visa info please

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by purplecaiman

what if one mored or docked and didnt find customs (...)

This may happen. Then (in some countries) you can call them and they come to clear you where you are. Meanwhile (in most countries) only the captain can come ashore and only to contact the customs/immigration; then one is supposed to return to their ship. Q up all time until cleared in.

In most countries, you pay extra for such games.

Cheers,
b.

[bobconnie]

Be Careful, Very Careful! There been many a sailor jailed for makeing this mistake !! Lots of Countrys In the Carribe, and the Pacific, get real nasty about illegal Entrance to there Countrys!! Unless you like to live off the Grid(Jail) make sure ya dot the eyes and cross the Tee's! Ck in and Ck out and get paper to prove it !! Take it from an Old sailor who made a jail ONCE for just this offence!! LOL I was lucky to not lose the boat !! and only had to pay 50 bucks over the normal amount to ck in !! I was very lucky!! you might not be so lucky !! They took pity on me cus of our kids and the STORY I spun at the time !! Just do it right and have a Great trip with no hassle!! just my 2 cents

[yeloya]

Having c-in and out in 14 countries recently from Greece to Gibraltar + almost all Caribbeans countries, all I can say that every country has different rules and even every port officers in the same country may have different approach to every case.. In Italy and Spain in theory you need to visit a number of offices. Not the case at all, if you go to any marina you give an ID, insurance and the boat papers. Noone has ever checked my passport or visa. (I need a visa for any Schengen country) They take a photocopy and giving you back. That's it..
The smaller and less developed the country the more buraucrotic they become. In Jolly harbour Antigua two boats have had serious problems (5.000 ECD fine if I recall correctly) as the wifes touched the land (to the bathroom in the same jetty of the custom office) before the husband hit the custom..
However many of these islands do not have a cost guard or whatsover to check it out. So if you anchor in one of these places and hit the ground for drink or dinner , most likely you get away with it. The trouble is if you are involved in any trouble or get caught in some way you are deep S..T.
In Europe with few exceptions (Portugal, certain part of Greece) you can easily go on shore until business day if you arrive on weekends or after working hours.
Well for the US, don't even think of it

Cheers

Yeloya

[Samantha ann]

Breaking the rules has consequences not just for you but those who come after you! Do you want to deal with an official that is already pissed off by another cruiser ? I don't!

[Daddys_Dream]

Originally Posted by Samantha ann

Breaking the rules has consequences not just for you but those who come after you! Do you want to deal with an official that is already pissed off by another cruiser ? I don't!

I agree

[RonAcierno]

Consider the USA: if you sail here without a visa (which takes 4-6 months for most Latin American countries and 1-4 for euro) you will be fined by the coastguard upon boarding, or if landing , fined by either coastguard or immigration between 1000 to 10000 and risk confiscation of the boat at worst and immediate forced departure at best. The captain is liable for all the visas of his crew. Moreover citizens of visa exchange countries that normally don't need visas to visit us have to get visas if they do not arrive on a commercial common carrier (plane or ship).

[yeloya]

Originally Posted by Samantha ann

Breaking the rules has consequences not just for you but those who come after you! Do you want to deal with an official that is already pissed off by another cruiser ? I don't!

Sorry, but disagree..What are we going to do then; check the mood of the official before we clear in ? An official can be pissed off for many other reason, eg. not enough salary, dispute with his/her family members in the morning,etc..
If someone breaks the rules and get cought pays the bill and suffers the consequences. You don't pay for somebody who did it just before you. At least a porfessional shouldn't behave that way. If you tell me most of them are not professional, I tend to agree but then again there are 1000 other reasons to treat you badly..

Cheers

Yeloya