CHECK-IN PLC

Customs at Guanta, immigration at Guanta, port captain by the ferry.   but, you need to go to immigration to get the bank account number to pay a 450Bolivar fee in one of the banks designated. so it probably means two trips to Guanta, one to clear in with customs and collect the bank details next door at immigration, then a return trip to immigration with the bank receipt after paying the 450bB’s, immigration will then give you the paperwork and stamp your passport..

Next stop port captain, he will need copies of everything, (as do all the offices so take plenty) Jaime Rodrieges is the guy to see, he is responsible for small craft check in and out. He takes all the details, then you have go to an adjacent office and get bank details to pay 90 B’s to INEA for (Something) means you have to drive to the bank from the port captains office, pay the 90B’s, get a receipt and take this back to the port captains office. Jaime, then prepares the documents for 3 months,  and you have to buy 2 stamps from him,  another 210B’s but you can pay him direct.

Now everything is paid for, Jaime takes the documents to the port captain for him to sign. This can take an hour or two, (if he is there). If he’s not there you may have to return the next day or the next week..

CHECK OUT

Customs first at Guanta, then you should go next door to get the exit stamp, in your passport, we didn’t know that so didn’t get an exit stamp in the passport.(On our return it didn’t seem to matter but they commented on it. Customs prepared the documents no charge, we took them to the port captain, Jaime prepared the exit papers, paid him I believe 200 B’s and waited for the port captains signature.

NB. If you do not speak a little Spanish and you have to rely on Taxis this can be even more long winded  and expensive with taxi fares etc, even though taxis are cheap.

Getting an agent to do it for you from one of the marinas can be better, but beware of their charges. Some charge 1200 Bolivares, some 3000, and others up to 10,000Bolivares.

The current exchange rate (official) is 4.3B’s to 1 US$ and the black market parallel rate, (that  everyone uses is currently 11.5 Bolivares to 1 US$, so do your sums.

They are not being deliberately unhelpful they just don't have a system for small boats.  Boats is Boats to them so we come under the ame rules more or less as the ships. Sailboat tourism isn't really known, and the Port Captains and the authorities don’t really know what to do with us and can and do give some bum information.

Try not to let this put you off visiting Venezuela, it’s a lovely country with beautiful waters and offshore Islands.

However if I was visiting for less than a couple of weeks I would try to avoid checking in, mainly because it takes so long. Nevertheless most marinas will insist on it.

I have been told by the Port Captains office that when I am hauled out and during my stay on land my boat papers expire, I can get a note from the haulout yard on my return, saying the boat has been out of Venezuelan waters for the past months, being in the Varadero (on the hard), present this to the Port Captains office and they will give you the stamps for that period and then extend a further 3 months (in PLC) 6 months in Cumana and elsewhere in Venezuela.

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