US ports open for sailors crossing from Med?

[Yes maybe]

We are considering crossing from Med to Antigua November, then on to Florida early 2022.
Have tried US custom site but cant find anything to do with entry by sea.
Crew are:
Fully vaccinated (looking for booster shots in coming weeks).
Australian citizens.
Any help on where to find this info apricated.

[goboatingnow]

Check noonsite , I believe thd us remains closed to boats from Europe but as you are effectively coming from the Caribbean things may be different

[Paul L]

Next year is too far off to know. The US is basically open to yachts. The important thing for you will be to make sure you obtain a B1/B2 visa before you leave the Med. They can be time consuming to obtain and a visa is required (for non-Canadians) for entry by yacht,

[boatman61]

And... while your at the US Embassy attending the interview for your B1/B2 visa's you can ask the official handling your application.
Much more reliable than Noonsite.

[Stewie12]

Remember that the ESTA visa waiver is only applicable for coming to the USA on a commercial ship or aircraft. As pointed out you need a B1 B2 visa and that means going to the US Embassy and probably an interview.

[Zanshin]

The rules are currently fluid, particularly this list: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019...countries.html and the current situation in the Caribbean is deteriorating so that by the time you wish to sail to the USA from Antigua you might not be allowed to do so. I got my first B1/B2 for USA in Sydney and since then have been asked by every immigration official why I have that instead of using ESTA; once I say I sail in the Caribbean my passport gets stamped and I get waved through.
Remember that once in the USA you need a cruising permit - while getting it is easy the conditions you have to uphold can be onerous. You need to call in every time you move the boat. Sometimes you'll get voicemail where you just leave your details, other times you'll get an officer on the phone and sometimes they will tell you not to call again until you get to the next jurisdiction, other times you need to call in every time you move.

[Dooglas]

Heck, cross to Florida. My understanding is that they are open for anything, literally.

[On a more serious note - isn't the current issue regarding entry into the US where you have been during the previous 14 days?]

[Nickodemus]

I don't believe that the US border is open to recreational boaters by sea at all. Our friends are in Canada now - right on the border of Maine, and have been denied entry via ROAM (an App which you use to check into the US). In order to enter the US, they will have to have a licensed captain take the boat to Eastport, Maine, and then fly across the border to Bangor, Maine to clear customs (which is totally permissible). MAKES NO SENSE WHATSOEVER but otherwise Customs and Border Protection will not check you into the US via the ROAM App or by calling them directly.

[Yes maybe]

Originally Posted by Paul L

Next year is too far off to know. The US is basically open to yachts. The important thing for you will be to make sure you obtain a B1/B2 visa before you leave the Med. They can be time consuming to obtain and a visa is required (for non-Canadians) for entry by yacht,

OK thanks, Our ESTA's are no good for non commercial entry. Plan to visit US embassy in Spain, France or Italy as soon as possible, before making other plans.

[Yes maybe]

Thanks, yes Noonsite is helpful, but not a government..

[Yes maybe]

Originally Posted by Zanshin

The rules are currently fluid, particularly this list: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019...countries.html and the current situation in the Caribbean is deteriorating so that by the time you wish to sail to the USA from Antigua you might not be allowed to do so. I got my first B1/B2 for USA in Sydney and since then have been asked by every immigration official why I have that instead of using ESTA; once I say I sail in the Caribbean my passport gets stamped and I get waved through.
Remember that once in the USA you need a cruising permit - while getting it is easy the conditions you have to uphold can be onerous. You need to call in every time you move the boat. Sometimes you'll get voicemail where you just leave your details, other times you'll get an officer on the phone and sometimes they will tell you not to call again until you get to the next jurisdiction, other times you need to call in every time you move.

Yes, we need to have a B1/B2, as well as our ESTA's. Have considered the case number will/are going up, probably everywhere. Its very frustrating, excellent vaccines freely available in 1st and a lot of 2nd world, but up take poor..
Advice from Antigua is they wont close again, but if the hospital system collapses - who knows.. Thanks for heads up about boat movements in US. My plans for US are not to move around much. More to do some boat upgrades, then continue circumnavigation, maybe

[Yes maybe]

Originally Posted by Nickodemus

I don't believe that the US border is open to recreational boaters by sea at all. Our friends are in Canada now - right on the border of Maine, and have been denied entry via ROAM (an App which you use to check into the US). In order to enter the US, they will have to have a licensed captain take the boat to Eastport, Maine, and then fly across the border to Bangor, Maine to clear customs (which is totally permissible). MAKES NO SENSE WHATSOEVER but otherwise Customs and Border Protection will not check you into the US via the ROAM App or by calling them directly.

I'm hoping that we can obtain a B1/B2 from US Embassy, and that will get us into a US port to do some boat upgrades. If not I will have to take our business elsewhere, probably in Caribbean, again

[Yes maybe]

Just noticed my replies have a lot of , sign of the times??

[Yes maybe]

Originally Posted by Dooglas

Heck, cross to Florida. My understanding is that they are open for anything, literally.

[On a more serious note - isn't the current issue regarding entry into the US where you have been during the previous 14 days?]

Does Florida control its international sea border, or is this a Federal matter?

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Yes maybe

I'm hoping that we can obtain a B1/B2 from US Embassy, and that will get us into a US port to do some boat upgrades. If not I will have to take our business elsewhere, probably in Caribbean, again

St Maarten is the place.. cheapest in the Caribe for Chandlery etc..