Key takeaways
- ✓Every crew member needs a valid passport — check how many months it must still be valid for in each country on the route.
- ✓The skipper keeps a crew list and clears in and out where the rules require it; the crew list must match who is on board.
- ✓In the Schengen area, non-EU crew can usually stay 90 days in any 180 — time on a yacht in Schengen waters counts.
- ✓When you sign off, make sure you leave the country legally, with a stamp or document that shows how you arrived.
Before the trip: documents checklist
- •Passport valid well beyond the trip (many countries ask for 3–6 months).
- •Visa or entry permission for every country where you will go ashore or sign off.
- •Your certificates and a copy of your seafarer’s identity document if you have one.
- •Proof of onward travel — a flight home or a letter from the owner or skipper saying you are crew.
- •Health insurance that covers you at sea and abroad.
Crew lists and clearance
Yachts arriving from abroad usually have to clear customs and immigration on arrival, and some countries require clearance out on departure too. The skipper presents the boat’s papers, the crew list and every passport. If someone joins or leaves the boat, the crew list changes — and so does who is responsible for that person at the border.
Rules differ a lot between countries, and they change. Check the official immigration website of each country and an up-to-date cruising guide before you go.
The Schengen 90/180-day rule
| Who | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| EU/EEA and Swiss citizens | Free movement — no day limit in the Schengen area |
| Visa-exempt non-EU crew (e.g. UK, US, Australia) | Usually up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period across all Schengen countries together |
| Crew who need a Schengen visa | A visa before arrival, valid for the days you will spend in the area |
Signing off at the end
If you fly home from a different country from the one where you arrived, the airport may ask how you entered. Keep your entry stamp or the clearance papers showing you arrived as crew on the yacht. When the skipper signs you off, ask them to update the crew list with the port authorities if the country requires it.
On Maritime Delivery, the assignment hub keeps the delivery agreement, crew list and documents for each trip in one place — handy when border officials ask for them.
Frequently asked questions
Does time on a yacht count towards the Schengen 90 days?+
Generally yes. If you are in Schengen waters or ashore in a Schengen country as a non-EU national, the days count towards the 90-in-180 limit. Check the official rules for your nationality before the trip.
What is a crew list?+
A list of everyone on board with passport details and their role, kept by the skipper and shown to customs and immigration when the yacht clears in or out of a country.
Can I fly home after a delivery without a return ticket booked in advance?+
Often, but some countries want proof of onward travel on arrival. A letter from the owner or skipper confirming you are crew, plus a booked flight home, avoids most problems.
Sources
- European Commission — Migration and Home Affairs (Schengen, borders and visas)
- Noonsite — formalities and clearance by country
- ILO — Seafarers’ Identity Documents and Maritime Labour Convention
- IMO — Facilitation (FAL) of international maritime traffic
- World Sailing — Offshore Special Regulations
- Atlantic crossing crew guide (Maritime Delivery guide)
- MLC 2006 seafarer employment agreement explained (Maritime Delivery guide)
- Crew change checklist for fleet managers (Maritime Delivery guide)
Put it to work