Reporting Requirements

Notice to all Boaters on Lake Ontario.
Reporting Requirements to enter the United States via Lake Ontario

• Don't forget your passport 

Passport should be used when leaving or entering the United States by land or sea.
For more information, CLICK HERE.
 

• U.S. Customs Service Reporting Requirements:

When you return to the United States by boat you are required to report your arrival to U.S. Customs by calling the 1-800-827-2851 telephone reporting system.  This number will connect you to a U.S. Customs officer who will either tell you that you are cleared or to wait in your boat for a Customs Inspector to arrive at your location to clear you and your boat.  Only the Captain of the boat may leave the boat and go to the nearest telephone to report the arrival to Customs.  When Customs clears the boat then all persons may leave the boat.

If your boat is 30 feet or larger you must have a 2007 Customs Decal affixed to the boat. Decals can be purchased from Customs for $27.50 per year.  They may be purchased at any Customs office or via the Internet at https://dtops.cbp.dhs.gov/
 

• U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) Reporting Requirements

When you return to the United States by boat you are also required to report your arrival to INS.  This may be accomplished in one of three different ways.

 Method #1 - Use of I-68

You may obtain an I-68 immigration document in advance of your trip.  All persons on board over 14 years of age must have an I-68 form.  The I-68 form can be obtained from the Immigration office in Buffalo, NY or Alexandria Bay.  They are sold at the land border bridges at each location.  There is no Immigration office in the Rochester area that issues I-68's.  You must apply in person and provide 3 forms of identification.  You will be fingerprinted and your photo will be affixed to the I-68.  The cost is $16.00 per form with a maximum of $32.00 for a family.  The I-68's are valid for one year.  If you and every other person on board your boat have an I-68, you may bypass reporting to Immigration any time you enter the U.S. via boat on Lake Ontario.  However, remember you still have an obligation to report your arrival to Customs.  Having an I-68 for Immigration does not exempt persons from reporting to Customs.

Further information about I-68's may be obtained from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Internet site at
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/pleasure_boats/boats/cbbl.xml

Method # 2 - Use of OARS Videophones

You do not need the I-68 form if your first port of entry has a videophone. Have your documents ready and answer questions as though you were driving across the border.

Local Videophone Locations:

• Oak Orchard, Sheriff's Station on Public Dock

• Rochester, Shumway Marine gas dock

• Sodus Bay, Pier Pointe Marina East

• Oswego, Oswego Marina

• Olcott, Public Dock Building

• Wilson, Tuscarora State Park

• Youngstown, Village Dock

• Lewiston, Near the Riverside Inn

• North Tonawanda, Pinochle Park

• Buffalo, Erie Basin Marina

• Sackets Harbor, Navy Point Marine

• Clayton, front of public dock building facing channel

• Morristown, public town dock

• Ogdensburg, Edwin Dobisky Rec Bldg, City Marina

• Waddington, public town dock

To use an OARS Videophone, simply open the doors and the phone will ring at the appropriate INS office. An officer will be able to see you, your passengers and your documents. It is quite easy to use.

To report an inoperable videophone or ask a question, call the appropriate INS POE: St. Lawrence River through Oswego, NY (315-393-0770); Olcott, NY through Buffalo, NY (716-282-3141); All Pennsylvania (412-472-0703); All Ohio (216-522-2265); Mackinac Island, MI (906-632-8822). Locations and telephone numbers are subject to change.

Further information about OARS Videophones may be obtained from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Internet site at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/pleasure_boats/boats/oars.xml

Method # 3 - Use the new NEXUS identification card

The NEXUS alternative inspection program allows pre-screened, low-risk travelers to be processed with little or no delay by United States and Canadian border officials. Approved applicants are issued photo-identification and a proximity card. Participants cross the border in a dedicated lane, where they present their membership identification and proximity card, and make a declaration. They are then released, unless chosen for a selective or random secondary referral.

The U.S. Customs Service (USCS), the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (USINS), the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (CCRA), and Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) are cooperating in this venture to simplify border crossings for pre-approved, low-risk travelers

This new program is now open to pleasure boaters on Lake Ontario.  The identification card is good for 5-years and may be used border crossing into the U.S. or Canada, by car or boat.  The fee is $50 USD or $80 Canadian. 

