Captain, Crew or Passenger?

[kmason]

I'm traveling with my Filipino wife in and around the Caribbean this November and December and have a few questions about immigration/entry requirements. Our boat Mango, a Lagoon 380 is in St Martin right now. This will be my wife's first visit to any of the Caribbean islands. She has a U.S. Resident Alien Card (Green card).

Will she still need a visa in advance of visiting the various islands or can she enter as crew? Anybody have similar experiences or issues with clearing into French, Dutch, British or independent islands?

Thanks in advance for any constructive advice on the subject.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by kmason

I'm traveling with my Filipino wife in and around the Caribbean this November and December and have a few questions about immigration/entry requirements. Our boat Mango, a Lagoon 380 is in St Martin right now. This will be my wife's first visit to any of the Caribbean islands. She has a U.S. Resident Alien Card (Green card).

Will she still need a visa in advance of visiting the various islands or can she enter as crew? Anybody have similar experiences or issues with clearing into French, Dutch, British or independent islands?

Thanks in advance for any constructive advice on the subject.

My understanding is that visa issues are determined by the passport of the traveler. I don't think their visa or residence status in another country will matter in most cases but I could be wrong on this.

However I am certain that there is no standard answer for all countries (or islands). Each has their own rules and regulations. Think of it this way, would you expect the travel requirements to China to be exactly the same as travel requirements for Canada?

You have to check each country individually to determine their policy in regard to travel and document requirements for citizens of the Philippines.

[boatman61]

I'd put her down as Part Owner/crew... if they can be sure she'll move on you should be fine in most islands... just clear in as normal and be charming...

[MarkJ]

She, and any other people on your boat are never 'passengers' because that means they are paying you for being on board like a passenger ship passenger.
A passenger then makes you a charter boat and the money you need to pay is much higher and you may need permissions, licences or other things.

So everyone on your boat is crew and make sure your people know that they must say they are Crew, not guests, passengers or any other word. I have found that some friends dont want to be though of as Crew... something to do with me and Capt Bligh? But its important for them to use the dreaded word because theres some officials who do try to slip people up to try and find out if a boat is doing unofficial charters.

Copy of a letter for crew to take through airposts to get to the boat:

XXX XXX is joining as Crew the Australian vessel "Sea Life" Official Number 858690 in St Martin, French West Indies, on 8 April 2013.
She will remain as Crew during passages by "Sea Life" through the southern Caribbean during Aplir and May. She will not be returning to St Martin.

She is traveling from New York, USA on a one way air ticket to St Martin with American Airlines Flights 977 and 1376.

I am contactable at all times by phone +1721 XXX XXX or email xxx@xxx.com

For a Filipino passport its not as easy as some other countries and WILL require a visa in most, if not all Caribbean countries. This is notwithstanding designation as Crew. They require a visa because they are not seaman crew who. as professionals, have different rules. Filipinos require visas in advance for the Ducth side OR French side of St Martin and Antigua, for example.
Use noonsite.com for good information
http://www.antigua-barbuda.com/travel_tourism/information/passport_visa.asp

http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/coming-to-france/getting-a-visa/article/foreign-nationals-holding-ordinary
note that the visa application must specify "France + St Martin".


Your cruise will need to have some good prep and planning to get all the visas you need.


Mark

[Teknav]

She needs a US passport. Caribbean islands do not require a Visa from US citizens with a valid passport; there's a visit time limit that can be extended, though. Traveling with a Green Card instead of a passport...not sure what the Immigration rules are. Check the Dept. of State/Passport Agency website for their rules on that. Good luck!

Mauritz

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by kmason

Thanks in advance for any constructive advice on the subject.

I don't have any info (albeit I suspect, as you probably do, that she probably needs visas for every country - albeit having a green card for the USA (somewhere economically better) likely means she will get the Visa as perceived as someone who will be leaving / does not need a stepping stone into the USA).

......but would be curious as to what you find out, therefore this post mainly a plea for a thread update later on what you discover (if no one provides actual answers in the meantime!).