Work Visa's Caribbean - Info please?

[mattplowman]

Can anyone give me some information on the Work Visa’s needed to crew (paid) on vessels in the Caribbean.

Cheers

[ssullivan]

Hi Matt,

I recall giving you some advice a while back about crewing. Your visa requirements will depend 100% on your country of origin, as well as the flag the vessel you are on is flying.

Please post that info. No visa was needed for me working on a US boat being a US citizen.

[mattplowman]

Hi Sean, I am a New Zealander with Dual Citizenship for the Replublic of Ireland (EU Passport)

cheers
matt

[ssullivan]

Hi Matt,

Your citizenship/working area combos are not something I'm familiar with. From what I understand (and this is from a limited experience... it may not be fact): If you crew on a vessel flagged from your native country, you can crew anywhere in the world. You need no working papers because you are not working for any business in the country you are "visiting" aboard the vessel that employs you.

This is how it worked for me when I was crewing. I worked for a US flagged boat, and went through customs as paid crew on that boat. No extra paperwork required, since I was a US citizen working on a US vessel. If you can work on a boat flying the Union Jack, you'll be in good shape. A large number of boats in the Caribbean fly that flag.