Press release for on-line application for the NEXUS card.  Click here.

Information and application forms are available at

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/trusted_traveler/nexus_prog/

NEXUS border program expanded

The NEXUS program is now the best way to frequently cross borders by recreational boat - as well as by car and plane. NEXUS is a joint program of Canada Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that facilitates fast, secure entry into either country for pre-approved, low-risk travellers. Since the NEXUS Air, Highway and Marine programs were combined in December, Canadians can cross the border at participating locations by car, using special lanes, at airports, using self-serve kiosks, and by boat, reporting by phone from 30 minutes to 4 hours prior to expected arrival. All on board must have NEXUS cards in order for the boat to take advantage of NEXUS reporting procedures.

When entering Canada at a designated Canadian NEXUS site, the boat master must call the NEXUS Telephone Reporting Centre (TRC) at 1-866-996-3987 (or other centre). If non-NEXUS members are on board, you must arrive at a TRC site and immediately call CBSA at 1-888-226-7277. Only the boat master may leave the boat until authorization is given by the CBSA. [Canadian NEXUS Program (CBSA)]

When entering the U.S., the boat master must arrive at a “Physical Report Site” and call the local CBP reporting telephone number. If a border official is not at the landing site, you may proceed to your intended destination. If non-NEXUS members are on board, follow the same procedure.

You might also check this site that has the New York regulations.
http://nysparks.state.ny.us/boating/docs/boaters_guide.pdf

There have been many stories and  rumors concerning the Homeland Security level alerts and how they affect boaters crossing Lake Ontario.  During the first Code Orange, all I-68 forms were suspended, both in sales and in use. Also, all OARS videophones were turned off. The only acceptable method to cross into the U.S. was at Alexandria Bay and report to the U.S. Customs office in person.

As time passed, rules changed. You should now be allowed to buy and use the I-68 form, even during a Code Orange. Please note that you should ALWAYS call the border site before driving to it to confirm sales of the I-68 Form. I believe that the videophones will also remain turned on even during a Code Orange. When in doubt, visit the DHS web site at
 http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/index.jsp or call the U.S. Customs office nearest you.

The Department of Homeland Security office for New York is:
BG F. David Sheppard, Director
NYS Office of Homeland Security
1220 Washington Avenue
7th Floor, Suite 710
Albany, NY 12226
Phone: 518-402-2227
Fax: 518-402-2052
 

NEXUS, IS IT FOR YOU?

NEXUS is a joint customs and immigration program for frequent travelers that both the Canadian and American governments have implemented. The NEXUS program is designed to simplify border crossings for pre-approved, low-risk travelers.

The NEXUS ID card would take the place of the I-68 Form, presently used to help speed your entry into the United States if you come by pleasure boat.  This 5-year card cost $50 CA or $50 USD.  Applications can be submitted using the U. S. Customs and Border Protection on-line application system, Global On-Line Enrollment System (GOES), or to one of the Canadian Processing Centers (CPC), along with photocopies of their supporting documentation and the US $50 or CN $50 application-processing fee. ( GOES )

For NEXUS toll-free information (U.S. and Canada) call 1-866-NEXUS 26 (1-866-639-8726).

During our many border crossings on cruising Lake Ontario every year, and Lake Erie in 2006, I found that mentioning that I had a Nexus card when phoning in helped.  I was not asked why I was calling in on a cell phone, but was asked the normal border crossing questions.  Once I used a video phone and was told later that I could have used my cell phone instead.

We were boarded once while entering Port Dover, Ontario.  We pulled into the marina, and I immediately called 1-800-canpass as I usually do.  The officer on the phone asked the usual questions, then told me to stay at my boat and wait for immigration officers.  Three officers were at the marina and must have been called by radio.  One officer went aboard to poke around while the other two "chatted me up".  Everything was OK and they issued me the number to place in a window.

References:

• New York Sea Grant

• CANPASS

• Canada Border Service Agency (NEXUS)

• U.S. Customs and Border Protection