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Joined: 26/06/2009
Posts: 1
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Good Afternoon,
I am currently working as a mate on a sailing yacht and we have recently taken on a South African national as crew.
She currently has a Schengen Visa which only has 30 days left on it. Luckily we have come to Turkey so it is on hold at the moment but we will heading back to the Europe for some more charters and boss trips which will last over 30 days.
I have tried to make sense of the visa issue but after a million calls to embassys and resurch on the internet I have hit a brick wall and apart from sending her some to 'possibly' get an extension on the visa I cant find any other options.
She is a great team member and I really want to solve this issue and I know there are many SA nationals working out there so there must be a way!
Please if anyone has any advice on ways to get round this visa problem (short of marrying her off to some italian stallion!) We would be very greatful for any advice.
Thank you
Yours scincerely
B.T.Jackson
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Joined: 05/02/2010
Posts: 1
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BEING SOUTH AFRICAN I KNOW THAT THE SHENGEN IS A TRUE PAIN IN THE ARSE, BUT YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE SYSTEM
FIRSTLY YOU HAVE TO GET A SEAMANS BOOK SO YOUR TIME ONBOARD A VESSEL CAN BE RECORDED (NATIONALITY OF BOOK DOES NOT MATTER)
SECONDLY UNDERSTAND YOUR VISA, MOST VISA'S ALLOW YOU TO BE IN A SHENGEN TERRITORY FOR 90 DAYS WITHIN A SPECIFIC PERIOD (3, 6 OR 12 MONTHS). VISA NEEDS TO BE MULTIPLE ENTRY. IF YOUR SPECIFIED PERIOD HAS EXPIRED (EG 28 JUNE 2009 - 27 JUNE 2010) YOU HAVE TO BE OUT OF THE SHENGEN TERRITORY REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU HAVE USED UP YOUR NINETY DAYS OR NOT. YOUR SHENGEN THEN HAS TO BE RENEWED IN SOUTH AFRICA (I MIGHT BE WRONG HERE, BUT I DO NOT KNOW OF ANY OTHER WAY OF RENEWING YOUR SHENGEN OUT OF SA, EXTENDING YOUR SHENGEN IS A MYTH). WITH REGARDS TO THE 90 DAYS, AS LONG AS YOUR TIME ONBOARD IS RECORDED IN YOUR SEAMANS BOOK THEN YOU ARE TECHNICALLY NOT IN A SHENGEN STATE.
SO THE QUESTION TO ASK IS: WHICH HAS EXPIRED? THE 90 DAYS OR THE SPECIFIED PERIOD? THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION WILL DETERMINE WHAT ACTION NEEDS TO BE TAKEN
GIVE HER SOLID PAPERS THAT MAKE SENSE AND A RELEVANT ITINIRARY AND SHE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET A 12 MONTH SPECIFIED PERIOD
HOPE THIS HELPS...
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Joined: 02/11/2009
Posts: 79
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Employ people that have less visa issues
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septic tank yeah, that's a great advice!
please do everybody a favor and find yourself something to do..
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Good Evening B.T Jackson
I am a South African in the same situation although I have about 40 days left on my visa.
I phoned the embassy in Cape Town this afternoon and they are not much help, their number is +274231575. I spoke to the lady in the visa section and she mentioned that 90 days was the given amount and that is what it is, no extensions are possible. I do however hear that there might be another option whereby you can take a few days off with all your boat papers, and the relevant requirements required from the consulate and go to Israel, where South Africans do not require a visa entrance and apply from there. I apologize for not having more information however I believe that the situation changed in the last few months where as before it was possible to apply here or at least do it through a fedex/visa company, they now need to do the whole interview and fingerprinting again in south africa. There must be a way though so ..."all hands on deck would be great", if you hear any news or find a way to do this I would be most grateful for the information . Please contact me on tamsyndn@gmail.com should there be any news from your side and I thus will be able to do the same.
After traveling for years in many countries I must say that having the "green mamba" passport as we call it is often like having a noose around the neck and the more positive response and feedback we can have from those in the know helps us all... it saves time, numerous amounts of paperwork/admin and crazy financial expenses.....
..... life is for the living, adventures should be for everyone who has the vagabond spirit .. so heres hoping that your crew get their much deserved visa .!! 
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Seaman's Book is the way to go. You can be on a crew list, with an expired visa BUT with a seaman's book you'll be fine.
Keep your South African Stewardess on board, when you enter a European port the rules will become very clear...they might issue her a port pass that allows her to stay within a certain radius of the port...if worse comes to worse, she will need a letter from the Captain ("transit visa" to the airport of her departure). Definitely, keep her on board and when you learn from the authorities post it on this blog for us all to learn You can't get into trouble because technically she will not be on European soil.
I am South African Stewardess and have just returned home because of this "grey area"...
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I am a South African with over 10years in the industry. With regards to Visa for Saffas, it is pretty straight forward. So long as you have a Seamans book and are signed onto a vessels crew list then you are allowed to travel within the port or town where the vessel is docked. There may be times however where the Authorities come onboard and say you cannot go ashore, as has happened to me in Turkey. The vital thing to remember is that when you want to fly out of the EU you will need to organise a TRANSIT VISA, which can generally be done by the ships agent. Along with a letter from the boat you should have no trouble leaving the EU. Then when you get back to SA, apply for another Schengen and start the whole process again.
