Europe => USA : Routes and Visas?

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jcross

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Hello,
my girlfriend and I are interested in traveling from Europe to the USA by sailboat. We think it would be a great adventure!

We have heard that it is possible to berth with sailing ships via the Canary Islands => St. Lucia (especially with ARC 2008 approaching).

We are very flexible, enthusiastic and ready to do whatever it takes but have little sailing experience and are NOT looking for a "cruise".
Open to any routes / suggestions you might have (via Iceland => Greenland perhaps?)

Any suggestions on getting to the mainland once we are in to St. Lucia?

US Visa
Also, my girlfriend is Swiss (I am American). We have not found a single person who could tell us about visa requirements when entering the USA via ship. Will a B2 tourist visa work for her?

Thanks in advance!

-Jonathan
PS: Travel photos and stories from 38 countries:
pics.JonathanCross.com
 
Yes, a B2 will work. If you arrive by boat you need a visa and the B2 is probably your best option. You can only use the visa waiver program if you arrive with a return ticket by approved carrier - an airline or major shipping line.
 
As you'll have realised a lot of boats leave Europe for the Caribbean at the end of the year and many look for crew.

Personally, and I do not mean this unkindly, I would not dream of taking inexperienced crew on a passage that will last anything from 15 to 25 days. I think many skippers will feel the same, and sadly the ones who are more relaxed are probably the ones you don't want to sail with!

I suggest you get some experience in quick, which will help you decide if you can really hack it, and help you decide what makes a good skipper. You will also get references. Try crewseekers.net for crewing opportunities.

From St. Lucia you'll find boats going north to the BVIs/USVIs, Puerto Rico etc, and eventually one going to Florida - though it's a shortish flight from the north Caribbean anyway.
 
Your girlfriend must have her visa before arriving in US waters.
Apply in her home country or in Barbados .
Visa's can be very hard to get so apply early at your nearest US consulate or embassy for the info on obtaining at the correct location the correct visa.
We have B1/B2 visa's which allows multiple entries up to 6 months at a time valid for 10 years. Obtianed in Barbados.

Sorry Jeremy seeems I am replying to you
 
It is very easy to turn up in Gran Canaria and get a crewing position on a yacht. Of course it is up to you and your girlf to decide if the skipper is up to the task. When I did this I ended up on a yacht with a very capable skipper and had a brilliant crossing

Did the crossing again last year in my own boat without the ARC, but met up with a friend who "hitched" accross with an ARC boat and is currently approaching the Marqueses on the same vessel!

Agree that US visas need to be sorted before you go. However, I did find a way around this: I was in the BVIs and needed to go to the USVIs so, I caught the ferry and filled out the relevant form on arrival - this gives you a "visa waiver" and is valid for 3 months throughout the US. I then caught the ferry back to the BVIs, sailed my yacht over and was able to show my visa waiver to immigration. Lots of people were doing this and it was accepted to the point that I was totally open about exactly what I was doing when dealing with customs and they didn't bat an eyelid. Like I say, only valid for 3 months so best to get a proper one sorted before you go if possible.
 
Sorry for the slight thread hi-jack, but we are looking to go the USVIs and onwards next year and are therefore looking at b1/b2 visa. Just been on the US Emabssy web site and it all looks quite clear except for the on-line form which requires you to state your address and point of contact in the US as well as saying how long you intend to stay - all rather difficult as we have absolutely no idea at this stage!! Any advice on how to get over this would be really gratefully received. (not gonna ring them up - they charge £1.20 a minute!!!)
 
Hi, we have app for Visas coming up. On the online form we put in transit, as have purched a yacht in BVI and intend to sail around the islands including USVI & east coast of USA.Will let you know how we get on as app on Monday
 
Back in 2003 SWMBO and I applied for B1/B2 visas, via the embassy in London. We explained that we would be cruising the Eastern Seaboard from the USVIs north. As our boat would be our home whilst in the USA we didn't really have an US address.

Went for interview at the embassy. Dressed smartly, decent trousers and a RORC tie. Laden down with proof of income, ties to the UK, etc, etc. None of which the clerk wanted to see. She just chatted about or trip and how we must call in at Charleston SC, her home town.

Play it straight and I wouldn't have thought you'd have a problem. Worst bit is my photo on the visa. I look like a demented hamster, SWMBO looks like a serial killer.
 
We all agree that it should be a straightforward process - but then most of us have not had to deal with the Department of Homeland Security. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
I just did this: I sailed from the Canaries to Barbados, and got my visa there. It is a B1/B2 tourist visa, valid for ten years, but you can only stay for a maximum of 6mths at a time, before having to do a visa loop or something.

The cost is $130USD, plus $30 postage (don't ask, but you have to have it posted to an address - NO PICKUPS FROM THE EMBASSY). You will need proof that you have some money in the bank, and even a job of employment (even if it's former employment). Call or go into the embassy and say you are on a yacht - You'll need paperwork to prove it, otherwise you'll need to make a visa appointment, and amazingly, the embassy is VERY crowded. They must be processing 150visa's a day.

It takes 5 working days to receive the visa, and you can have it sent to a local DHL office - Don't have it sent to another island unless you have dual citizenship (otherwise you'll end up with no passport, as you must leave your passport with the US embassy to stamp/print).

On arrival into the US, you will need to visit an official port of entry - That can be for example the big passenger cruise terminal in NYC, or somewhere l ike Port Newark (where I went). There is a 1800 number you need to call. You technicall have 24hrs to make this happen...

Strangely enough, there is no exit procedure... Which means (I guess?) that no one would ever know how long you'd been in the country? Strange.

Hope that helps!
 
We entered US in Florida this May by our boat and were given an unheard of 12 months by immigration. We had always understood that 6 months was the max but the immigration guy just said how long do you want would 12 months be OK? There were 3 British boats checking in at the same time and we all got 12 months.
 
Well went to Embassy had filled in online forms as yacht in transit, take a good book as we sat around for 4 hours, only had to show bill of sale and bank statement. Appointment was 4th and passport & Visa arrived back on 7th pretty painless if boring.
 
I was in the BVIs and needed to go to the USVIs so, I caught the ferry and filled out the relevant form on arrival - this gives you a "visa waiver" and is valid for 3 months

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I have heard of this before and wonder if other examples are known.....IE If in Vancouver BC can you get a visa waiver on the bus to Seattle?????
 
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