4 Elements of a Departure Manifest

Each time a vessel leaves the United States, the master, owner, or an agent is required to present a collection of forms called a “departure manifest” to a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer at the port of departure. This traveling manifest is updated and annotated at each port and consists of the following four primary elements.

1. CBP Form I-418

Also known as the crew list, this document may include supporting documentation related to crew actions such as:

  • CBP Form I-259: This notice applies when anyone on board has admissibility problems and must therefore be detained, removed or presented for inspection.
  • CBP Form I-408: Application to pay or discharge non-immigrant crew members. A crewman is considered discharged if they go on leave, resign, are terminated, or transfer to another vessel.

Arrival and departure CBP Form I-418 is not needed for a private vessel that is not involved in carrying passengers or cargo for hire.

2. CBP Form I-92

This form, which is a vessel report, must be completed and submitted for all passenger-bearing vessels and include the following information:

  • Initial foreign port
  • Number of passengers who are U.S. citizens
  • Number of passengers who are not U.S. citizens
  • The domestic ship’s agent name, address, and phone number

Like CBP Form I-418, Form I-92  is not needed for a private vessel that does not carry passengers or cargo for hire.

3. CBP Forms I-94 for Passengers

This departure record must be completed and submitted for everyone on board who received a Form I-94 on arrival to the U.S., with the exception of passengers who possess a white Form I-94, meaning that they are traveling only to a contiguous territory and returning to the United States within 30 days.

4. CBP Forms I-94 or I-95 for Crew Members

A completed and endorsed Form I-94 must be submitted for all crew members who have been documented on a Form I-94. Any crew member who was refused landing privileges requires a Form I-95.

To avoid problems, the departure manifest and its supporting documentation must be completed in full and address the arrival and departure actions of all crew members and passengers. The Marine Documentation Division at Howard S. Reeder, Inc. can provide you with the guidance and professional support needed to ensure a smooth departure for your commercial or private vessel. For more information about our services, please contact us.

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