Foreign Travel Information

Visas and Vaccinations: The chief scientist of each leg should see that each member of the scientific party meets the immigration and health requirements of all foreign ports to be visited. Visas, vaccinations, onward tickets for those debarking in foreign ports, and special visas for aliens returning to the U.S., are often required in addition to valid passports. Detailed information is available from passport offices, foreign embassies, and the U.S. Public Health Service. Marine Facilities, airlines, and travel agents can also be of assistance. At times, airlines or immigration officers may insist that persons joining ship in a foreign port must have an "onward ticket" to be allowed to enter that nation. We do not provide tickets for passage on a research vessel, but if requested will provide a "ticket letter" to each member of the scientific party authorizing our ship's agent to provide onward transportation to anyone who misses the ship. It seems to work. If this letter is actually used to obtain transportation, it is your responsibility to reimburse Scripps for the cost of such tickets.

Customs Rules: U.S. and foreign customs regulations present specific problems which require that plans be made well in advance. A shipping agent or customs official should be consulted if equipment is to be shipped to or from a foreign port. Use of SIO vessels to import unaccompanied personal foreign goods is prohibited unless prior arrangements are made with the captain, or another person accompanying the goods, to make the proper customs declarations and pay any required duty. The personal duty-free allowance for returning residents applies only to accompanied goods.

U.S. Customs requires that the ship produce a manifest listing all equipment and supplies aboard when it returns to a U.S. port. These manifests must be made up by each research group when loading the ship so that they can be combined for a "ship's manifest." It is especially important to have all foreign-made goods registered with Customs before sending them out of the United States, even minor separable components of major equipment.

There are additional Department of Commerce regulations regarding the "export" of "high technology" equipment. Going beyond U.S. waters, even if only to the high seas and back, can be considered "export," and many commonplace items are on the lists of "high-tech" equipment subject to export controls. In such cases, an export permit is required. This can take time. The University of California has a "General Temporary Export" license under which UC equipment should be listed; equipment owned by other organizations must be listed under that organization's GTE ("GTemp") license. Contact the STS administrative office for assistance in preparing export papers.

Export documentation and regulations undergo continuous changes. Please contact us early and send us complete manifests; this will expedite loading and clearance procedures during short port stops.

All participants should be reminded that U.S. and foreign customs regulations can be extremely strict and that the special circumstances surrounding research vessels generally are not regarded as justification for deviation from these regulations. It is the responsibility of each investigator to meet the necessary procedural and legal requirements.