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Procedures and Requirements for Clearances for Inbound YachtsAnd Other Information of Benefit to Cruising Yachts Entering Fiji |
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| Although we go through every effort to keep this page current and relevant (as
well as other cruiser information boards), Fiji is a country whose government is very much in a transition period.
Thus, we cannot promise that any of this will be true or factual when you actually come to Fiji, so please use this
information as merely a guide, and strictly at your own risk. IMPORTANT NOTE EFFECTIVE 19 April 2009! The New Legal Order of the Government of Fiji has announced that there the Public Emergency Regulations (PER, essentially what is commonly called martial law) are in force for a period of thirty days (or more) as the Government transitions. It is our opinion that if you have weapons on board, you should seriously consider not entering Fiji until the PER's have been lifted. In addition, please complete every field on the C.2.C. Notice of Arrival Form. If a field is not applicable to you or your vessel, enter 'N/A'. The Government very much wants to promote more visiting cruising yachts and I believe that it is sincere in its beliefs. Fiji remains a very beautiful and peaceful place, however, if you disagree with the Government, it is prudent to keep your opinions on your yacht before you come ashore. Please also be advised that all officials are required to identify themselves to you with a warrant card, but you may not inhibit them in the performance of their duties, and they are authorised to take any steps they may deem necessary to exercise their duties. Yacht Movement Within Fiji Duty Free Length of Yacht Stay Within Fiji Fees and Charges Assessed on Yachts Entering Fiji in Savusavu Tourist Visa's For The Crew of Yachts Entering Fiji About the Fiji Cruising Permit(s) Importation of Spares and Repair Parts Tourist Police | |
| As follows are the procedures of entry of a yacht into Fiji, downloaded from the FIRCA (Fiji Islands Revenue
and Customs Authority) website as of 28 June 2007. Please Note: There is no sense of humour about drugs, pornography, or weapons! Please be a considerate guest (we love to have visitors) by not putting yourselves and ourselves in a situation we would prefer to avoid! Please also note effective 1 July 2007, the form C.2.C (download here) must be on file at FIRCA a minimum of 48 hours in advance of arrival in Fiji, via fax to FIRCA at the port you would like to enter. Please note the word minimum means that you can fax it in before you depart your last port in order for it to be on record upon your arrival. This requirement was forced on Fiji by the G-8, don't blame us! Vinaka vaka levu. | |
| 1) Where do I have to go to enter my yacht if I am coming to Fiji ? | |
| You can enter at any of the following sea ports of entry: | |
| 2) What authorities do I have to see in Fiji upon my arrival? | |
| You have to see Ministry of Health, Customs Department, Ministry of Agriculture (Quarantine Dept), and Immigration. (If you choose to use a Waitui Marina Mooring, we will see to bringing the officials to your vessel at no extra charge to you.). | |
| 3) What are the papers that I have to submit to Fiji Customs? | |
| Papers that you have to submit are: |
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| 4) What is the procedure of high dutiable stores which I have in my yacht? | |
| 5) I am carrying arms and ammunitions on my yacht. What authorities do I have to see upon my arrival in Fiji ? | |
| You have to declare to customs upon your arrival which will be detained and handed over to the police for safe keeping. | |
| 6) How will I obtain my arms and ammunitions from police when I finally want to depart from Fiji? | |
| You have to give customs 24 hours notice for your departure so that arrangements can be made from Fiji Police to place them on board. (This has changed somewhat: You must either return to the port that you originally checked in at, or pay for transportation and lodging for a Police Constable to take them to another port. On 24 July 2010, if you had checked into Savusavu and wanted to check out from Lautoka, it will run approximately F$750 for the service. A wise person will allow for well in excess of 24 hour notice. Your weapons will not be returned to you until you have checked out from the country and you are within the alloted three hour departure period. They will be placed on board by Customs and the Police.)) | |
