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A Chief Stew with 6+ years experience in the superyacht industry. I help aspiring crew confidently land their first job and teach the skills needed to be a stand out YACHT STEW.
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Why You Need a B1/B2 Visa To Work on Boats In The US & Caribbean
About yachting , superyacht jobs, filed under:.
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Why you need a B1/B2 visa if you’re planning to work on a yacht which does the famous Caribbean season?
The Caribbean yachting itinerary very likely includes cruising in U.S waters (at some point) so it is necessary for all crew to be legally entering the country on the correct visas. If the crew don’t have the right visa it can lead to logistical issues for the yacht.
As we all know yachting offers a very transient lifestyle, however, there has been no specific visa created for yacht crew entering the US on boats or looking for work onboard. The B1B2 is a multi-entry visa that is considered the most appropriate visa for superyacht crew by the US embassy. This is where it gets confusing! According to the US Department of State, the B1B2 is classified as a visitor visa. This means that it is a non-immigrant visa for people wishing to enter the United States temporarily. There is a B1 visa for those who wish to enter for business purposes and a B2 visa for those coming for pleasure or tourism, a B1B2 is a combination of the two. This visa is not equivalent to a Green Card, you cannot work on land in the US or American flagged vessels. It is also different from a C1/D visa which is primarily intended for airline personnel. To the American embassy, the yachting sector is considered a private industry therefore the C1/D visa is not always applicable.
So how do you get a b1/b2 visa? There are two ways.
Scenario 1: You get a job on a yacht travelling to the US or Caribbean. You will use the boat papers to go hand in hand with your Visa application to the US embassy. This proves you are working on a ‘private vessel’ that needs to temporarily enter US waters. We never mention anything about the c-word to the embassy- CHARTER! As I mentioned before the industry is considered private.
Scenario 2: You apply to the US embassy for your visa appointment even though you don’t have a job on a yacht yet, or any boat papers. You have some money in your bank account and basically, cross your fingers and hope the embassy officer has had his morning cup of coffee. As I learned the hard way the biggest chance of being refused is if you are not able to prove strong ties to your home, whether they are familial, social, or economic. This proof can come in the form of bank or mortgage statements, house bills, photos of your wife or children back home… anything that will make them believe you are not planning on abandoning your home and planning to stay long-term in the USA. I don’t recommend doing it this way as it caused me so much frustration and hassle at the start of my yachting career with the US embassy.
Here are some other things to consider:
- There are rumours around different US embassies in various countries that they are easier to obtain the B1/B2 visa from. One year it could be Paris the next could be Milan, you’ll probably see in the yacht crew Facebook pages about the best one to book your appointment with however I wouldn’t rely on this method.
- The length of your visa is also dependent on your nationality
Can I still look for yachting work outside the US if I can’t get this specific visa?
Yes! The UAE, Maldives, Seychelles and South Pacific are destinations that DO NOT require crew to have a B1 visa. So there is the potential to land a job at the end of the Med season in Antibes, on a yacht that is destined for these places in the winter period.
I recommend if you’re planning to jump on the tail end of the Med season and hoping to snap up one of these job opportunities…
Get There in September. By the end of October, Antibes can be a ghost town with few yachts in sight. Not good for job hunting prospects.
This is also a good time to upskill and perfect that yachting CV because… let’s be real it can be fierce out there! 🔥🔥🔥
Here’s some useful links which could help point you in the right direction
- 7 Ways To Nail Your First 7 Days As A Yacht Stew
- How to write a yachting CV
- The Yachting CV Toolkit – includes, 3 CV Templates to choose from, a full CV Review , access to The Worldwide List Of Yacht Crew Agencies + more. Click the link for more information.
- The Yachting Kickstarter Guide – This go-to guide for green crew gives you access to tools, guides and proven success strategies for landing your first yachting job. It’s your best chance at securing work!
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I’m a chief stewardess with over 6 years experience working in the superyacht industry on boats up to 88m. I help aspiring yacht crew by propelling them with the know-how and tools to confidently break into the superyacht industry.
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Superyacht Crew Visa’s Explained
by Kylie O'Brien | Oct 21, 2019 | The Chief Stewardess , The Superyacht | 4 comments
What visa do I need to work on a yacht?
For this article, I am going to have to be very general about my advice.
When you are a professional yacht crew member, it is an understatement to say that you will be ‘travelling a lot’, whether it be by air, sea or land.
You will find that the one thing that comes up in conversation is what visa do I need for XXX country.
Therefore, to explain the superyacht crew visa topic, without waffling on too much, I will break down the requirements into locations.
Consequently, the three types of visa’s that we will discuss here are:
- Schengen visa
- USA B1/B2 visa
- The Australian superyacht crew visa
For all visa processes and to make the application as easy and as stress-free as possible, make sure your passport is up to date with more than twelve months validity on it.
The Schengen Visa
The Schengen Area consists of 22 European Union (EU) state members and four non-EU members who are, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
Ireland has also opted out of the Schengen policy, and they operate a separate visa policy.
At the time of writing this, the United Kingdom is battling their way through Brexit, but at this stage, UK citizens may move freely within the EU. Furthermore, the UK also run a separate visa programme.
Nationals of EU countries and Schengen nations are visa-exempt and are allowed to reside, move freely and work in each other’s countries.
For those nations outside of the EU and the Schengen visa agreement, then the following rules apply.
They are the Annexe 1 and Annexe 11.
