Entering by boat: Saint Helena
What to do to enter Saint Helena by sea: the procedures, the papers to present and the ports where you can clear in.
Based on official sources, checked on 28 October 2026.
The steps
- Call St Helena Radio on VHF 16 on approach, then Port Control on VHF 14.
- Anchor on the west side of James Bay and take the ferry (VHF 12).
- The skipper visits Port Control (clearance and pratique) at Seaport House, Rupert's Bay.
- All crew to Immigration with passports and insurance, then the skipper's Customs declaration.
Papers to have on board
- Passports for the whole crew
- Visas, if your nationality requires them
- Crew list
- Boat papers (registration certificate)
- Insurance certificate
- Biosecurity declaration
- Papers for animals on board
Good to know
- Jamestown moorings are out of service since January 2024: anchoring is mandatory.
- Nobody lands without Port Control approval (VHF 14); use the local ferry (VHF 12).
- Medical insurance including evacuation of at least £175,000 required, otherwise bought locally; £20 landing fee per person for stays over 72 h.
- Strict biosecurity: no honey, fresh produce, plants or animals ashore.
Ports of entry
The ports where you can clear in, and the services available there.
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- sainthelena.gov.sh/public-services/port-control/
- move.noonsite.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/ST-HELENA-IMMIGRATION-SERVICE-yachts-1.pdf
- noonsite.com/place/st-helena/jamestown/view/clearance/
This information is gathered from public sources and sailors’ experience. It does not replace the country’s authorities, whose word is final: check before you leave.