Permit· St Kitts· Leeward Islands
Basseterre Customs & Immigration
17° 17.6′ N · 62° 43.5′ W · approximate
St Kitts' main port of entry: Customs and the Port Authority share an upstairs office by the Port Zante marina gate, with Immigration in the domed cruise-ship terminal a five-minute walk away. One clearance covers the whole federation, Nevis included.
Practical
Position is approximate: the Port Zante marina gate, from the ActiveCaptain directions ('to the right of the marina gate, second floor'). Ports of entry are Basseterre and Charlestown, plus Christophe Harbour marina when its office is open; Sandy Point and St Kitts Marine Works have had officers but not reliably. Procedure reported Dec 2022: Customs (US$12) and Port Captain (US$5) in the same office, then Immigration at the cruise-ship terminal (free) - these were the only fees for a Canadian yacht. Earlier user reports (Noonsite, 2016) quoted US$30 customs and US$20 port authority at Port Zante, and noforeignland users (2026) say roughly US$16-30 depending on vessel size; verify locally. Noforeignland lists customs hours as 6am-6pm; officers have been known not to turn up on time, so arrive early on weekdays. Before arrival complete: SailClear (customs pre-arrival notification), the government ED form / Electronic Travel Authorisation at knatravelform.kn ('arrival by sea'), and CARICOM eAPIS for immigration - officers sometimes still ask for printed copies (allow 4 copies of the crew list). A 2014 report says customs clears you for both islands, but a 2016 report found Basseterre would not clear you out for Nevis at the same time - ask for a coastwise permit if you intend to stop at other anchorages. Pets need prior veterinary approval.
Best for
Clearing in and out of the federation