Visa for Cruisers

[Daz1964]

Hi Everyone

I'm new to cruising and am wondering how entry visas are dealt with when cruisers enter a country by boat. If a country normally requires a visa to be applied for, and granted, prior to entering the country (when flying in), does this still apply when entering via a port on a yacht? Or is there a special condition for cruisers and a "visa on arrival" is available.

Thanks heaps for your feedback

Cheers Darren

[nhschneider]

In my experience, if a country requires a visa prior to entering that country, it doesn't matter how you arrive. For example, Australia requires a visa for most foreign visitors and woe be unto you if you arrive without one. Brazil also requires a visa in advance but we were able to stop at Fernando de Naronha, an island off the Brazilian coast, and were able to clear Customs and Immigration without a visa but it wouldn't have been the same if we went to the Brazilian mainland. Some countries allow you to apply for a visa on line, eg Australia, while some countries require that you apply only from your home country, eg India.

Fair winds and calm seas.

[Hud3]

www.noonsite.com is a cruiser site that has C&I info for many countries around the world.

[boatman61]

The only country I'm aware of requiring a visa in advance when entering by boat is the USA (B1/B2 ?).. all the other ones I've entered from Turkey to the East across to Australia in the West have dealt with it on entry to a named entry port..
Dunno if being a Brit makes the difference..!!

[yachtagent]

In Montenegro any agent can help you with formalities of issues of visa for crew member which need it.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by boatman61

The only country I'm aware of requiring a visa in advance when entering by boat is the USA (B1/B2 ?).. all the other ones I've entered from Turkey to the East across to Australia in the West have dealt with it on entry to a named entry port..
Dunno if being a Brit makes the difference..!!

Most countries in this part of the world require visas in advance for many nationalities.

Some which do allow for visas on arrival by air require a visa in advance if arriving by boat. e.g. PNG Situation:
Visa on arrival is only available to eligible foreign nationals and under specific circumstances at Port Moresby's Jacksons International Airport and Tokua (Rabaul) International Airport.

[pcmm]

Originally Posted by boatman61

The only country I'm aware of requiring a visa in advance when entering by boat is the USA (B1/B2 ?).. all the other ones I've entered from Turkey to the East across to Australia in the West have dealt with it on entry to a named entry port..
Dunno if being a Brit makes the difference..!!

Not sure what a B1 or B2 is. we've never needed a visa in advance to clear into the US. we just land and call in to customs and immigration.

[Jim Cate]

Boatie, Australia does require a visa in advance of arrival, and has done so for a number of years. There is also the issue of 96 hour notice of arrival to deal with, but that is done ad hoc and is pretty painless. I beliee that NZ does as well... did a few years ago, anyway.

Jim

[Daz1964]

Thanks everyone fir your replies. In summary my initial thoughts are generally confirmed that visas need to be arranged in advance where required. Most of the time it's not an issue for me as I hold Australian and British passports but my wife's nationality has greater visa controls for her to enter many countries so this definitely requires careful visa planning.

Cheers to all and thanks again for your replies

[Steadman Uhlich]

What about Americans who sail along from island to island in the Caribbean? Say from Bahamas going down south to Trinidad or ABCs?

Does the crew need a visa for each of those island nations? In advance? Is that costly? How much? Any recent experience from CF Members?

I will look at the Noonsite info, but think the questions above may interest others who wish to cruise the Caribbean for the first time.

[chuckr]

We have USA passports so we have been to an awful lot of countries and only needed one visa _ Russia. We just sail in and no issue. Does not mean we do not do our research before beginning our planned sail to find the relevant visa issues as we spend a lot of time on that.
We have sailed most of the Caribbean both east and west along with a lot of the Med and the entire Black Sea. We have also done a lot inland excursions to such places a Macedonia, Armenia, or Kosovo among others.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Boatie, Australia does require a visa in advance of arrival, and has done so for a number of years. There is also the issue of 96 hour notice of arrival to deal with, but that is done ad hoc and is pretty painless. I beliee that NZ does as well... did a few years ago, anyway.

Jim

Hi Jim.. I can only comment on my personal real life experience which I stick to AMAP.
On my delivery to Oz I e-mailed to the Oz C&I from Vanuatu stating I was on my way and would be clearing in at Darwin giving an approximate ETA (give or take) and sailed for the Straits where I was overflown and chatted to at least once a day till I popped out the other side.. when I arrived in Darwin we tied up to the waiting dock outside the marina and notified them we'd arrived.. (1 Brit, 1 Tassie and 1 Canuck).
We went through the traditional 5hr search, removal of foodstuffs etc and were declared good to continue.. the delivery was to Perth.
No visit to offices or castigations of any kind.
Neither of us 'immigrants' had a visa.. so maybe the fact we were both citizens of the Commonwealth made the difference.. who knows.
All I know is in the bulk of my travels by sea or air I have never got a visa in advance bar the Visa Waiver for the USA.. and there my only problem was not the visa but the fact that the owner of the boat insisted on buying our tickets to the States from Europe.. one way.. despite my saying EW..
DHS stopped us flying at the boarding gate, and held us up (2 Brits, 1 German) for 3 days in London till a West Palm Beach police chief sent an e-mail verifying the boat, owner and contract were all valid and checked by him.
But hey.. it may just have been down to my striking blue eyes.. won't be the 1st time they've tipped the balance..

[StuM]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Hi Jim.. I can only comment on my personal real life experience which I stick to AMAP.
On my delivery to Oz I e-mailed to the Oz C&I from Vanuatu stating I was on my way and would be clearing in at Darwin giving an approximate ETA (give or take) and sailed for the Straits where I was overflown and chatted to at least once a day till I popped out the other side.. when I arrived in Darwin we tied up to the waiting dock outside the marina and notified them we'd arrived.. (1 Brit, 1 Tassie and 1 Canuck).
We went through the traditional 5hr search, removal of foodstuffs etc and were declared good to continue.. the delivery was to Perth.
No visit to offices or castigations of any kind.
Neither of us 'immigrants' had a visa.. so maybe the fact we were both citizens of the Commonwealth made the difference.. who knows.

Must have been a few years ago. The situation now is:
"Unless you are an Australian or New Zealand citizen, you will need a valid Australian visa to enter the country. New Zealand passport holders can apply for a visa upon arrival in the country. All other passport holders must apply for a visa before leaving home."

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by StuM

Must have been a few years ago. The situation now is:
"Unless you are an Australian or New Zealand citizen, you will need a valid Australian visa to enter the country. New Zealand passport holders can apply for a visa upon arrival in the country. All other passport holders must apply for a visa before leaving home."

August/September 2012.. so 4years ago now.
The Canuck faced some enquiries as it seems he'd been booted out once before for overstaying and going bush.. after coming back to the boat from the offices in Darwin he packed his gear and disappeared.. presumably into the bush again.. never heard any more about him and the lad from Tassie and myself carried on to Perth.

[Tricolor]

My wife is a Brazilian passport holder, it’s an amazing good passport. She can enter Europe without a visa for a 3 month period, all South American countries without a visa and of course the Caribbean.