SVRS vs CBP ROAM app

[AndyD]

Now that the Bimini trip is almost here, I'm just trying to get some clarification of the SVRS program which appears to have now been "replaced" with the new CBP ROAM app? Can anybody explain the differences of the two?

We submitted for our SVRS and have completed our interview process in Wilmington and received our registration numbers for both my wife and I. Does the ROAM app replace the need for these? Or is this just in addition to the SVRS numbers? Just looking for some clarification on the easiest way to get back into the states upon our return.

Thank you in advance!

@robert843 @Bruce @Andy S

 

[DieselCamel]

If everyone in your boat has SVRS. Definitely going to be the easiest. File float plan. Call on return done.

 

[robert843]

So best I can understand is as @DieselCamel mentioned if everyone in your boat is registered on SVRS it sounds like the easiest quickest option. If everyone is not it sounds like ROAM is the better option. biggest difference is having to video call on ROAM also from what I understand you cannot submit your trip until you are back on US soil and are ready to check in it is not something you are supposed to do in advance which means more time doing stuff at the dock upon arrival in the ROAM app. There are reports of people trying to register their trip before arriving back and it just crashes the whole app and it must be uninstalled and reinstalled when doing so. Overall I think its very cool and may play with it some but while I have SVRS for all my crew I will likely stick with that plus with having to do a video chat with customs you are stuck at the dock waiting on them to call you to do your video chat as they will obviously be able to tell if you left the dock on a video chat if you leave.

 

[Sbrown]

Video chat is not a mandatory thing. It happens only if the officer deems it necessary.

 

[robert843]

Video chat is not a mandatory thing. It happens only if the officer deems it necessary.

While this is a accurate statement you will have no idea if you need to do a video chat until an agent reviews your request to enter and either accepts it or instructs you to wait for a video chat at a certain time they select. So this is still not just a simple register press a button and move on your way you must still wait at the dock to be cleared to leave or receive further instruction on what your next steps are via a push notification from cbp.

 

[robert843]

One thing I will say though is if my crew was not already all registered with SVRS I probably would not go out of my way to register them now I would just use the app. I may try both and see which clears faster when I return this year.

 

[Sbrown]

While this is a accurate statement you will have no idea if you need to do a video chat until an agent reviews your request to enter and either accepts it or instructs you to wait for a video chat at a certain time they select. So this is still not just a simple register press a button and move on your way you must still wait at the dock to be cleared to leave or receive further instruction on what your next steps are via a push notification from cbp.

Having not actually used it yet, I can't speak intelligently on all that yet. Its certainly a possibility from what I can see, though.

 

[robert843]

Having not actually used it yet, I can't speak intelligently on all that yet. Its certainly a possibility from what I can see, though.

Honestly I can't either and only know what I read on the CBP web site and a few other articles written by outside sources but the articles I have read were all from people who have talked to the CBP about the app but none who have actually used it yet. @Andy S didn't you say you used it to check back in from Mexico or was that a different process since you were flying?

 

[Andy S]

Honestly I can't either and only know what I read on the CBP web site and a few other articles written by outside sources but the articles I have read were all from people who have talked to the CBP about the app but none who have actually used it yet. @Andy S didn't you say you used it to check back in from Mexico or was that a different process since you were flying?

I used Mobile Passport a few weeks ago to come back from Mexico. I hope Roam works as well in June as Mobile Passport did for me.

 

[Sbrown]

Honestly I can't either and only know what I read on the CBP web site and a few other articles written by outside sources but the articles I have read were all from people who have talked to the CBP about the app but none who have actually used it yet. @Andy S didn't you say you used it to check back in from Mexico or was that a different process since you were flying?

I reread what I wrote and saw how it could have come across the wrong way. I wasn't trying to insinuate any lack of knowledge on your part, just admitting a lack of it on my part and thus I had no reasonable counter argument.

 

[robert843]

I reread what I wrote and saw how it could have come across the wrong way. I wasn't trying to insinuate any lack of knowledge on your part, just admitting a lack of it on my part and thus I had no reasonable counter argument.