| 7) What is the procedure of bringing animals and birds on my yacht? | |
| Animals and birds should be caged until seen and cleared by the Department of Biosecurity. (Dogs and cats are no problem; they are quarantined on your vessel, but there are charges assessed please see below for these fees. In the case of 'exotics', you must make arrangements with Biosecurity at least 48 hours before you arrive in Fiji, 679-331-2512 or ilaitia.boa@govnet.gov.fj). | |
| 8) When I finally leave Fiji with my yacht, what do I have to do? | |
| You are required to obtain out ward clearance from Fiji Customs at the port of entry. | |
| 9) What if I have some problem with my yacht and cannot leave the port? | |
| Inform the customs authority within 24 hrs from the time of your clearance. | |
| 10) Do I have to obtain another clearance for my departure? | |
| Yes. (  Top) |
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| Movement from Fiji Port of Entry to Fiji Port of Entry (as of 26 May 2008) | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Even if you do not intend to stop at any destination within Fiji (which requires a Cruising Permit, see below) and
intend to only move between a Port of Entry (Suva, Levuka, Lautoka, Savusavu), you STILL must clear with Customs
before departure from YOUR port of entry, and check in with the next port. The documentation you have to
complete for this type of movement is identical to that of departing the country. Failure to do so will result
in a F$5000 fine, with, strictly at the officials discretion, be reduced to 25% (F$1250) at the first offense, 50% (F$2500) at the
second, etc.. You have been warned! ( Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Length of Yacht Stay (As of 31 December 2009) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| On 21 November 2008, Commodore Bainimarama, in his annual budget address, announced that
the duty free period of yacht importation was restored to what it had been in 2006. In fact, when
Circular 7 of 2008 was issued, he actually went one step futher: The duty-free
period is now a full 18 months, without a need to apply for an extention, but no extentions are to be granted in
addition to the 18 months.
He further removed the '9 month out' requirement, which will allow yachts transiting Fiji late in the cruising season to summer over in NZ or Australia to return to Fiji again at the beginning of the cruising season There is also to be released a 'National Yacht Policy' in January 2009, addressing, amoungst other things, the needs of 'superyachts'. In our opinion, this is a very significant step taken by the government to recognise the value of cruising yachts to the Fiji economy as a whole. After the 18 month stay was announced, Immigration's proceeded to amend the code to allow the 18 months for yachts, and, after a somewhat over-zealous Customs Official tried to side-step the intent of government, he was brought back to reality BY government (reference this memo), which indicated to us, of how supportive this government is to the cruisers. If you would like to import your vessel, the 5% import duty announcement is somewhat misleading, as it is not listed as such in the duty rate book; it is the minimum rate to be charged after individual approval is obtained from the Comptroller. Unless you manage to gain approval, the 'general' import duty, VAT and fees will be assessed on vessels as follows: You might want to enquire how long it takes to process the refund before paying the deposit. We will keep this site posted with futher developments as they become available. ( Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Fees and Charges (As of 24 July 2010 in Savusavu) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| We distinguish Savusavu from the other three ports in Fiji, as it is the smallest and does not
have round the clock officals available and is thus likely to be the most costly. In addition, since we are here,
it is easy for us to verify the charges.
