Newbie about VISAs

[Kaspi]

Hi guys, an absolute beginner here, who'd most likely buy a boat and travel in the near future.

One of the many things that I'm wondering about is how does it work with VISAs when you travel a lot?

I suppose officially you should obtain a visa for each country you go through? (except the EU ofc) But that doesn't seem to me like a really practical option.

Thank you for your hints.

 

[sailorgirl]

Every country is different... Www.noonsite is the best resource for the latest info. It's not just the crew but also the boat that requires paperwork to remain in some countries.

 

[PhilipH]

With a UK passport you will currently visit most countries without needing to jump through lots of hoops in advance - easy to get a 10 years visa for USA but involves visiting a US embassy or consulate. In fact UK passport is one of the best to have ... until the halfwits fell for the lies and xenophobia and voted to leave the EU.

 

[TQA]

With the exception of the US b1/B2 visa getting visas is usually easy, check with Noonsite then jump through whatever hoops are described.

As I said getting the US B1/B2 visa is not easy in fact it is a royal PITA. You need to apply in the UK before you leave and make sure you can satisfy the interviewer that you can support yourself in the US and have serious family ties back to the UK, take lots of back up evidence in the form of bank records copies of house deeds etc.

While I know of people who have successfully applied while outside their home country I also know of several applicants who have been refused. In some cases whole families who were refused. Reapplied at another embassy and were refused again. An expensive and fruitless business.

This is from the US Embassy Barbados web site.

O APPLICANTS WHO ARE VISITORS TO OUR CONSULAR DISTRICT

With rare exceptions, visa applicants temporarily visiting our consular district should apply at the U.S. Consular Section in their country of residence. If the applicant is not a resident of the Eastern Caribbean, interviewing officers at the U.S. Consular Section in Barbados may not have experience in evaluating the circumstances in the applicant's country of residence. The applicant will, therefore, have greater difficulty establishing eligibility for a U.S. visa when applying in Barbados than would be experienced in the applicant's home country.

Many visitors to the Eastern Caribbean are denied visas under these circumstances. Consequently, we strongly urge visitors to this region to apply for U.S. visas in their country of residence.

 

[Tranona]

In fact UK passport is one of the best to have ... until the halfwits fell for the lies and xenophobia and voted to leave the EU.

Seems rather improbable that over 17 million people with a vested interest in the future of their country (and their passports) are all "halfwits", or xenophobes!

What makes you think that a UK passport will be any less desirable to have in the future?

 

[Kaspi]

I didn't mean to bring up a brexit discussion, let's keep it aside please.

So even if you are just passing through waters of a country and stop at a port or two, do you get visa? It doesn't necessarily have to be the US. Say e.g. if I was about to go from Maxico to Brazil, shoud I care about all the countries on the way?

Thank you guys.

 

[duncan99210]

Seems rather improbable that over 17 million people with a vested interest in the future of their country (and their passports) are all "halfwits", or xenophobes!

What makes you think that a UK passport will be any less desirable to have in the future?

It's because the usual pattern for requiring visas is reciprocal. Ie, if the UK requires a visa for entry from citizens of country X, then country X will likely require UK Citizens to have a visa. Listening to the noises emerging at present, we may place visa requirements in EU travellers entering UK: it is therefore likely that EU countries will require UK citizens to get visas to visit their countries...

 

[bjl]

On the contrary, you do not need to complete the application process for a US B1/B2 visa in the UK. I completed the online application whilst elsewhere in the Caribbean and attended an interview when in the Dominican Republic. Whilst I took with me bank statements, I wasn't asked for any documentation showing any ties to UK. Instead I just chatted to the interviewer, answering any questions along the way. The US Embassy's staff couldn't have been more helpful.

 

[chinita]

+1

I did mine in Lisbon. Bit of a faff arranging appointment but, on the day, smooth as silk.

 

[Tranona]

I didn't mean to bring up a brexit discussion, let's keep it aside please.

So even if you are just passing through waters of a country and stop at a port or two, do you get visa? It doesn't necessarily have to be the US. Say e.g. if I was about to go from Maxico to Brazil, shoud I care about all the countries on the way?

Thank you guys.

So why make such a silly comment then?

Anyway, the answer to your question is, yes, if you visit a country in your boat that requires a visa, you need one just like any other visitor. As suggested noonsite is a good source of information on such matters, as is the Cruising Association and the RYA. If you are serious about cruising it is part of your preparation to find out what is required in the way of paperwork for the places you intend to visit.

 

[TQA]

So even if you are just passing through waters of a country and stop at a port or two, do you get visa? It doesn't necessarily have to be the US. Say e.g. if I was about to go from Maxico to Brazil, shoud I care about all the countries on the way?

Thank you guys.

