Update:

16th June 2021 – The COVID-19 Risk Mitigation Taskforce has released a Public Advisory regarding a change in current protocols for the Blue Lane Initiative. 

1. Following the easing of restrictions in Nadi and Lautoka, vessels may disembark Viti Levu based ports for contactless provisioning, with the exception of the Lami-Suva–Nausori Containment Zone.
2. Port Denarau remains a customs and quarantine clearing port for yachts arriving.
3. Once a yacht successfully clears at Port Denarau and completes contactless provisioning, the vessel may cruise to other outer islands. The yacht must, at all times, display the Blue Lanes flag provided at the time of clearance.
4. For vessels clearing outside of Viti Levu (Savusavu), while cruising throughout the island groups is permitted with a clear display of the Blue Lanes flag, access to Viti Levu is prohibited.
5. Vessels cruising outside the Containment Zone may go ashore and partake in leisure activities such as water sports, snorkel, dive, etc. while observing COVID safe protocols.
6. For vessels whose crew and passengers need to disembark on Viti Levu for any reason either than turn around provisioning, a mandatory 14-day quarantine on their vessel shall apply, prior to visiting any other islands. This will be undertaken at the designated quarantine anchorage at Port Denarau under the surveillance of the Fiji Navy. The yacht will only be permitted to depart for other islands upon clearance by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, as per the standard protocols of clearing yachts arrival under the Blue Lanes.
7. All ports are to continue with strict monitoring and all vessels are required to keep their Automatic Identification System (AIS) turned on and visible at all times.
8. Penalty for breach of any of these terms may result in seizure of the vessel.

14th May 2021 – Fiji is currently experiencing our second wave of COVID cases in the community and therefore there has been changes made in protocols for the Blue Lanes Initiative. A full copy of the changes can be found here. We continue to receive vessels under the Blue Lanes as our maritime borders remain open. Please engage with an agent to start your application process.

The Fijian Prime Minister announced the opening of borders to tourist and yachts under strict conditions in June 2021. Yachts must apply and be approved before embarking toward Fiji, approval is not automatic and each application will be specifically assessed. Applications MUST BE THROUGH AN AGENT.

A BULA WELCOME AWAITS YOU!!

Blue Lanes Procedure

In Summary, yachts must apply and be approved before embarking toward Fiji, approval is not automatic and each application will be specifically assessed. Applications MUST BE THROUGH AN AGENT, yachts must have insurance and meet other normal border, visa and Bio-security requirements.

The three registered Yacht Agents in Fiji processing cruiser applications are:

• Seal Superyachts
  • Chase Smith
  • Phone: (679) 9996556
  • Email: [email protected]
• Yacht Help
  • David Jamieson
  • Phone: (679) 7505000
  • Email: [email protected]
• Yacht Partners
  • Josephine Morris
  • Phone: (679) 9927986
  • Email: [email protected]

The announcement of this “Blue Lane” for yachts and superyachts requires a COVID test at the port of embarkation, there is then a 14 day quarantine period with time at sea counted, yacht crews may undertake quarantine aboard. A health check will be required, and a RT-PCR test may been undertaken with costs to be met by yachts. The vessel is required to have uninterrupted passage to Fiji which will be verified through their AIS, every crew onboard is required to download FijiCare App for contact tracing prior to departure.

Port Denarau Marina stands as one of Fiji’s port of entry.. You will find a video of the procedures here.

All yachts and small crafts arriving into Fiji from overseas must first obtain an approval to enter Fiji through their registered Fiji Yacht Agent. Upon approval and once health has cleared the vessel from quarantine, the vessel will be allowed to dock at Port Denarau Marina to fulfil inbound clearance requirements.

Full procedures can be found on the Sail Fiji site, together with swab test requirements and test result format. 

All yachts and crafts entering Fiji are subject to import clearance requirements and the payment of customs duty on arrival unless the vessel is being cleared as a “bona fide tourist” under customs code 228.

In this case the vessel may remain in Fiji for a period not exceeding 60 months (54 months initial period + 6 months extension period). Please take special note of the following:

Under Customs laws, visiting yachts may enter and can be kept temporarily in Fiji without payment of Customs duty on the yacht, provided:

• The yacht is the sole property of the bona fide tourist;
• The yacht is on a bona fide cruise or participating in a yacht race;
• The yacht is not abandoned in Fiji by master/owner; and
• The yacht shall remain in Fiji for a period not exceeding 60 months after its first arrival.

