Have your say in ICIBI’s general maritime inspection

The Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration (ICIBI) is eager to hear from pleasure craft users as part of an inspection of general maritime. 

ICIBI is independent from Government. It monitors and reports on the efficiency and effectiveness of the Home Office’s immigration, asylum, nationality and customs functions. The reports are sent to the Home Secretary and laid before Parliament.

General maritime, distinguishes boats operating without a schedule or a regular route from those with a planned route and schedule e.g. international passengers services, and for the ICIBI inspection means boats which are entering or leaving the UK with no customs or immigration controls or no port approval. 

Both commercial and pleasure craft including yachts, tugs, rigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIBs), motorboats and small fishing vessels, can be general maritime. 

As part of the process of gathering evidence for the inspection, ICIBI has prepared a pleasure craft survey which the RYA has been asked to distribute. 

The survey is intended to collect information relating to your use of GOV.UK guidance related to immigration and customs requirements for pleasure craft, your experience of submitting voyage reports and customs declarations and your experience of law enforcement on the water and around the UK coastline. 

Your contributions will help ensure the ICIBI gets a true view of what members have been experiencing when crossing the UK border in the last year since the Pleasure Craft reporting changed. 

If you would like to share your experiences, please complete this survey. The results are anonymous, and you will not be asked for any personal details that might identify you. 

The survey should take no longer than 10 minutes. 

The closing date is Friday 6 December 2024.