As a follow up to the many reports of difficulties clearing into Kuah, I can confirm that I cleared in without an agent on 29th June 2019, with no difficulties.

Please remember that the following applies to boats anchored in Kuah or in Royal Langkawi Yacht Club. If you are in Telaga or Rebak you will have to use customs and immigration at Telaga and the Harbormaster in Kuah. Trying to insist on using customs and immigration at Kuah when you are in Rebak or Telaga only antagonizes the officers and makes life difficult for those coming behind you.

Clearing in at Kuah:

First go to Immigration. Make sure you have a copy of all passports as they will not make copies for you. Also a copy of your ship’s papers. Normal form filling, side one boat details, side two, crew details. Then you will be fingerprinted.

Next to the Harbormaster, forms are in trays outside the office; you fill in the same form twice. You will need to hand over a copy of the ship’s papers and they will look at your insurance – but they do not take the document. You must have insurance. They did not look at the details of cover – wreck removal, pollution clean up, repatriation etc.

Finally to the International Departures Hall and hand your last port customs clearance to an officer.

All done in 20 minutes. A breeze.

Dress well, be polite and respectful, bring a pen. 

Anthony Swanston
SV Wild Fox

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The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the view of Noonsite.com or World Cruising Club.