LOL no worries I didn't take any offense to it and truly meant the exact same as I really don't have any concrete knowledge on it either just what I have read so really kind of going blind on this one.

 

[Sbrown]

I plan on giving it a shot. I didnt think to register for svrs in time and while svrs is probably the best choice, I'm hoping the roam app is a better option than having to appear in person

 

[robert843]

I plan on giving it a shot. I didnt think to register for svrs in time and while svrs is probably the best choice, I'm hoping the roam app is a better option than having to appear in person

I would do the same if I wasn't registered with SVRS already I would just use the app versus going to do the svrs interview.

 

[Glen]

Any more experience with the CBP ROAM app, in returning to the US?
FAQ looks promising, but looking for those that have actually used it..
CBP ROAM App Frequently Asked Questions - How to Use the CBP ROAM

 

[DieselCamel]

Any more experience with the CBP ROAM app, in returning to the US?
FAQ looks promising, but looking for those that have actually used it..
CBP ROAM App Frequently Asked Questions - How to Use the CBP ROAM

CBP App Works great svrs is discontinuing or will be soon

 

[Sbrown]

Any more experience with the CBP ROAM app, in returning to the US?
FAQ looks promising, but looking for those that have actually used it..
CBP ROAM App Frequently Asked Questions - How to Use the CBP ROAM

CBP Roam works great for us. Family of 5 all checked in, in the time it took to load the boat onto the trailer. No need for a face-to-face or anything. They messaged back "Welcome home". It took almost no time to register all 5 of us in the app, vs going through the drawn out SVRS registration process.

 

[Mainah]

Any more experience with the CBP ROAM app, in returning to the US?
FAQ looks promising, but looking for those that have actually used it..
CBP ROAM App Frequently Asked Questions - How to Use the CBP ROAM

Worked great for me last July. The inital part is keying all of the boat and crew info, uploading passport photos, and perhaps even boat reg photo as I recall. That can all be done even before you leave for your trip. The rest is pretty simple upon arrival back in the us. Once we passed the turning basin in ft lauderdale my wife took over the helm at no wake speed on the ICW and I took care of the app in a matter of a couple of minutes we were on a video chat with a CBP agent and he just wanted to see everyone in the the baot amd have them say hi. From opening the app to being cleared back in was about 5 minutes and all before we made it to the ramp. Easy peasy.

 

[Sbrown]

Worked great for me last July. The inital part is keying all of the boat and crew info, uploading passport photos, and perhaps even boat reg photo as I recall. That can all be done even before you leave for your trip. The rest is pretty simple upon arrival back in the us. Once we passed the turning basin in ft lauderdale my wife took over the helm at no wake speed on the ICW and I took care of the app in a matter of a couple of minutes we were on a video chat with a CBP agent and he just wanted to see everyone in the the baot amd have them say hi. From opening the app to being cleared back in was about 5 minutes and all before we made it to the ramp. Easy peasy.

That's interesting, we didn't have to upload any of that stuff, and we didn't get requested for a video chat, either. We entered our passport number when we first entered our info in the app, that was all that was required at that time. I think I did it early enough that my version was the beta version, though.

 

[Mainah]

That's interesting, we didn't have to upload any of that stuff, and we didn't get requested for a video chat, either. We entered our passport number when we first entered our info in the app, that was all that was required at that time. I think I did it early enough that my version was the beta version, though.

They might have changed things a bit then. I clearly remember having to enter the passport info and upload a photo of the passport for each person. Was not a big deal to do before the trip. I got the feeling that the agent was making sure the person that he was interviewing (saying hi to in this case) was a match to the uploaded passport image. It was a very relaxed interview for my crew. This is one case where technology has certainly made things easier.

 

[robert843]

I too was requested for video chat. What ever you do don’t let anyone leave you that is registered on the trip on the app with before cleared because when the did video chat the requested to speak to all registered on the trip. Overall pretty easy though.