Generally speaking if Noonsite says you need a visa you need a visa even if you are only visiting for one day. In some countries you MIGHT get away with paying an on the spot fine and paying extra for an ' expidited ' visa.

But there are quite a number of well documented instances where ordinary cruisers have arrived somewhere without visas or without some other necessary document and had there boats impounded and or being deported by air. eg http://www.noonsite.com/Members/sue/R2012-03-26-3

Do not play fast and loose with customs and immigration ! Make sure you have all required paperwork. Wear reasonable clothing and footwear there was a famous / notorious official who served for many years in Antigua who would send you away if he thought you were not dressed ' respectfully ' . Find out in advance from Noonsite and fellow cruisers what is the correct procedure. EG in some cases while you CAN IN THEORY complete the process by yourself it is cheaper and much faster to employ an agent. Yes it is worriesome to hand over all you documents boat papers and passports to someone you have not met before but in some cases that is what it takes.

 

[Tranona]

It's because the usual pattern for requiring visas is reciprocal. Ie, if the UK requires a visa for entry from citizens of country X, then country X will likely require UK Citizens to have a visa. Listening to the noises emerging at present, we may place visa requirements in EU travellers entering UK: it is therefore likely that EU countries will require UK citizens to get visas to visit their countries...

There is no serious suggestion that visas will be required for visitors into the UK from the EU, just as there was no visa requirement from the original EU members before we entered the common market. Any suggestion of visas other than perhaps a simple "freedom to enter permit" such as the US operates for visitors will be strongly resisted by those EU countries that rely heavily on tourists from the UK

There may well be a requirement for residence or work permits, and they may well be reciprocal. After all the objective of getting control is to reduce the population migration from the EU to the UK for work, not to curtail visitors and tourists.

 

[Kaspi]

Thank you guys for your hints. I really just wanted to ask as I don't know how things work yet. To me this question didn't sound silly.

Thank you.

 

[blenkinsop]

Consult Noonsite, which is kept fairly well up to date.
If a country says that you must obtain a visa before you arrive, then get one. it may be irksome, especially if you are used to the visa free travel in Europe. You will be turned away, deported or imprisoned if you do not follow visa requirements, which would be especially frustrating if you have sailed over 1000nm to get there!
For example, for entry to the USA by private yacht, you must have a B1/B2 visa - an ESTA will not do except when arriving by air. One yottie we came across had been temporarily jailed then deported when changing planes in the US with an out of date visa (there was probably more to the story but it did happen).
Entry to Australia requires a visa (obtainable on line) and at least 4 days notice of intended arrival, and is increasingly expensive to enter, even if you escape paying overtime charges. A Belgian yacht we came across there was slapped with fines of about A$5000 for not having seen updates on these requirements after a particularly miserable crossing of the Tasman Sea.
And remember that, on appointment, immigration officials have their sense of humour surgically removed.

 

[sailorgirl]

Entry to Australia requires a visa (obtainable on line) and at least 4 days notice of intended arrival, and is increasingly expensive to enter, even if you escape paying overtime charges. A Belgian yacht we came across there was slapped with fines of about A$5000 for not having seen updates on these requirements after a particularly miserable crossing of the Tasman Sea.
And remember that, on appointment, immigration officials have their sense of humour surgically removed.

Having arrived in Australia only this week- I can say that both Australia Border Force and the Biosecurity guy were extremely pleasant and efficient. There are no charges for immigration and customs processing only for biosecurity and they have recently changed their charges from a fixed amount to per fifteen minute charges which means it was cheaper than expected! It took 45 mins from tying up at the dock to being officially cleared in, better than most airports!

 

[macd]

It was your comment about "halfwits" that was silly - not your question about visas, which I hope has been answered.

Tranona: PhilipH, post #3, introduced halfwits. Kaspi hasn't mentioned them.

 

[Tranona]

Tranona: PhilipH, post #3, introduced halfwits. Kaspi hasn't mentioned them.

Its creeping up on me! Will delete it! Thanks.

Apologies to Kapsi

 

[john_q]

+1

I did mine in Lisbon. Bit of a faff arranging appointment but, on the day, smooth as silk.

+1 did mine in Belmopan Belize, applied on line, made an appointment and saw the Immigration people in the US embassy and had to return to pick up the passport with the visa about 4 days later. Do not be surprised if the Immigration people do not realise you need a visa if visiting by sailing boat, just persevere

 

[Long keel]

Thank you, just my thoughts also. Halfwits hu - or what.

 

[SolentSnowgoose]

I don't want to get into the wisdom of Brexit but as we start to plan and extended cruise to the Med via the Canal du Midi I am getting increasingly concerned that a hard Brexit could put us in the same position as current Non EU cruisers (eg from the US) who are limited to 90 days in 180 and boat only allowed to stay 18 months.
Any Non EU cruisers care to share how they handle this?