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Navigate in a Bahamas Yacht Charter? Donâ € ™ t Forget Your Passport
If itâ € ™ s the first time youâ € ™ ve traveled on a Bahamas Yacht Charter or havenâ t ™ € chartered the last five years you may want to know that some of the customs rules have changed. Whether traveling by yacht or car outside the U.S. will have to submit additional paperwork, returning from neighboring countries.
Both adults and children who are U.S. citizens have to show proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate, naturalization certificate or U.S. passport to enter the country even if his letter disembarked from a U.S. port like Miami or Fort Lauderdale. Adults also need to show government IDs, such as a driver's license.
There will be some leniency for travelers from airline in South Florida. U.S. Citizen come from Mexico, Canada, Bermuda or some Caribbean countries will not have to present a passport upon their return.
Most of the charts where land usually do not require proof of citizenship and from all passengers coming and landing. Since protocols marinas havenâ € ™ t changed much, U.S. officials expect booming because most U.S. travelers and to present evidence of citizens to re-enter by sea also. Recently, the mayor of Fort Lauderdale and the U.S. Coast Guard met with officials from the Caribbean in St. Maarten to see how they can optimize the customs process yachting community.
While some business groups worry that the strict rules can disrupting trade and travel across the United States, Canada and United States-Mexico border to travelers coming to the states by car navigation industry Sailing is not expected to be affected.
The Association of Travel and Tourism Industry Business Roundtable has asked the government to have expressed some concern about passengers have to provide real birth certificates and have asked to delay the "citizenship test" rule, until it has been modified. The groups have asked U.S. citizens only required to show identification issued by the Government to re-enter by land or sea.
These new rules are part of the country ™ € s implementation plan for border security since September 11 2001 and the recent presidential race has made it known that the new president elected in November 2008 will have to take the issue a high priority. Leaders of South Florida marine have predicted that donâ ™ € t see any problem in the future as they have been getting the word to the community as a sailor for months through websites, travel agencies and other channels that enter the United States by sea.
Many cruise companies, including Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines, the world's largest, had required customers to show proof of citizenship the processing speed. Many sailors have been showing their birth certificates to the authorities for the straw hat numbers for re-entry.
Chris Oswell, captain of Mrs. Nancy, a 112-private yacht frequently visited South Florida, said he has worked for several years on the premise that it is one aboard for a trip to the U.S. without a passport or residence card. We have mentioned that those who can not provide the documents will be rejected. Most charterers are notified in advance for your agent what the Charter of the preparation are the requirements for your trip.
Mrs. Nancy comes as yacht charter make many of the Bahamas to Fort Lauderdale and the office by telephone to an 800 number and give the names of National Security of the passengers, passport numbers, dates of birth and addresses. The captain receives an authorization number to change. Guests will have 24 hours to go to the office of Eller Drive Port Everglades and show their passports authorization numbers.
Travelers should not find difficult to meet the new requirements. Proof of citizenship can even include a passport U.S. has expired, said Zachary Mann, a special agent and spokesman for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
"We do not expect broad lines [in South Florida] because of this rule, "Mann said." And if you do not have the appropriate documents, and you're a U.S. citizen returning, we're not going to keep it out. Processing time for you to enter just takes longer. "
A smooth transition will be very welcome change compared to the law in motion a couple of years ago requiring passports for U.S. citizens flying back from Western Hemisphere countries. So many millions of citizens requested passports were overwhelmed passport offices. The government had to suspend the rule to clear the backlog before restarting.
The passport rule also has taken a toll in the Caribbean, the world's most tourism dependent region. Some Americans skip vacation in the Caribbean to avoid the hassle and expense of obtaining passports. The economies of countries like the Bahamas and Jamaica, which didnâ ™ € t require a U.S. passport for entry into the past, suffered.
Even Caribbean islands that are part of the United States and excluded from the passport rule, including the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, meaning some of the effects, but Travel to U.S. the Caribbean are recovering from this year.
The current processing time for a U.S. passport application is four to six weeks, of approximately 12 weeks from mid-2007. Passports may still be accelerated by an additional premium or under certain sets of circumstances.
For more information about clearance procedures in the Caribbean or questions about traveling in a charter yacht, http://www.eYachtCharter.com visit.
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Bahamas Vacation 2009 – Majesty of the Seas