At the risk of being redundant, please understand that no portion of your vessel, including yourselves and the anchor, may touch Fiji soil before you are prepared to satisfy entrance procedures. Effective 22 July 2011, the Ministry of Health in Savusavu announced that any physical contact with any person prior to having practique, may result in a fine of F$2000. In short, if a friend of yours that you haven't seen for years comes into a Port of Entry flying the 'Q' flag, rather than going over to say 'hi', call them on the radio instead. As of this writing, 24 July 2011, there is a dispute between the Kingdom of Tonga and the Republic of Fiji as to who has jurisdiction over Minerva Reef. We strongly advise against stopping there until the dispute is resolved to the satisfaction of both nations. If the dispute is resolved in favour of Fiji, and you stop there on your way from New Zealand prior to official entry into Fiji, you may be fined for stopping on Fijian soil. Please remember that as a country, Fiji is not operating under a Constitutional Government, but an Interrum Government by decree, and that all rules and laws are subject to change without prior notice, so please do not cite this page as being the authoritative source if you are assessed fees not listed. Please note that all boarding officers must identify themselves and must issue a government receipt for all fees collected. All fees must be paid in Fiji Dollars. Some boarding officers have allowed the fees to be paid in other currency, exchanging it themselves, but this has led to some problems with overcharging on the exchange rates. In 2011, in an effort to gain more revenues, both the Ministry of Health and the Department of Biosecurity (formerly Quarantine), have been required to be all but self-sufficient in funding. This in turn has required both Ministrys to levy 'user fees' to the general population, as well as vessels and aircraft entering Fiji. There is some confusion within the Department of Biosecurity on their fees, I will list what was discussed as being the maximums, but it could be lower. To make this simple (ha!), if you enter Savusavu during working hours, which is defined as being 0800-1300 or 1400-1630, Monday-Thursday (1300-1600 on Friday) and it is not a national holiday, it will cost you a total of F$252.00. This can be broken down into F$172.50 Health Fees (F$150+15% VAT, formerly F$33.75), and a F$102.00 to Biosecurity (formerly a F$20 incineration fee). If you have a dog or cat on board, you will be assesed F$52.00 PER ANIMAL for application and inspection fees. In addition, you will be required to post a bond of F$1500.00 PER ANIMAL, which is refundable upon departure from Fiji. Please note that the bond is a response to cruisers who have left a 'dirty wake' before you, and have blatently, and boldly, disregarded the statement 'quarantined on your vessel'. The animals are still quarantined on your vessel, however, if discovered being taken ashore, your bond will now be forfeit. If you enter between 1/2 hour after sunrise until 0800, or after 1600 hours and 1/2 hour and before sunset, or during the daily lunch break (1300-1400) the authorities MUST be notified and you MUST obtain clearance that day, and you will be assessed the following charges: Please note that the Customs Officer does not get this money, the General Fund gets the money. The Officer is paid overtime only if they work in excess of 48 hours/week. Please do not be rude to the Officer, who is doing the job that they have been instructed to do; they don't make policy, but they are charged with enforcing it. All Saturdays, Sundays, and the following 2012 legal holidays, will incur overtime charges: |
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| Tourist Visa (As of 9 November 2011) |
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| Most nationalities will be granted a 4 month tourist visa upon your arrival. You may apply
for an extention for an additional 2 months (total of 6 months) for a fee of F$96.00 VIP. This can now be processed in Savusavu
on a same-day basis, without needing to apply to Suva. At the end of six months, you may apply for 'Special Purpose Permit for Yacht Owners and Crew', which is valid for up to six more months for a fee of F$677.00 (VIP, and it must be a bank cheque, so add another F$10 onto that for a total). The Special Purpose Permit may be renewed for another six months (bringing the total immigrations stay to 18 months). If you need to leave your vessel and fly out (or crewing on another), merely go to Immigrations FIRST and get a letter from them explaining what you are doing. You must also leave your boat in care of a Fijian business entity (or person), and have them write a letter to Immigrations confirming that the boat will be in their care and will be their responsibility (they're trying to ensure that Fiji isn't plagued with derelict boats). If you fail to do this, you will have a very large problem when you try to return without a round-trip airline ticket to another country. Immigrations is, as a rule, very courteous helpful, and flexible, PROVIDED that you talk to them first about anything out of the ordinary. 'Act in haste, repent at leisure' is a very, very, poor idea. 'Tourist' does not mean doing a little work 'on the side' or starting your own ferry service! The Republic of Fiji welcomes new, legal, business ventures at all times, contact the FTIB for more information. If you are caught doing any work, even if not for profit, you will have a large fine levied on you before you are expelled with a penalty re-entry period assessed on your passport (yes, Immigrations have networked computers and they know how to use them!). If you need/want to take on Fijian crew or to act as a pilot, make sure that (again) that you speak to Customs FIRST to ensure that there isn't any misunderstandings or anxieties. ( Top) |