The yacht will become liable to duty if:

• It is put to commercial use or for other considerations while in Fiji waters (e.g. commercial charters, hiring or leasing, etc.);
• The owner is associated in any way with any entity in Fiji as an employer or employee either before or after arrival; or
• The yacht is not exported within 60 months(54 months initial period + 6 months extension period) of the date of the yachts first arrival in Fiji.

Procedures of Yacht Entry

With the announcement of the Fiji Borders opening to Yachts under the Blue Lane Framework (Standard Operational Procedure), this is a procedure approved by all relevant authorities however it is a live working document which may change without prior notices.

The document is available on our Resources Tab under Forms and Documents.

If you intend to bring a pet in, please read through the BRINGING CATS AND DOGS INTO FIJI ON VESSELS. The application forms are located in our document folder.

Procedures of Flags

“Blue Lane Approved” burgee flags

These flags act as a confirmation that the vessel has completed the protocols set out by the Fiji Government.

It is reassurance that all yachts flying these flags have completed their quarantine, mandatory protocols and do not pose any COVID-related threat to the local community.

• These flags will be distributed by customs upon presentation of cruising permit.

Charges and Customs Duty

There are Customs Charges and Duties that are payable depending on the nature of the goods and time of clearance. A summarisation of this is as below:

Attendance Fees

Customs normal working hours are from 0800 – 1300 and 1400 – 1630 hrs and any clearance done outside these working hours, are subject to the following:

• Any Clearance done between 1630hrs to 2000hrs (Monday – Friday) – FJD$25.00/hr
• Any Clearance done between 2000hrs to 0500hrs (Monday – Friday) – FJD$75.00/hr
• Any Clearance done between 1300hrs to 1400hrs (Monday – Friday) – FJD$40.00
• Any Clearance done on Weekends and Public Holidays – FJD$105.00/hr

 Ministry of Health and Medical Services

Will be confirmed by the Yacht Agents accordingly as fees may change due to Health Requirements that maybe required for individual yacht.

Bio-security Authority of Fiji

CATEGORY 4: CONVEYANCE CLEARANCE OF VESSELS

• C4-3 – Boarding and clearance of super yachts during normal working hours – per vessel – FJD$183.12
• C4-4 – boarding and clearance of Super Yachts after hours – per vessel- $462.16
• C4-5 – Boarding and clearance of Yachts during normal working hours – per vessel – FJD$85.02
• C4-6 – Boarding and clearance of yachts after hours – per vessel – FJD$172.87

CATEGORY 1: IMPORTS RISK ANALYSIS

C1-18 – Refundable bond for animals quarantined on board vessels – FJD$1,500.98 (per clearance)

C1-22 – Monitoring and Inspection of Bonded animals on board vessels – FJD$27.25 (Per inspection)

For Payment of Bond Refund:

• A written notice of request for payment of refund is to be submitted to the Authority ONE (1) week before departure to allow for processing

CATEGORY 2: IMPORTS

• C2-19 – Inspection of foreign garbage and supervision of incineration during normal working hours – FJD$106.28 (per clearance)
• C2-20 – Inspection of foreign garbage and supervision after hours – FJD$165.79 (per clearance)

[Working Hours: Monday – Friday: 0800hrs – 1700hrs]

[After Hours: Monday – Friday: 1700hrs – 0800hrs; Weekends and Public Holidays]

Duties

All crew and passengers above the age of 17years will be allowed normal passenger landing duty free allowance of the following:

• 2.25ltrs of Spirit or
• 4.5ltrs of Wine or
• 4.5ltrs of Beer, and
• 250 sticks of Cigarettes, or
• 250g cigar or
• 250g tobacco, or
• (Any combination of the above provided that it does not exceed the equivalent quantity under liquor, wine and beer, cigarette, cigar and tobacco).
• Any other personal belonging up to a value of FJD$1,000.00

Any excess to the above allowance will be subject to levy of import duty and VAT or goods being detained by Customs.

