Customs Forms

The following forms can be downloaded and printed out at your home or office prior to arrivival to expedite the procedure.

C7 - Aircraft General Declaration


C7A - Inward Declaration and Crusing Permit

Arrival Report (United States)

Websites

You may find these websites useful:

United States Customs

Commonwealth of Bahamas

Flying to the Bahamas

• A flight plan is mandatory for flights crossing international borders. File an International Flight Plan. Flights to/from the Bahamas are not considered DVFR. These flights must be filed via International Flight Plans.
• You should have a Coast-Guard approved life jacket for each person on board.
• Activate your flight plan before leaving the United States and get a descrete transponder code.
• Your first landing in The Bahamas must be at an official designated airport of entry in so you can clear Bahamas Customs and Immigration.
• Prior to landing, close your flight plan or cancel IFR. If you are unable to close your flight plan, you can call on a phone. (800) WX-BRIEF usually works from most places or try (242) 377-7116
• Prepare General Declarations (Gen Decs) or Cruising Permit, and Immigration cards in advance if possible. Customs and Immigration usually have copies of these forms availible for you if you don't have them already. You will need to make 3 copies of the Gen Dec so ask them for some carbon paper or even better, print the forms or photocopy them prior to arrival.
• Present Identification - A passport is not required for United States citizens holding proof of citizenship such as a birth certificate, current or expired passport (if the photograph still clearly resembles the bearer), or a U. S. Naturalization Certificate. Aliens who are permanent U. S. residents must have their U. S. Alien Registration Card to return to the United States. A driver's license or voters registration card will not suffice as identification. A visa is not required.
• Customs and Immigration are usually very friendly and helpful and are usually glad to help you fill out the paperwork if it's your first time and are unsure of what to do. Customs and Immigration are usually two seperate people.
• You can cruise the entire Bahamas with a C7A cruising form for private pilots, but your last point of departure from The Bahamas must be an airport of entry. They will give you clearance to leave the country.

Returning to the U.S.

• You must depart from an airport of entry. Pilot must fill out one (1) copy of the Bahamas Customs C7 form for the private pilots and turn in the Bahamas Immigration card copy for each person.
• File an International Flight Plan with a Flight Service Station
• You must notify US Customs at least 1 hr before you arrive. Customs will accept these notices up to 22 hours in advance. They are very serious about this and the penalty is a $5000 fine. You can put ADCUS which stands for advise U.S. Customs in the remark section of your flight plan, but if you do make sure you get the initials of the FSS person who did it for you so you have some kind of confirmation. I was luckily enough to get a written warning when once but don't test your luck! It's better to call the US Customs facility you will be visiting directly to notify them.

  The Customs notification should include:

  • Aircraft registration number
  • Number of passengers
  • Point of last departure
  • Name of the United States airport of first landing
  • Estimated time of arrival
  When you call they will give you a two letter confirmation code which I think corresponds to the initials of the person you spoke with. Pilots should verify hours of operation by calling as hours are subject to change.

  Airport	Phone #	Hours	Overtime
  Ft. Lauderdale Executive (FXE)	954-356-7937	9:00am - 5:00pm daily	N/A
  Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International (FLL)	954-356-7411	8:00am - Midnight daily	OT all other times
  * Key West International (EYW)	305-296-5411	24 hour operation Note: Airport Customs office is unmanned. Inspectors must drive from the Port office.	N/A
  * Miami International (MIA)	305-526-7155	24 hour operation	N/A
  Kendall Tamiami Executive (TMB)	305-969-7511	9:00am - 5:00pm daily	N/A
  Opa-Locka (OPF)	305-687-5475 / 305-687-8475	9:00am - 5:00pm daily	OT 5pm-10pm with prior approval
  St. Petersburg - Clearwater (PIE)	727-536-7311	8:00am - 5:00pm Mon - Fri	N/A
  * Tampa International (TPA)	813-228-2385	8:30am - 5:00pm Mon - Fri	OT all other times
  * Palm Beach International (PBI)	561-684-3689	8:00am - 8:00pm Mon - Sat 8:00am - Midnight Sun	OT all other times
  Fort Pierce/St. Lucie (FPR)	561-461-1733	8:00am - 8:00pm daily	N/A

  * Indicates "Airport of Entry". All others are "Landing Rights Airports".
  
  Airports of Entry - Do not require prior permission other than the normal one hour advance notification provided by contacting customs directly.
  
  Landing Rights Airports - An aircraft may land at one of these airports after obtaining prior permission directly from U. S. Customs and then following the same procedure as with the Airports of Entry requirements.
  
  Overflight Exemption - An aircraft inbound to south Florida must land at the nearest designated airport to the point of coastline crossing, unless special application has been made and approved by U. S Customs. Contact U. S. Customs authorities for application procedures.
  
  Use fee - Some facilities such as FLL charge a county use fee which is around $2.50 per person.
  
  
• Activate your flight plan. Look on your chart for frequency. Higher altitudes get better reception. Sometimes at remote islands it's not possible to establish radio contact until you are at 6,000 feet.
• Must receive a discrete transponder code at least 15 minutes before penetrating the Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).
• Your first landing must be at an Airport of Entry with a customs facility such
• Take all your baggage and go directly to Customs. Don't wander around the airport first!
• Fill out Arrival Report and Immigration Cards.
• Present identification - A passport is preferred but you can also use a birth certificate or social security card in combination with photo identification such as a drivers license. If you have questions call the customs facility and ask them.

Bahamas Specifics

• No Night VFR - Flights made between sunset and sunrise must be conducted under instrument flight rules. With the exception of Freeport and Nassau International airports, no aircraft will be permitted to land or takeoff at any location between sunset and sunrise without prior approval from the Director of Civil Aviation.

Private pilots visiting The Islands Of The Bahamas should expect the following:

• No overtime customs fee for private aircraft visiting The Islands Of The Bahamas where the pilot declares that he/she does not receive any remuneration and the flight is for recreational purpose
• No transire (C38) is needed for private pilots cruising through The Islands Of The Bahamas for pleasure (a copy of the C7A will suffice)
• No tie-down fee -- except in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island
• A flight plan must be filed -- activate prior to entering The Islands Of The Bahamas and close after landing
• All passengers six years and over leaving The Bahamas pay a government Departure Tax of fifteen dollars ($15) except for Freeport, Grand Bahama Island (private airport), where an additional $3 airport security fee is applicable.