Checks on permission to travel are being introduced to the Submit a Pleasure Craft Report (sPCR) service from 18 April 2024.

Since 01 January 2022, sailors have been legally required to report their departure and arrival in the UK to Border Force, sharing details of the vessel, the voyage, the skipper and crew and any goods onboard.

From 18 April, travel checks will be introduced for all crew, which means the details of all travel documentation, such as visas and passports, recorded on the Submit a Pleasure Craft Report will be checked to ensure everyone on board has valid permission to travel to the UK.

Advanced Passenger Information (API) should be submitted via sPCR between 24 hours and 2 hours prior to the scheduled time of departure. This replaces the need to contact Border Force or the National Yachtline directly.

On inbound voyages to the UK, skippers will receive a response confirming whether each individual on board has valid immigration permission to travel to the UK or if travel documents need to be verified.

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For British and Irish nationals a valid passport is their permission to travel.

Skippers are being asked to check all crew have the following documentation for entry into the UK

• a valid passport or travel document that is acceptable in the UK
• a valid visa or exemption document if they are from a country where a visa is always required

Full details of valid travel documents for entry to the UK can be found here.

An email about the new permission to travel checks has been sent to everyone who has previously used the service via the email submit.a.pleasure.craft.report.service@notifications.service.gov.uk.

A Home Office spokesperson said the Government is introducing new Universal Permission to Travel (UPT) requirements to “strengthen the border and ensure that everyone wishing to travel to the UK has permission in advance.”

“We are also introducing automated immigration checks to the Submit a Pleasure Craft Report (sPCR) service to reduce the number of physical checks that skippers, operators and agents need to conduct and to allow users to quickly confirm whether each individual onboard has valid permission to travel to the UK,” said the spokesperson.

The online form at www.spcr.homeoffice.gov.uk must be made within 24 hours and up to two hours before departure or arrival. It replaces the need to contact Border Force or the National Yachtline directly.

The Submit a Pleasure Craft Report applies to all boats sailing to or from the UK and the Isle of Man, and replaces the C1331 Form.

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