Small pleasure boaters visiting the territory can now use a new phone app to check in with U.S. Customs and Border protection, as of last week.
Travelers who require an I-94 customs declaration form, those seeking a cruising license or who must pay duties on imported goods, will still need to report in person to the nearest Customs and Border Protection Facility. But most boaters will be able to use CBP’s Reporting Offsite Arrival Mobile application on a smartphone or tablet and bypass part of the process.
The app, called ROAM, was released in May and CBP has been rolling it out in different areas since then.
“We started the rollout for the Caribbean, for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, the last week of June or so,” Jeffrey Quiñones, a public affairs officer for Customs and Border Protection, said Friday.
With ROAM, there are now three ways to report vessel arrivals without going to Customs offices, Quiñones said. Boaters can register online through CBP’s Small Vessel Reporting System and submit a navigation plan.
“We also had the local boaters option, allowing people to call in on the phone and say (for example) ‘I’m making entry into Charlotte Amalie. I have four folks with me, one of whom is a British national,'” Quiñones said.
If a boater arrives at a local marina rather than an official port of entry but has to personally check in for inspection, the operators can call and find out where to go, or CBP may elect to inspect the vessel where it is, he said.
To use ROAM, download the app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. In certain locations, the ROAM app can also be accessed on tablets at partner locations.
For any questions or concerns about the ROAM app, email: cbproam@cbp.dhs.gov. If you encounter any issue with ROAM, CBP asks you to contact your nearest Port of Entry:
— Puerto Rico 1 (877) 529-6840
— St. Thomas 1 (877) 305-8774
— St. John 1 (877) 305-8773
— St. Croix 1 (340) 719-2857
CBP Designated Sites for Inspection in USVI include:
Port of St. Thomas
Edward Wilmoth Blyden Marine Terminal
1 877 305-8774
Port of St. John
Cruz Bay CBP Terminal
1 877 305-8775
Port of St. Croix
Gallows Bay, St. Croix
1 340 773-1011 (day time)
1 340 773-1490 (after business hours)
Shared content for Virgin Islands Source and St. John Tradewinds.