Firearms and Weapons

The importation of firearms is strictly controlled in Fiji. All firearms must be declared to the Customs Officer on arrival of the vessel from overseas. Firearms onboard will be detained and placed for safekeeping by the Fiji Police who will hold them until the vessel’s departure. Collection times for arms should be arranged with Police at least 48 hours before departure time. The importation of weapons such as flick knives, swordsticks, knuckle-dusters and any weapon designed to give the appearance of another article is prohibited. All ships and vessels travelling to Fiji need to meet a number of requirements before and on arrival to ensure Fiji’s environment, economy and people are protected from invasive pests and diseases. http://www.frca.org.fj/yachts-arrival/

 Biosecurity Authority of Fiji (BAF)

This page sets out the requirements for visiting vessels:

Yachts

Yachts and pleasure crafts are welcome in Fiji. However, international yachts entering Fiji waters are considered to be of a high biosecurity risk and are closely monitored by BAF. Hence it is important for yacht owners to be aware of the clearance procedures for yachts and other pleasure crafts.

Biosecurity clearance procedures

Once in Fiji waters, the yachts should proceed to the designated port of entry. The master or captain of the yacht must declare to BAF the following:

• the destination seaport in Fiji and the estimated time of arrival of the vessel
• its immediate preceding port or place of call
• the proposed itinerary of the vessel until it leaves Fiji
• the presence of any live animal or live plant on the vessel
• any other matter relevant to facilitating biosecurity landing clearance of the yachts that is specified by BAF

This above declaration must be made at least 24 hours before the estimated time of arrival. The vessel master must complete a Master’s Declaration Form declaring all biosecurity risk items on board that are either restricted or prohibited. Items to declare include:

• Foods (tinned/packed), including meat, sausages, salami, ham, poultry, eggs, milk, butter, cheese, honey etc;
• Plants or parts of plants (live or dead) including vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, bulbs, flowers (fresh or dry), mushrooms, straw, bamboo or any other articles made of plant materials;
• Animal products including feathers, fur/skin, shells, hatching eggs.
• Animals, reptiles, fish, birds (or parts thereof), alive or dead, stuffed or mounted;
• Soil or equipment used with animals of any kind or that has come in contact with soil;
• Biological specimens including vaccine cultures, blood or any other biological specimen; and
• Domesticated pets to be bonded and kept on board the vessel at all times (cats/dogs/birds etc).

Some of these items will not be permitted to be kept aboard the yacht for the duration of the visit in Fiji. What is allowed to stay aboard will be at the discretion of the Biosecurity officer at the time of inspection, depending on the risk they represent. The yachtmaster should also ensure that no refuse containing any animal, plant, animal product or plant product is discharged from the yacht into the sea while the yacht is in Fiji. All refuse generated on the vessel is placed in a suitable leak-proof container, with a lid, and the container is securely fastened at all times and kept aboard the yacht. The refuse can only be removed from the yachts under the directions of the Biosecurity Officer.

Live animals on yachts

Yachts arriving in Fiji with live cats, dogs, pet birds etc must pay a bond as security against the dogs, cat and pet birds etc coming ashore while in Fiji’s territorial waters. The bond payment is $FJD $1,500 which is refundable upon departure from Fiji if bond conditions are not breached. In general no animals will be permitted to come ashore in Fiji and must remain on board the vessel at all times while in Fiji’s territorial waters. Cat and dogs and other pet animals may not be imported into Fiji via yachts. Cats and dogs must be vaccinated against rabies not more than 12 and not less than 6 months before arriving in Fiji. One month after the rabies vaccination of the dog, it must be subjected to the Rabies Neutralization Antibody Tire Test (RNATT) with a positive result of no less than 0.5 IU per ml.

By taking these precautionary measures visitors will enjoy traversing the pristine waters of Fiji without the worry that their pets may be posing a risk to the native fauna, flora, the environment and the friendly people of Fiji. Pet birds (e.g. parrots, finches, canaries etc) on yachts must be free Newcastle Disease without vaccination, must have been tested free of Newcastle Disease six (6) months prior to arrival in Fiji, must not have been in the waters of countries not free of Newcastle Disease without vaccination less than six (6) months prior to arrival in Fiji.

Pet birds must be in locked cages at all times, and the animal must not be brought on shore at any time. Other species of pet animals are prohibited from entry into Fiji waters via yachts. Vaccination certificates and laboratory tests results must be original and made available to Biosecurity Officers when Biosecurity Boarding Inspection are carried out at the First (1ST) Port of Entry. For further information or clarification please contact the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji on phone 3312512, fax 3305043 or by email. Enquires can also be made in person at any of the BAF office.

