Yachting guides
Yachting Visas and Right to Work
Which visa a yacht crew member needs depends on the yacht’s flag, where it cruises, and the crew member’s own passport — most non-EU crew working the Mediterranean rely on the Schengen 90/180 rule, and most crew working US waters need a B1/B2 visa rather than the standard visa waiver. These are the basics most new crew run into first; always check the current requirements yourself before you fly out, since rules and processing times change.
The Schengen 90/180 rule
If the yacht is cruising the Mediterranean, non-EU nationals are generally limited to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period across the Schengen area. The clock covers the whole zone, not country by country, so time in France and time in Spain both count against the same 90 days. Specific immigration provisions may apply to professional yacht crew, but signing onto a yacht or being on its crew list does not automatically stop the clock. Crew and Captains should confirm the arrangements that apply to them: see the common questions below.
The US B1/B2 visa
Crew working on yachts that cruise US waters, including Florida and the Caribbean, typically need a B1/B2 visa rather than entering on the standard visa waiver programme, because crewing a yacht is treated as work. This needs to be arranged ahead of the season; interview wait times at US consulates vary by location and time of year.
Discharge books and flag-state paperwork
Depending on the yacht’s flag state, you may also need a discharge book or an equivalent service record. This is separate from your visa and is usually arranged once you have a job offer, often with the agent or the yacht’s management company.
Immigration and visa rules are not something a recruitment agency can advise on as fact. A good starting point is the relevant consulate’s own website for the flag state and cruising ground in question, confirmed close to your travel dates.
Common questions
Do yacht crew need a visa?
What is the Schengen 90/180-day rule for yacht crew?
Specific immigration provisions may apply to professional yacht crew. Depending on the vessel’s movements, the crew member’s immigration status and the procedures of the relevant country, time spent serving aboard a yacht may be treated differently from an ordinary visitor’s stay.
However, signing onto a yacht or being included on its crew list does not automatically stop the Schengen clock. The appropriate immigration and border formalities must be followed.
Non-EU nationals may also work aboard EU-flagged yachts, subject to applicable flag-state, immigration and employment requirements.
Crew members and Captains should confirm the applicable arrangements with the relevant immigration authorities or an experienced yacht agent, particularly when joining, leaving or changing vessels within the Schengen Area.
Do yacht crew need a US visa to work in the Caribbean or Florida?
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