting through Saint Christopher and Nevis.
Our thanks to Caribbean Compass for passing on this information.
03 April, 2020:
- Authorities in Saint Kitts and Nevis will impose additional curfew measures April 3-9 as part of a state of emergency.
- An overnight curfew will be enforced 19:00-06:00 April 3-4. Residents will be allowed to purchase food and essential items during the daytime hours April 3 and 4.
- The 24-hour curfew will be reinstated from 19:00 April 4 until 19:00 April 9. The only establishments open will be health facilities and pharmacies; security and emergency services are also exempt.
26 March, 2020
Effective March 25, 2020, at 11:59 pm, the Federation of St. Kitts & Nevis will be closing its borders until April 7, 2020. The Coastguard will be enforcing all sea borders.
See St. Kitts Tourism for updates.
22 March, 2020
Currently both islands are open to visiting yachts.
ST KITTS: Port Zante (including Marina), Deep Water Port (Bird Rock), Christophe Harbour and New Guinea (St. Kitts Marine Works). You must dock at one of these points of entry
NEVIS: Charlestown Pier and Long Point Deep Water Port. You must dock at one of these points of entry.
Related Businesses
St. Kitts & Nevis Government
Address: Government House, P.O. Box 41, Springfield, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis,
Documents
Fees
Customs:
$30 USD (Zante Marina) – 2016
30 EC (Nevis)
Port Authorities:Â
$20 USD (Zante Marina) – 2016
130 EC (Nevis – up to 20 tons)
There is no charge for Immigration.
There is no charge for outbound clearance.
There is an overtime fee on both islands for clearance outside of working hours.
Last updated:Â December 2018
Restrictions
Nevis Air and Sea Ports Authority (NASPA) installed 40 yacht moorings along the western or Caribbean coast of Nevis from Oualie Beach to Charlestown to provide safe anchorage for mariners visiting the island. See the Napsa Website for full details.
Be aware that Black coral and most other corals, whether in chunks or in jewellery may not be purchased or collected.
No jet-skis or similar craft may be used by visiting yachts.
Scuba diving may only be done with a local dive shop.
It is an offence to dress in camouflage clothing (including children).
Local Customs
Pets
An Import Permit must be obtained from the Chief Veterinary Officer before arrival (see below for website link to form). There is a processing fee of US$20 (postal order only).
Once the permit is obtained in advance, inform the vet 72 hours before arrival (by email). On arrival, go ashore without your pet and clear in, informing the customs authorities how many animals you have on board. They will call the vet and make an appointment, who will come to the customs office, normally within 24 hours. They will inspect the animal/s and clear it/them in.
If you can be reasonably certain of your arrival time, then the vet can come at the same time as you clear in, saving two trips to customs. The vet fee for clearing in is EC$200.
On departure, if the next island to be visited requires a health certificate (not the case if you are going to Guadeloupe, for example), then call the vet directly a few days in advance and make an appointment. They will come to the same customs office and inspect your pet and issue a health certificate.
Fees for this are reported to be similar to the clearing-in fee.
Last updated May 2016.
Related Businesses
The Chief Veterinary Officer
Address: P. O. Box 39, Department of Agriculture, Basseterre, St Kitts, St Kitts & Nevis,
Veterinary Services
Download an import permit application form from this web link. Put "import permit application" into the search function to find the form.... Read More
