Before you arrive
You must send us an CICS 029: Advance Notice of Arrival (DOC 290 KB) at least 48 hours before you arrive in Cook Islands waters.
You can send the form:
- Email: customs.craft@cookislands.gov.ck
- Fax: +682 29364
When you arrive
When you arrive in Cook Islands waters, tell us by calling Maritime Radio on 1 of these frequencies:
- 4125 kHz
- 6215 kHz
- VHF Ch16.
You must also display the international Q-flag and report to a Customs port of entry.
Ports of entry
Before you can go anywhere else, you must report first to one of these ports of entry:
- Rarotonga - Avatiu
- Aitutaki – Arutanga
- Atiu - Taunganui
- Manihiki – Tauhunu/Tukao
- Penrhyn - Omoka
- Pukapuka - Yato
If you’re not arriving at a Customs port of entry, you must get approval from us first. If it’s an emergency and you haven’t been able to get our approval, tell a Customs or CI Police officer immediately.
Customs, Health and Biosecurity officers will meet you when you dock. Do not let any people or items off the craft until we have cleared you.
You must give us a completed:
- CICS Form 38 inward report (small craft) (PDF 189 KB)
- CI Passenger Arrival Card for each person on board (PDF 32 KB)
- CIFIU: Border Cash Report (PDF 46 KB) (if applicable) if anyone is carrying NZ$10,000 or more in cash or equivalent, you must declare it on this form
- Form C4G: Import entry (temporary) yachts and small vessels (PDF 81 KB) (if applicable) –
- Clearance documents from your last port
- Masters Declaration (MPI).
Each person on board must also have a valid passport with a valid visa (if required) for your stay in the Cook Islands.
Bringing in restricted and prohibited items into the Cook Islands
You may not be allowed to bring some items into the Cooks, including firearms and weaponry.
You must declare any firearms when you arrive. CI Police will take them and stow them safely until you leave the Cooks.
Leaving the Cook Islands
You must leave CI waters from a Customs port of entry.
Before you leave the Cooks, you must send us the following completed documents:
- Form 40: Advance notice of departure Outward Report (small craft) (DOC 165 KB)
- you must submit this to us no less than 4 hours before you leave
- to avoid processing delays, you must submit this to us at least 72 hours before you leave
- Form 33: Certificate of clearance (small craft) (DOC 247 KB), requiring:
- a completed CI passenger departure cards for every person leaving on the craft
- the yellow copy of the Form C4G: Import entry (temporary) yachts and small vessels (PDF 81 KB) (if you entered on one)
- passports for every person leaving on the craft
- a recent photograph of the craft which can be used for identifying it.
When we have approved your clearance, you must leave the Cooks immediately and directly. If you don’t, we may prosecute you. Penalties include up to 1 year in prison or a fine of up to $15,000.
The only exceptions are in an emergency, or with our permission.
If the situation is life-threatening or a genuine emergency, contact us on immediately:
- +682 29365
- +682 55368
- Maritime radio:
- VHF ch16
- 2182 kHz
- 4125 kHz
- 6215 kHz
- 8291 kHz.
If the situation isn’t life-threatening, but you still need to pause your journey, you must get our permission first. Use the details above to contact us.
No people or items can leave or board your vessel in these situations without our permission. We will tell you what other requirements you must meet.
Taking duty-free items out of the Cook Islands
You can only load duty-free consumable items when you’re about to depart the Cook Islands. You can do this through a duty-free business or ships providore, who must submit a CICS 44: Requisition for Ships Stores (DOC 147 KB) to us at customs.craft@cookislands.gov.ck. They must email us no more than 12 hours before you leave.
Keep receipts for any duty-free purchases you’re claiming, as we may inspect them.