Visas?

[cariad]

We are planning to escape this year. I would like to ask your help regarding paperwork that is needed, visas etc. Do we need them before we leave or are they easily accessable on the way?
We hope to get as far as New Zealand/Australia.

 

[Stingo]

When are you going and what route are you taking. I also hope to cast-off by the end of June.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.stingo.co.uk>http://www.stingo.co.uk</A> - now showing at a computer near you

 

[vyv_cox]

Look at <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.gksoft.com/govt/>http://www.gksoft.com/govt/</A> This gives you as much information as you could possibly want, provided you can pay the phone bill to search it all.

Short answer seems to be that for most countries, Australia being one, you can obtain a visa in embassies. I am British but I live in Holland and I obtain visas very frequently from the Dutch or Belgian embassy of the relevant country. Even my passport was issued in Amsterdam.

You can buy visas on entry to some countries by official routes, e.g. by aircraft, for example Oman. British subjects can enter USA without a visa, again if entering by recognised travel means. However, it can be very different if entering in your own boat and certainly for USA you need a visa beforehand or you will be asked to pay quite a sum of money for one on entry.

 

[PhilLougher]

We are now in Australia, having left the Med 2 years ago and before that in the West Indies. But we are on a motor boat going the wrong way, ie via Suez Canal/Indian Ocean, but for your information
West Indies - visa on arrival
Med - no visa equired in EC countries
Egypt - visa organised by agent on arrival
Djibouti - visa organised by agent on arrival
Oman - visa organised by agent on arrival
Maldives - visa organised by agent on arrival
Thailand - visa organised by agent on arrival
Malaysia - visa organised by agent on arrival
Singapore - visa organised by me on arrival
Indonesia - visa organised and cruising permit organised in Singapore ourselves with help of agent in Bali - essential for Indonesia
Australia - visa organised in Bali by me
as for the future crossing of the Pacific, as far as I understand all the South Pacific Islands we can organise visas on arrival, but the real problem is the United States where you MUST get a B1, B2 multiple entry tourist visa(normally valid for 10 years) BE

 

[PhilLougher]

We are now in Australia, having left the Med 2 years ago and before that in the West Indies. But we are on a motor boat going the wrong way, ie via Suez Canal/Indian Ocean, but for your information
West Indies - visa on arrival
Med - no visa equired in EC countries
Egypt - visa organised by agent on arrival
Djibouti - visa organised by agent on arrival
Oman - visa organised by agent on arrival
Maldives - visa organised by agent on arrival
Thailand - visa organised by agent on arrival
Malaysia - visa organised by agent on arrival
Singapore - visa organised by me on arrival
Indonesia - visa organised and cruising permit organised in Singapore ourselves with help of agent in Bali - essential for Indonesia
Australia - visa organised in Bali by me
as for the future crossing of the Pacific, as far as I understand all the South Pacific Islands we can organise visas on arrival, but the real problem is the United States where you MUST get a B1, B2 multiple entry tourist visa(normally valid for 10 years) BEFORE you leave the UK - I had friends in the West Indies who were forced to fly back to the UK to get this in order to take their boat there as nowhere in the Caribbean would issue a visa.
As for cruising permits and other paperwork, everything was issued on arrival with the exception of Indonesia.
Regarding agents, in many situations you can do the paperwork yourself on arrival, but they normally only charge $100US or so and generally they were invaluable and often save you up to a day of traipsing around various offices.
Certainly they can tell you what bribes are required to pay (normally spirits or cigarettes in Africa and Asia) and will certainly let you know who you don't have to pay off, in situations where you might. Also the agents we have used have often argued our case with customs and saved us paying duty where I would otherwise have done.
As a general rule I cannot emphasise enough how important it is to be of tidy appearance(preferably with a polo shirt or collared shirt) have a good attitude and be flying the correct coutesy flag(including the Q flag when first arriving) to reduce the hassle the officials can give you. A documents bag in hand that looks very official and that has plenty of papers in, can also expedite things as the official concerned thinks your going to bog him down with loads of paper work and often will just ask you what you need and just give it to you, without questions(especially in Antigua).
Other tips include having photocopies of your boat registration document, crew lists with all passport details and your last port of call clearance papers handy, which can save you having to hand write up to 6 forms of who's onboard.
Finally a list of alcohol/tobacco products can be useful.
I would recommend you read Jimmy Cornells "World Cruising Handbook" which lists every country and their individual requirements.
For me the strangest question that I kept on being asked throughout Asia was"Have any of the rats on board died during the voyage", which despite the temptation to give a smart alec reply was subdued!
good luck and fair winds