While the U.S. continues to close its doors to visitors, Mexico customs officials announced this spring that “domestic clearance” procedures for vessels cruising in Mexican waters would be eliminated. Domestic clearance means clearing into and out of every port when moving from zone to zone.
Now, however, mariners can simply check in with a port captain upon arrival from or departure to a foreign country. Cruising within Mexico can be done without official notice, provided that each vessel logs in with a local marina and the marina keeps a record of arrivals and departures. The announcement was made by Tere Grossman, president of the Mexican Marina Owners Association and owner of Marina San Carlos on the Sea of Cortez. Grossman has been working for years to have the process dropped.
“As of today, private pleasure vessels will not be required to file Domestic Clearance papers (arrivos and despachos) with the Port Captain or with the Marina,” Grossman announced.