The other issues for South Africans now is that we need a visa for the UK so remember, if you fly to the UK for a weekend without a valid Schengen, you will not be allowed back into the EU.
Hope that helps.
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Joined: 05/08/2008
Posts: 3
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yes, very much a tricky situation indeed.
I too am South African and will too at some stage have the same problem.
I currently have a Greek schengen visa and I am based in France, From what I understand is that I can go to the greek consulate here in France(or any other schengen state other) with the boat papers and seamans book and pay a fee for an extension.(i am still in the process of finding this all out)
But as someone else posted there are not many people (incl consulates) that know the process or in's and outs-
Good luck
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Joined: 21/11/2008
Posts: 5
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Get yourself and all crew a Seaman's book. Go to your flag state for application forms and get this done ASAP. When you leave Turkey, check into the EU via Greece and from personal experience they prefer a Seaman's book before a passport and with a Seaman's Book it proves the crew member is a professional mariner. I know of several South African crew without Shengen visas but have their Seaman Book and there is no problems for them to stay on as yacht crew. It is not a good idea to travel by car into other EU countries without the Shengen visa as they are to be moving about as yacht crew not tourists.
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From our experience as crewing agent in Egypt the agent in your next port of call can handle this
it happen before with one of our crew and they issued from him shengen visa once he arrive amsterdam
but he boarded airplane by OK TO BOARD letter from the agent in amesterdam confirming that
he will meet and assist him at the airport .
we also issue liberian seaman book for our crew thats make it easy for any crew travel all over the world
hope this helpful information
kind regards
meesa egypt www.meesayachts.com
email : info@meesaegypt.com
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Joined: 01/06/2008
Posts: 1011
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Marry her yourself and get her a better passport....
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Once you have the seaman's book (preferably not a South African one), it is possible to apply for a longer term Schengen Visa. Visa's valid for 2 or even 3 years can be issued.
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Joined: 08/11/2011
Posts: 2
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Anyone with information on how to apply for a seaman's discharge book for a yacht registered in the Cook Islands?
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Joined: 18/04/2012
Posts: 1
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Hi guys, i am a south-african passport holder.. i am disembarking in Barbados, and flying to Gatwick and transiting through Heathrow to Hungary.. and have valid schengen and also a seaman's discharge book, discharge papers as well! Do i need a UK transit visa for this transit.. as far as all my answers i got is no.. but i would personally want an answer from experienced travelers. Does any one have any Advice?? please help as i am flying back Hungary on the 18th November.. Also i have flight paid and confirmed to return to SA on the 5th December from Hungary! Cheers any info would be highly appreciated.
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Joined: 16/10/2012
Posts: 1
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Crew arriving by sea to Schengen areas must either be covered by a visa or a seaman's book (at least one of the two is compulsory). Crew arriving by air must first obtain a Schengen visa in their home country as the 'visa upon arrival' scheme no longer exists in France and other Schengen states.
New rules as of the 1st of December 2011 mean that it is now not possible to enter a Schengen country for work without prior arrangements.
There are two categories of visas granted by the embassies for crew:
1) A short stay visa => Itinerary letter showing that the ship does not have a consecutive stay in France or Monaco ports of more than 90 days (this is not strictly administrated in all countries).
Arrival procedure for “C” type visas (a 'C' type visa is a visa for 'Transiting the United States') => Crew must be stamped out of the Schengen area in order to be able to use the same visa for the balance of days remaining upon their return when limited days apply and the vessel's stay is longer than these days.
Restrictions: Crew can only stay onboard and within the port of call.
2) A long term visa => More than 90 consecutive days in a port (e.g. ships in wintering position) => Crew are considered to be residents.
Arrival procedure for “D” type visas => As a visitor, application for a resident's permit MUST be done upon entry into France – Crew will receive a document from the embassy for this purpose (Demande d’attestation OFII) together with their visitors visa. It takes anything between 1 and 3 months to finalise this process. It requires crew to show up in person for a medical check at the immigration center. This procedure has a certain cost involved.
Restrictions: Crew can freely circulate within Schengen areas/France (depending on the terms of the visa) but only after the OFII have stamped the visa.
OFII procedure is similar to filing for a residence permit (carte de séjour) VISITEUR (visitor). Crew will have to sign an agreement stating that they will not seek to work in a shore-based job (this would be considered a breach of contract eventually leading to expulsion.) Failing to apply for the OFII procedure can result in a ban of future Schengen visas for up to 10 years.
The visa is only completed once the OFII have stamped the visa. Within the last 2 months of the visa's validity crew may file for an extension and get a final ‘Carte de séjour – visiteur’ valid for 1 year, and which is renewable.
If crew fail to arrive with a visa covering the whole contract this does not mean they have to stay in the Schengen area, however they may get a note in their file making a new Schengen visa a little more complicated to obtain in the future.
Information supplied by Catalano Shipping.
© Professional Yachtsmen's Association
8, Avenue Mirabeau
06600 Antibes
Tel: + 33 (0)4 93 34 91 16
Fax: +33 (0)4 93 34 21 83
www.pya.org - info@pya.org
Hope this helps!!
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