| Cruising Permit (As of 26 March 2008) |
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| If you want to visit anyplace besides the Ports of Entry, you will need to obtain a Cruising
Permit from the Ministry of Fijian Affairs. There is no charge for this document, but the agents may charge you
a nominal fee to cover expenses (Waitui charges F$5.00). The Cruising Permit is in the Fijian Language and is an introduction of you and your vessel to the village mayor (Turanga Ni Koro) and is requesting him/her to extend courtesy to you. It IS NOT to the village 'chief', the Turanga Ni Vanua; frequently the mayor doesn't even have a title. A little bit of the Fijian culture here: The titles in Fiji (and Polynesia) are up to 2000 years old and are family/clan based, little different than the pre-Christian Nordic culture. The presentation of sevusevu to the Turanga Ni Vanua of kava is a request to him/her to allow you to (temporary) reside in his/her lands (the qoliqoli, the water, you can think of as the aquatic version of the village commons). During your period of time there, you are in essence pledging your allegiance to the family and becoming a vassel. They, in turn, allow you priviledges, including the use of, the commons. In literally English: Sir John Clayton, Lord Greystoke (Turanga Ni Vanua) has a village on his lands, Smallshire. You have a letter from PM Pitt in London in your hand to give to the Lord Mayor (Turanga Ni Koro) of Smallshire explaining that you are a legal visitor. If you would like to use the village commons, you must speak with Lord Greystoke to obtain his permission. He does have other knights of the noble class on his lands, also addressed as 'Sir' (Ratu) or 'Dame' (Adi, pronounced 'ahndee), but he is the sole Lord of the land. In the more 'touristy' areas, this process is considered nothing more than a source of free grog (kava), in others, it is taken very seriously and don't do it if you don't mean it! (Although you may not be permited to stay: You're not in Kansas anymore Toto!). ( Top)
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| Importation of Spares/Repair Parts (As of 26 March 2008) |
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| Although the merchants of Fiji far prefer that you buy from them (and remember, they have
to cover very large duties and VAT, which are included in the shelf prices), you may import, duty, VAT and service
charge free, spares for your vessel.
After you clear, on the upper right hand corner of the Customs document, you will see a number referred to as a 'Rotation Number'. If you have your shipper include that number on the face of any parcel addressed to you, you will only be charged a clearance fee of F$2.40 (not the service charge, an importer has to pay a total of four fees!). You will also need a copy of the document and a photo ID to pick up the package. If the spares (or gifts) include electronic media (CD, DVD, etc.), Customs will verify to ensure that you are not importing pornography. The agents enforce the rules, they don't make them. Please don't be rude to them for doing their job! If you intend to have spares shipped in prior to your arrival in Savusavu, a caution to you about the inbound courier services. Only DHL and EMS (Express Mail) comes directly to Savusavu, regardless of any claims that an agent may make to you. If you choose to utilise any of the other services, it will be delivered to 'someplace' in Viti Levu, and then you will have a frustrating, and possibly expensive, time trying to get the parcel re-routed up to Savusavu, assuming that you can find it. We have no affiliation with any of the services, however, Bebi Electronics is Savusavu's largest exporter, and if we have problems, imagine what you will go thru. You have been warned! ( Top)
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| Tourist Police |
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| It may sound odd to have a mention of them here, but the Tourist Police are a rather unique organisation
in Fiji. Their charter is to provide aid and assistance to tourists (regardless of mode of transport to Fiji), and their power,
and assistance, can, and does, cross lines between different Ministrys and Departments within Government. Effectively, you can consider
them to be an ombusman for the tourist.
The Tourist Police have their own internal structure and report directly to the Commissioner of Police, so if there is an issue which has involved the local police (whatever the issue is), and you have some dissatisfaction, the Tourist Police are independent of the local police. This information should not be taken as license to violate the law within Fiji, but, if you've felt that you have been wronged, for whatever reason, they should be considered as your second stop (the SSCA Cruising Stations, like ourselves, help anyone regardless of affiliation, and have a lot of local knowledge, but we can't be everyplace at the same time within the country). Their uniform is a very bright dress sulu (kilt, sarong), and they are easily physically recognised on patrol. ( Top)
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Beautiful, Bustling, Downtown Savusavu
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