St. Lucia - Immigration
Immigration Procedure:
Immigration forms can be completed in advance of arrival at https://travelslu.govt.lc/
Immigration offices are normally open from 08:00-12:00 and 13:00-17:00.
Visitors to St Lucia are required to have a valid passport for up to six months and can request to stay for up to three months.
Foreign nationals from some countries intending to visit St. Lucia for business, pleasure or study have to obtain a valid visa.
See https://www.govt.lc/faqs for a list of countries whose citizens are eligible for a visa-free stay and those who require a visa. It is also possible to download a list of requirements when applying for a visa at this link.
Many nationalities can obtain a visa on arrival and may request up to a 3-month stay.
If a visa-on-arrival is what you want, this can only be obtained at the Hewanorra International Airport in the south of the island. From Rodney Bay this is 80 kms (50 miles) and at least a 90 minute taxi ride (significantly more at peak traffic times). Vieux Fort is on the doorstep of the airport, but be aware of security issues here.
Visa Extensions:
You must apply for an extension in person at the main Immigration Office in Castries.
Immigration officials have the power to grant visiting yachtsmen up to a six months stay.
Incoming Crew and Guests:
For crew arriving to join the boat in St. Lucia, current entry restrictions state that air passengers must be in possession or be able to provide proof of an “onward or return ticket” and hold sufficient funds for the stay. In the event that passengers are traveling to St. Lucia and departing by sea, the passenger must hold documentation from the skipper of the boat confirming that they will be traveling aboard and detailing the exact departure date from St. Lucia and the next destination. Passengers must also then hold the correct documentation and comply with the entry restrictions for that destination too.
Last updated: October 2023
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There is a relatively new step in the arrival/clearance process.
The Department now has an online immigration form to be completed prior to arrival which can be found here:
https://travelslu.govt.lc/
We didn’t have an issue with it not being completed, but that may of course vary by officer.
We also did not have to provide the health clearance form.
Soufreire Bay…
Beautiful setting but be prepared to be approached by local “entrepreneurs” wanting to sell you something or serve as your tour guide. We were met approaching the bay by two men on a fishing boat that nearly insisted we follow them to a mooring ball….a bit too aggressively. The same two men approached three other boats coming into the bay as well. They asked for $20EC in return. Thereafter we were approached 6 other times by other “vendors” all of them, including three kids ages 7-11 on a old broken paddle board. None have been too aggressive but it gets to be annoying…..but this is how they make a living so take it in stride. We’ve seen police and harbor rangers three times in the last twenty four hours so they do patrol the area. That said, my crew may go into town for a tour of the mud baths and waterfalls but I’m staying with the boat.
This is a beautiful place…highly recommend you see it but it warrants caution
The following incident which occurred in the Pitons area of Saint Lucia was reported (2nd Hand) to the CSSN.
A cruising yacht approached the SMMA moorings between the Pitons intending to practice mooring pickup and self-moor. They were intercepted by aggressive boat boys who demanded excessive payment for unwanted services, which were declined. When the yacht attempted to pickup the mooring their boat hook became entangled in the lines which had been tied off underwater. The boat boys immediately retrieved the boat hook and then maliciously bent it, making it unusable. The boat boys were paid a fee in excess of the customary $20ECD recommended by the SMMA park rangers, and they hung at the boat in a menacing manner demanding additional payment for sometime before departing
They stolen our dinghy.. tonight.. then we found the tender without outboard.
Hi Stefan! I believe you met my husband at the police station. We had our dinghy stolen that same night. Please file a report here!
https://safetyandsecuritynet.org/submit-incident-report/
We wrote our story here:
https://www.rubbertorudder.com/journal-content/2020/2/8/theft-unchecked-and-the-need-for-community-involvement
This is my opinion and yours may differ. In reviewing crime statistics of St. Lucia, we were hesitant to visit. However, other cruisers encourage us by claiming Rodney Bay and Marigot Bay were perfectly safe. This is not true.
CSSN continues to report a huge amount of dinghy thefts in these areas. The numbers continue to grow and the theft is now rampant. It has been going on for at least two years that I am aware of. The situation is now so bad statistically speaking you will have a greater chance of theft in these areas than just about anywhere else in the Caribbean.
I think Noonsite is being very kind with the details given about St. Lucia under the crime heading. I would encourage you to look at other sources and do your homework. Determine if the offerings of St. Lucia warrant the risks to your well being or potential loss of possessions. Does St. Lucia offer anything that cannot be found somewhere else on a safer island? You need to evaluate this before visiting.
I intend no ill harm to the residents of St. Lucia or businesses by posting this. There is no doubt the continuing crime will impact them with cruisers failing to visit (as I see from other postings here). Expecting cruisers to support their economy when they are continual targets or crime is not realistic.
Be smart and be safe!
We had a perplexing encounter with Customs at Soufriere last night. The customs officer insisted on charging us EC$125 for mooring in the marine park – on top of the US$20 we had already paid to the marine ranger for use of the mooring. He also asked for payment of his overtime as we’d kept him past closing hours (we arrived 15 mins before closing).
There is no mention of this fee in Doyle’s Windward guide and it’s much more than the EC$15 clearance fee suggested on various websites. Also, he couldn’t produce any documentation to support such a charge – but it was late and we were late for dinner so paid anyway. I hesitate to suggest that we were scammed by a customs officer but this is what it felt like.
Addition to Francis V comment: We arrived with ARC 2017. A rafia box of our shoes sitting on the pontoon next to the boat was stolen. ‘Security’ staff were posted on the pontoon leading ashore, and I recognise security is difficult with all the comings & goings, but it was useless.
Maybe St Lucia government reads this site ? I just want to signal that due to the ongoing thefts we skipped your island. So did also 4 dutch, 2 english and 1 german boats we know of. There are certainly numerous more…
I’m wondering if a Pet Permit is needed to sail from Martinique to St. Lucia, and anchoring in the bays, and NOT taking my small dog to shore (at all).
SAINT LUCIA CARNIVAL 2016 – JULY 18TH – 21ST
If you ever need a vet when visiting St. Lucia, we highly recommend Dr Scotland in his clinic as he knows what he is doing. He is helping our little dog who is struggling for his life after being bitten by a bigger dog and getting stitched up with fishing line by the first vet we went to. The first vet charged us a lot of money and did not do a professional job.