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A short-stay visa specifically for crew joining or leaving a vessel. The US C-1/D is the canonical example: C-1 covers transit, D covers entry as a crew member; both run on the same combined passport stamp. Schengen states issue a C-type 'crewman' visa or treat short crew-change movements under FAL Convention exemptions. Some countries grant transit-only stamping in lieu of a formal visa when arrival is a direct crew change with proof (letter of guarantee + SEA + valid seaman's book).
The IMO Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (1965, as amended) — Standard 3.44 requires Contracting Governments to permit shore leave to foreign crew members on a valid Seafarers' Identity Document (SID) under ILO C185, without requiring an individual visa, provided the seaman's identity document is recognised. In practice many states still require a visa for boarding/disembarking a vessel — FAL Standard 3.44 is widely-honoured for shore leave only.
Visa rules change frequently and bilateral agreements override generic categories. This wizard returns a typical baseline; the manning agent and the ship's agent in the joining port should always confirm current requirements 30+ days before joining. The visa-matrix page maintains a more granular lookup; this wizard is for quick what-if scenarios.
No. Each country requires its own visa. A Filipino seafarer joining in Rotterdam needs a Schengen C visa even if they hold a valid US C-1/D for a US joining port. Multi-port voyages may require visas from every country with a planned crew-change call. Confirm with the ship's agent which calls actually trigger crew-change activity.
Quick lookup of typical crew-transit visa requirements by port country × seafarer nationality. Built around FAL Convention Standard 3.44 (shore leave) and ILO C185 (Seafarers' Identity Document) baselines, with country-specific overrides for the major joining ports. Always verify with the manning agent and the ship's agent in the joining port at least 30 days before travel.
Philippines → United States
Crew visa required
C-1/D combined transit / crewman visa required. No FAL exemption. Apply via the US embassy in your home country at least 30-60 days before joining; manning agent provides the letter of guarantee.
Source baseline: IMO FAL Convention 1965 (as amended, particularly Standard 3.44), ILO Convention 185 (Seafarers' Identity Document, 2003 revised 2016), national crew-change procedures published by the relevant maritime administrations. See also visa matrix, FAL Convention, SID, joining a ship.