Palau

Yacht masters must contact Palau’s Bureau of Customs and Border Protection in advance and apply for permission to enter. Once approved, the port of entry arranges Customs, Immigration, agriculture/biosecurity and port inspections. Public sources differ on advance-notice periods, so confirm with the responsible authority; do not assume one deadline applies to every vessel.

Palau’s Bureau of Customs and Border Protection requires private or non-scheduled vessels to obtain a CIB entry permit in advance. Malakal Harbor is the designated seaport. Other locations require approval from the responsible authority and may be subject to security or other conditions. Confirm permit approval and port arrangements before arrival.

Palau’s Bureau of Customs and Border Protection requires private/non-scheduled vessels to apply for a CIB entry permit and, as a general rule, submit the prescribed notice at least two weeks in advance. If that is not possible, the authority may consider an application submitted at least 48 hours in advance. Give at least 48 hours’ notice of intended departure. Follow the approved permit and current Bureau forms.

Crew must carry valid passports and any visa/permit required for their nationality. Before arrival, contact Palau Immigration and Customs to confirm notification deadlines, the entry permit and port of entry. Public sources give inconsistent advance-notice periods, so this entry does not state a fixed 48-hour or two-week deadline. Everyone must remain aboard until clearance is granted.

Palau’s Bureau of Customs and Border Protection requires private vessels to declare under the entry-permit process and undergo Customs/border inspections. The master should prepare vessel details, crew list and previous-port clearance and submit an arrival report as directed. People may go ashore only after permission and inspections are complete. Use the Bureau’s current forms; an electronic declaration for air passengers is not a vessel declaration.

Palau’s Bureau of Customs and Border Protection says arriving and departing vessels are subject to border, agricultural quarantine and public-health inspections. Declare food, plants and animal products aboard. Biosecurity officers may inspect stores; regulated items require permits, and unauthorized items may be detained or ordered re-exported.

Palau’s Bureau of Customs and Border Protection lists narcotics, cannabis, weapons/ammunition, explosives and poisons among prohibited or restricted items. Medicines, protected species and their products, live animals/plants, meat, seeds and fresh produce may require declaration or advance permits. Do not carry firearms or other controlled goods without written authorization.

Private vessels must first obtain a CIB entry permit. On arrival, the master presents the permit to border officers and completes inspection. Crew and passengers must not go ashore without authorization. Complete border and port departure clearance before leaving. Follow the Bureau’s current notices for application locations and processing times.

Palau’s official page requires foreign waterborne vessels to pay applicable taxes and show proof of payment when seeking departure permission. The page mentions a location-permit bond, but a complete current yacht fee schedule could not be verified. Ask the Bureau about tax categories, rates and bond amounts; do not treat general carrier-permit fees as total yacht clearance costs.