Ushuaia - Clearance
For full details on clearing into and out of the country see Argentina Formalities.
Port control should be contacted on Channel 16 as one enters the harbor. An immigration official will be sent to visit the boat. For customs, it is necessary to visit the main office in the commercial harbor.
Customs are now open:
Monday to Friday: 07:00-18:00
Saturday, Sunday and holidays: 08:00-11:00 & 16:00-19:00
These hours do have a tendency to change frequently.
Fees only apply for clearance at weekends or public holidays. A yacht may be fined for not clearing in immediately.
Any yacht whose registration papers state their gross weight is in excess of 50 tonnes is required to use a harbor pilot and also a shipping agent. This can be expensive.
Those who intend to sail north through the Beagle Channel must also clear in and out with the Chilean Navy at Puerto Williams, if continuing into Chilean waters. Those who need Chilean visas can obtain them at the Chilean consulate in Ushuaia, situated on the corner of Calle Maipu and Kuanip.
For cruising the Beagle Channel as far as Staten Island, no zarpe is required but the Prefecture must be notified before you leave of the details of your trip.
Prefectura Naval Argentinian Coast Guard,
Tel. +54 (2901)435805.
Customs in Ushuaia continue to be erratic with their charging of fines/taxes. However, they state:
No vessel may be left unattended in Argentine waters without the written application to, and consent of, the local customs authority.
A power of attorney must be granted to a resident living within a certain radius from the boat and a notarized letter produced to communicate this information to Customs and Coast Guard. The cost of this is about $100. The penalty for infringement is 1% of the value of the vessel.
No vessel may breach the terms of their conditions of entry into the country by using their boats for commercial activities while in Argentina.
If a yacht is deemed to be chartering in Argentina waters by Customs, they are liable to a fine of 30% of the value of the vessel. Remember, even if you make a voyage in Argentina waters with people paying costs aboard, you could then be construed to be a charter vessel.
Further Possible Fines:-
Currently, all are reported to be quiet with the Customs here. However, yachts should be aware that in the past the local Customs have come up with all sorts of ways one could be considered to be breaking the rules. This includes but is not limited to:
Modifying or repairing the boat, purchasing goods or equipment locally, leaving the vessel and travelling overland, even purchasing fuel can be considered an infraction without going through the laborious process of completing paperwork. Any infraction could lead to boat arrest and a spot fine of 1%.
Before Sailing to Argentina, check with the Argentine consulate with regards to what one needs to do with regard to exit and entry papers, leaving the boat, hauling your vessel, having work done on your vessel or anything that may create a potential problem with Customs. If you can get this in writing, even better.
See the related reports section for the latest on the current situation in Ushuaia.
Permits for the Falklands, South Georgia and South Orkneys
See Argentina Formalities for further information.
Updated: July 2017.
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We stayed at Club Nautico, run by Uka. Rates (6,5 pesos per sqm as of Jan 2019) were half that of AFASyN. Electricity, water and wi-fi included. Showers were opened, just after we left.
Officials were friendly. Upon entering the country from Chile, we were sent to immigration first (where we were given the same forms to fill in as the ones at prefectura), then to aduana (although immigration may tell you to go to prefectura), and then prefectura. To clear out, start at prefectura, then immigration, customs, prefectura.
We wanted to visit the Natural Parc Lapataia; big disappointment. The prefecture allows us to anchor in this region, no problem. But if we want to come ashore there the hassle begins, the rangers of the National Park don’t allow you to come ashore, formally forbidden.
By road no problem, even now in winter the entrance is free. Who can understand this? We as cruisers got more and more the impression that Argentina wants yachts OUT, for sure foreign yachts. So we sail back to Chili, Puerto Williams.
Club Nautico is a top location, near to centre for shopping and fuel. Nice guy our Uka who takes good care of us even in winter.
Ushuaia Update from Henk Boersma:
All is quiet on the customs front, apart from some issues which involved Argentine sailors with foreign flagged boats. They are still fussy about arriving or going to the Falklands without a permit.