The list of countries in Annexe I includes Asia, Africa and South America (Western part), Russia and China; this means that South Africans and Filipinos are eligible to apply.
The Annexe II countries include the USA, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. Annexe II citizens need a visa only if they intend to stay for more than 90 days within 180 days.
Therefore, no visa is required for citizens from Annexe II countries to enter the Schengen area.
Below is a generalised explanation of the Schengen visas for non-EU citizens there are:
- Transit type B visa
- Short-stay type C visa
- Longstay type D visa
The first one is the transit visa, and it is commonly known as the Type B visa. As a yacht crew member, who travels a lot, you may know this visa as an entry or exit visa.
That is to say that this visa is only required if you are passing through a Schengen state for no more than five days.
For example, Transit type B visa is very applicable if your visa has expired and you still need to travel home.
The second type is the short-stay type C visa. This visa is valid for 1 to 5 years. When the visa expires, renewal can be testing.
This visa can not be changed, renewed or extended within the Schengen area. You must leave the Schengen area and reapply.
The documents needed for this visa are:
- The employment letter
- Crew/work contract
- Port letter and yachts itinerary
- The yachts registration details
- Personal travel insurance
In addition to the above requirements, there is a subsection to this visa referring to the “short” part of the visa name. The short-stay relates to the 90 days in and 90 days out within a 180 day period.
Essentially this means that if the yacht intends to spend the summer months cruising within the Schengen area then, the crew member will have to be stamped out by the shipping agent, rendering the crew member limited to the yachts flagged state.
At the end of the season, the crew member can be stamped back into the Schengen area, meaning that the time spent onboard under the flag state was time sent outside of the EU or Schengen area.
The third type of visa is the Longstay type D visa. The type D visa is the best visa to obtain a because it is renewable within the Schengen area.
The visa can be obtained by presenting the same paperwork are the type C visa.
The USA is a megabase for the superyacht industry.
By its very nature, it draws hundreds of young and aspiring superyacht crew, looking for work and adventure on the high seas.
If you are not a US citizen or hold a green card, then you will need to apply for a B1/B2 visa to work on board a superyacht in US waters.
According to the U.S. State Department website,
“The visitor visa is a type of non-immigrant visa for persons desiring to enter the United States temporarily for business (B-1) or for pleasure, tourism or medical treatment (B-2)”.
This visa must not be confused with the C1/D visa which is a crew visa, broadly used for maritime personnel including a cruise ship and cargo vessels.
Unlike the Australian visa, the USA visa is not a straight forward visa to gain.
US Department of State is particularly interested in your ties with your own country.
You must be prepared to show that you pay taxes elsewhere, rent a home or can prove that you reside somewhere else in the world, which means that you are in no way interested in overstaying your visa or have illegal immigration intentions.
To obtain a B1/B2 visa, you really need to have all of your paperwork in order, including a letter of employment from your yacht.
The letter of employment is not stated on the website, so I guess it’s not technically required, but it sure will help during the interview process.
Next, you will need to fill out a DS-160 form and make an appointment with your nearest US consulate general or embassy.
Be prepared for some tough and at times, rude questioning.
Other helpful papers, as mentioned above, include phone records, utility bills, bank statements and other documents that show that you reside happily elsewhere.
Please take the time to research this information accurately.
The Australian Superyacht Crew Visa
The Australian superyacht crew visa was explicitly created to encourage the growth of the superyacht industry in Australia. Therefore, it is very straight forward to gain this visa.
You must have a contract to work on a superyacht in Australian waters, and a supporting letter from the owner of the yacht confirming the person’s employment.
If you are not an Australian citizen, you will need to apply for this visa. The temporary activity visa (subclass 408) Superyacht crew stream, allows you to work in Australia as a crewmember of a superyacht.
You can travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while your visa is valid.
The visa is valid for 12 months, with a maximum stay of up to 2 years. Furthermore, this visa is also renewable and you can do it online.
Important Links to Check at the Time of Reading this Article
- Schengen Visa
- The USA B1/B2 Visa
- The Australian Superyacht Visa
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How does one get a B1Visa without a contract to work on a super yacht? My daughter is in a catch 22 as she’s done a super yacht course, madly looking for a job on all the yotspot websites but all the jobs are requesting a crew member to already have this visa in place before she’s being offered a job. It seems to be a catch 22 scenario. Does she need to go to the American Embassy in uK. It’s all very confusing! Please help
Hello Elizabeth, Sorry for the delayed reply, and I hope your daughter has found work already. The B1 visa is a challenge to get without a contract. Therefore I suggest she try to find employment in the Mediterranean sea or Pacific and then try for the yachts that will be travelling in US waters.
I am a US citizen and recently crossed from US to Spain. I was fired once we got to port. I decided to stay and get a seasonal job on another boat. I have had an offer from a Portaguese flagged M/Y. The question is do I need an additional VISA to go with my US passport. The job will go thru Sept/ traveling up around the Netherlands/Greece.
Hello Julie.
I’m sorry to hear about your trouble in Spain.
In my view as a US citizen, you have just 90 days on a Schengen visa. After which you will need to be signed on as crew. https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/us-citizens/#:~:text=Do%20US%20Citizens%20Need%20an%20EU%20visa%20to,visa%20for%20short-term%20tourism%20or%20a%20business%20trip .
Please note that I am not an immigration specialist, and I urge you to do your own research.
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