Niue - Clearance
PRE-ARRIVAL
While it is not a prerequisite for advanced notification of arrival, it is often helpful for the Niue Yacht Club (who manage the moorings) to know who is likely to sail in over the horizon. Especially super yachts, that need specific information for anchoring purposes. Contact the NYC Help desk (support@nyc.nu), they will also respond promptly to requests for additional information.
In 2023 a new online booking system is being developed, so that yachts can book and pay for moorings up to 48 hours in advance. It will also enable all Customs and Immigration forms to be completed and submitted in advance, saving time on arrival. This is not yet operational, but is planned for the start of the 2023 season.
A 24-hour service is provided by Niue Radio on VHF Channel 16.
ARRIVAL FORMALITIES
Advance Notification:
When yachts are approx. 10NM off Niue, they MUST contact Niue Radio on VHF Channel 16 to provide details and ETA. This will allow time to contact the officials needed. Please wait for a response from Niue Radio about clearance times.
You must wait on your vessel until clearance is arranged and a time to meet at the wharf arranged. Do not come ashore until you are told to do so.
Niue is free from most of the world’s major pests and diseases and are most anxious to keep it that way. All animals, foodstuff, fruit, vegetables, plants, and garbage must be secured until clearance has been granted.
The yacht club has some very useful advice on their Arrival Information page.
Note: The original NYC website is being modified so that incoming yachts can book a mooring ETA approx 48 hours. It is currently not operational, but should be back online soon.
General Process:
Niue Radio will contact Customs and make arrangements for you to “clear”. Please wait on board for instructions before attempting to come ashore as Niue Customs are very strict about this.
Yachts do NOT have to come alongside the wharf for clearance.
Immigration, Customs, Agriculture and Port Authorities are available for clearance from 0900-1500, Monday to Friday. It may be possible to arrange Customs clearance if arriving on a weekend. All forms will be completed at the wharf with officials (sometimes a lengthy process). Clearance MUST be gained before all crew can come ashore on Niue.
All clearance forms for Niue can be downloaded from the NYC website, printed and completed prior to arrival to speed up the clearance process (especially if you have a number of crew on your vessel). Go to – https://nyc.nu/arrival-forms/
Note: The original NYC website is being modified so that incoming yachts can book a mooring ETA approx 48 hours. It is currently not operational, but should be back online soon.
Note: It is important that you arrive here with Clearance documentation from your last port. Failing to do so will result in an immediate fine of $NZ200 or $US175.
Call “NIUE YACHT CLUB” on VHF Ch 16, then change to Channel 10 for mooring advice and other help. See Docking for further information.
CLEARING OUT
A Government departure tax is payable per crew member on clearance (see Fees). On final clearance, one Customs official will provide you with a printed certificate specifically for your vessel as proof of departure from Niue.
Last updated: March 2023
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Niue Yacht Club
“The Biggest Little Yacht Club in the World”
An incredible group of volunteers – all non-sailors – have been helping out cruisers for over 40 years on the delightful, small Pacific atoll of Niue – lying on the direct route from French Polynesia to Vava’u in Tonga. The “Biggest Little Yacht Club in the World” (or Niue Yacht Club) has provided safe moorings, shoreside assistance, a club house and the warmest welcome anywhere to visiting yachts since 1975.
Just in time for the start of Cyclone season, Niue’s Maritime Borders have re-opened after three seasons with no entry to transiting yachts. While this is great news for cruisers planning a 2023 Pacific crossing, the length of border closure now means that the Niue Yacht Club is in trouble and may well be facing closure.
Fighting to find some solution to rising Government fees, lack of volunteers due to a very small adult population on Niue and no headquarters for the Club, long-time member Keith Vial has launched a search for a Commodore at Large for the 2023 cruising season.
For Niue to remain a destination for yachts crossing the Pacific, the legendary NYC must survive and get back on its feet, so now it’s the cruising communities’ turn to support the Club that has helped them so much over the years.
If you have been to Niue and enjoyed the NYCs hospitality, please e-mail keithvial@gmail.com with your support and let’s try and keep this cruisers’ paradise on the Pacific crossing map.
Update from Keith Vial – Christmas 2022:
For a month or two earlier in the year, it looked as though the NYC might founder as we are down to only two of us left. Despite the statistics for the last 14 years that showed 6 600 crew had visited Niue, it seemed the government was oblivious of the economic impact cruisers had here. Initially, even the Tourism office was slow to respond.
However, since “Noonsite” published this article we have been overwhelmed by messages from cruisers. Many of the emails have been from crews who have visited here, appreciated the hospitality of the NYC and all offered assistance in some form.
The good news is help has come over the horizon in the form of NZ Aid to Tourism, with some good ideas and use of technology to expedite the whole arrival process. The NYC’s website is also going to be incorporated into aspects of Niue’s tourism website to make use of social media to ensure an up to date flow of information.
So from our darkest hour, a revamped and streamlined NYC should be ready with 20 safe moorings for the start of the 2023 cruising season. As a note of interest World ARC has tentatively scheduled two fleets of 56 yacht in total to visit, in early June and July 2023.
See the Alofi page for the latest moorings/yacht club info. https://noonsite.wccstaging.com/place/niue/alofi/
Update from Niue Yacht Club:
Our cyclone season was somewhat more damaging than previous years.
Cyclone Tino, in mid January, did significant damage to the wharf – so much so it has been out of action since then. Winch motor and cabling swept away, but derrick still standing and as far as I know will be back in action once cable to winch is installed. It is ironic that Cyclone Tino never came any closer than 450 nm and was only a Category 3, but the massive seas that this generated, did the damage.
We don’t know whether there has been any loss of concrete mooring blocks on the sea bed as we have been unable to get a dive boat launched for a survey.
Normally we would plan on starting to put moorings down by mid-April. This is likely to be delayed. Government restrictions means that it is unlikely that there will be any moorings allowed north of the wharf.
Request from the Niue Yacht Club to all yacht captains planning to include Niue on their cruising itineraries in May 2018.
Because of restrictions by the Niuean Port authorities and the loss of some mooring locations, the Niue Yacht Club has a reduced number of moorings available this season.
World Arc yachts are scheduled to visit Niue on their annual visit from 18th to 30th May and there will be no moorings available for other vessels during these 12 days.
We apologise for this restriction as it is the first time in 27 years of our operation that we ask for your help and co-operation during this short time.
Please pass this request on through any radio nets you use.
However we hope you will visit Niue from June on.
Fair winds
Keith
Commodore
Niue Yacht Club
Important Note: The end of May is a busy time here as World ARC stops over and normally moorings are restricted due to cyclone damage. Visiting here from June 1st is recommended in order to ensure mooring availability.