US Customs Clearance Rules (updated 04/29/2006)

By Lt. Jennifer Hamilton and Lt. James Hamilton

In the spring of 2005, the US Customs and Border Patrol announced a major change to the clearance procedures for operators of small craft in the Pacific Northwest. The convenient PIN telephone clearance program for recreational boaters was cancelled. Boaters wishing to clear US Customs by phone (either into Washington or Alaska) had to obtain a “Trusted Traveler” document.

            The general requirements remain the same this year. Two changes have been made that simplify the process somewhat: 1) Boeing Field I-68 applicants no longer need to supply pictures and 2) a NEXUS office has opened at Boeing Field. The rest of this article summarizes the processes currently in place.

If you don’t plan to clear US Customs by phone, these programs don’t impact you. You can just land at a designated dock to clear US Customs. But you might consider obtaining a “Trusted Traveler” document to avoid long delays. Our local US Customs docks were overloaded last summer with the many boaters who formerly cleared by phone and had not obtained the new documentation.

Two types of “Trusted Traveler” documents are available: I-68 or NEXUS. Neither is new, but the requirement to have one had not been enforced in the Pacific Northwest until last year. I-68 is an annual permit while NEXUS is valid for five years. Both require an in-person interview and a background check. And with either, everyone on board over the age of 14 must be a “Trusted Traveler” or you’ll have to clear customs in person. Table 1 summarizes the main differences between the two programs.

Table 1. Trusted Traveler Programs

I-68  I-68 is a US-only program for recreational boaters. An I-68 document is faster and cheaper (per application) to obtain than a NEXUS pass. But you must renew the I-68 annually, in-person. Each applicant pays $16 per renewal, up to a maximum of $32 per family. Family includes immediate relatives and unmarried children. Grandchildren do not count.

To obtain an I-68, call US Customs to arrange an appointment. Boeing Field is the best choice, but several other locations are available. Call Boeing Field at (206)553-0667 or see http://www.waggonerguide.com/poe.html for options. You can usually get an appointment within a week or two.

Currently, you will need to bring with you proof of citizenship, the best being a passport; proof of current address, such as a driver’s license; and proof of vessel registration. Permanent residents should also bring their permanent resident card. Payment can be made either with cash or check, credit cards are not accepted.

These requirements may change or differ between offices, so ask the officer when you make the appointment. In particular, offices other than at Boeing Field may require that you bring 3 passport photos to your interview.

We applied for an I-68 last spring through Boeing field. The appointment took about 15 minutes while US Customs officers filled out the I-68 document, took our fingerprints, and checked our background. We left with an I-68 document that was good for entry into the US from Canada for one year on any pleasure craft, not just our own.

NEXUS  NEXUS is a joint Canada-US program. Besides clearing US Customs by phone on your boat, with a NEXUS pass you can use the special automobile lanes at the border when entering either country. Currently only US Customs supports telephone clearance via NEXUS for boats, but Canada Customs apparently has plans to support this as well.

            A NEXUS pass is valid for five years and costs $50US or $80CA per person. The form is mailed to and processed in Canada. Unless the exchange rate changes dramatically, we recommend you pay the $50US by check or money order in US funds.  If you pay by credit card, you will be charged the Canadian rate of $80CA. With the current exchange rate, this will be converted to roughly $70US.

To apply for a NEXUS pass, go to http://www.getnexus.com/ and apply for NEXUS Highway. (A NEXUS Marine program is listed, but it is a pilot program only and is not applicable in the Pacific Northwest.)  US Customs allows NEXUS Highway pass holders to clear customs over the telephone when entering by pleasure craft.

            Some time after you’ve mailed in the form, a customs agent will contact you to arrange an appointment. You must interview with agents of both countries at a NEXUS office. The locations are more restricted than for the I-68. Currently only Blaine and Boeing Field have NEXUS offices. US Customs reports that applications are currently taking about 10 weeks to process before applicants are called for an interview.

The background check for NEXUS is more extensive than for I-68. We applied for NEXUS last spring and had our cards about 3 months later. The NEXUS office called to schedule an appointment about 8 weeks after we had submitted the application, but no appointments were available for 3 weeks. At the NEXUS office, US and Canadian Customs officers asked a few questions and took our fingerprints and pictures. The pictures are used to print the cards. We left in under an hour with cards in hand.

We brought the following documents with us to the appointment:

·         Permanent resident card

·         Passport

·         Birth certificate

·         Driver's license

·         Vehicle registration

The NEXUS officer only requested that we bring my birth certificate for maiden name validation. But they asked to see James’ while we were there, so it’s best to bring both, particularly for non-citizens.

Recommendations If you have been clearing in person in the past, you can continue to do so. Nothing has changed in that respect. You should allow extra time to clear however, as the US Customs docks are more congested.

            If the Customs dock is a detour for you, clearing by phone saves both time and fuel. Of the two programs, we feel that the NEXUS pass is the best choice.  It is cheaper in the long run, more flexible, and less hassle in that you only have to renew every 5 years. We’ve used ours several times to enter the US by boat and to enter both the US and Canada by car. Being NEXUS cardholders made the entry process faster and smoother.

If you want to clear by phone anytime soon however, (read, before the end of the summer) the best course of action is to apply for an I-68 for this summer’s cruising season and apply for a NEXUS pass either now or later this year.

            For further details and late-breaking news, see the websites of the Waggoner Cruising Guide (www.waggonerguide.com) and the Recreational Boating Association of Washington (www.rbaw.org).  Or contact Boeing Field US Customs at (206)553-0667.