Intention to Bring a Yacht to Fiji

As interim or transiting tourists, they are permitted to enter Fiji with their baggage, provided they leave Fiji within the period allowed under Fiji’s visa regime. It is important to note that any person arriving in Fiji using whatever means of transportation must have a valid passport at all times and the validity of the passport must not be less than the period of stay in Fiji.

It is basic requirement under Customs laws that the master of the vessel must give a minimum of 24 hours notification to Customs prior to arrival in Fiji. This may be through Suva Radio 3DP using channels 16 and 12. A written notification may also be sent on facsimile  (679) 330 2864, if such a facility is on board. It shall also be necessary for their informing Suva Radio 3DP to direct their arrival notification request to port Health Quarantine for radio pratique or the need for physical boarding by Health authorities, depending on each traveling circumstance.

Unless and until Health Quarantine has issued the health pratique, the yacht must display the ‘Q’ flag at the main mast. The Customs and security issues in Fiji are strict and all vessels of whatsoever description must proceed directly to a port of entry (currently Denarau and Savusavu) and not to any other place in Fiji without written clearance authority from the Customs. Although there are several marina and club facilities in Fiji, none is a port of entry and any vessel or yacht found at places other than a port without Customs clearance would be prosecuted with severe fines. Serious Customs offences also include forfeiture of the yacht or vessel.

As with most countries, Fiji is taking a very hard line attitude to persons or yachts found with drugs, weapons, pornographic material or other prohibited items. Travelers to Fiji having doubts as to the legality of items on board are strongly advised to contact the relevant authorities before arrival. All such items must be declared to the Customs Officer who comes on board to inspect the yacht or other vessel. Before a vessel or yacht leaves any country bound for Fiji, the master is required by law and must obtain a valid Customs clearance from the Customs authorities of that country. This clearance certificate will be collected by Customs upon their boarding of the vessel. Under Customs laws, visiting yachts may enter and can be kept temporarily in Fiji without payment of Customs duty on the yacht, provided:

• The yacht is the sole property of the bona fide tourist;
• The yacht is on a bona fide cruise or participating in a yacht race;
• The yacht is not abandoned in Fiji by master/owner; and
• The yacht shall remain in Fiji for a period not exceeding 60 months (54 months initial period + 6 months extension period) after its first arrival.

The yacht will become liable to duty if:

• It is put to commercial use or for other considerations while in Fiji waters (e.g. commercial charters, hiring or leasing, etc);
• The owner is associated in any way with any entity in Fiji as an employer either before or after arrival; or
• The yacht is not exported within 60 months (54 months initial period + 6 months extension period) of the date of the yacht¡¦s first arrival in Fiji.

All adults above the age of 17 will be given to enjoy landing passenger liquor and tobacco allowances and other goods as for any other arriving passenger.

Departing Fiji

Departing Fiji is slightly easier as you will require two government officials for clearing out. The two officials is Immigration and Customs. You have to scan and send the filled check out forms to [email protected] 24hrs in advance and advising them which port you would like to clear out from.

The required forms for clearing out is also on our website in the resources section.

You are required to sail to the desired Port for Clearance, you cannot anchor your vessel and travel by land to the customs office as officials will require to see the vessel following the clearance process.

The customs officer will require the receipt copies of your clearance into the country therefore please ensure that these are kept safely. Once cleared, you will need to leave Fiji waters within 24 hours. It is prohibited to stop at any island once cleared. However, if your departure is delayed for some reason, and you anticipate being in Fiji over that 24 hour time period, you need to contact the same customs officer and advise them of this as soon as possible!

Extension of Immigration Visa – COVID 19

There are two (2) options for yacht owners and crews who intend to extend their visa in Fiji under current COVID conditions:

Option 1: Special Purpose Permit for Yacht Owner and Crew

Definition

A special purpose permit granted under this category means a permit granted to non-citizen Yacht owners and or crew to reside on board their yacht whilst in Fiji for duration not exceeding six (6) months beyond the initial six month issued under the visitors permit category.

Policies

(a)          The Immigration Department will consider each application for a special purpose permit under this category on merit and on a case by case basis.

(b)          The permit is only issued to yachts which are legally in Fiji

(c)           The permit becomes null and void once the yacht exits Fiji.

(d)          Coextensive permits apply under this category (See Sec 10)

Requirements

Option 2: Special Purpose Residence Permit – COVID19

This permit is issued to those who have exhausted their current permit and are unable to leave Fiji due to closure of borders.

Checklist attached.

Note that application fee under option 2 is per applicant. Co-extensive permit does not apply under this category.