U.S. Customs and Border Protection's San Juan Field Office is reminding recreational and commercial boat operators that arrivals from a foreign port must be reported immediately. The field office covers Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, making the notice directly relevant to trips returning from the British Virgin Islands and other foreign destinations.
CBP says it has seized three vessels and issued multiple penalties in Puerto Rico during the current fiscal year for arrival-reporting failures. The federal release does not say those three seizures occurred in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and they should not be presented as local enforcement cases.
Boaters may use the CBP ROAM mobile application when eligible or contact the local reporting line. CBP lists 877-305-8774 for St. Thomas, 877-305-8775 for St. John and 340-773-1011 for St. Croix, seven days a week.
Citizenship does not remove the vessel-reporting requirement. Operators should complete the applicable customs process and keep travel and vessel documents available rather than treating a short inter-island crossing as a domestic arrival.
Marinas, charter companies and ferry terminals should display one current arrival checklist with the ROAM link, island phone numbers and a clear explanation of which crossings trigger reporting.
Source published September 5, 2026. Read the original reporting or release for the complete record.
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