The visa waiver program for yachts applies to the following:
• Only crew of a yacht with paid crew and paying passengers or owners on board, with a minimum length of 14.6 meters (48 feet), possessing cabins for a minimum of 6 passengers and separate sleeping quarters for the crew are eligible for stays of up to 30 days at a time with a maximum stay of 90 total days.
• The passengers must either be paying passengers, or owners and owner's guests of the relevant yacht.
• The vessel cannot be primarily a ferry or for the transport of cargo.
• Finally the crew without visas must have an internationally recognized sailor's log or Seaman's Book.
Cruising yachts with just owners/guests and no paid crew are not eligible for this program and must have visas if they are nationals of countries are on the visa required list.
Click here for the list of countries requiring a visa for the Netherlands Antilles.
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Press Release from the Department of Information Secretariat Council of Ministers of the Netherlands Antilles
Visa policy for those on board commercial yachts liberalized
After evaluation by the Netherlands-Antillean authorities it has been decided to far reaching liberalization of the visa policy for crew and passengers of commercial yachts. This is especially important for commercial pleasure yachts which call at the islands of the Netherlands Antilles. Mention can be made of the pleasure yachts which moor at the Spanish Water (Curaçao) and Simpson Bay (Sint Maarten).
In anticipation of a definitive mechanism the liberalization applies till further notice, however, till ultimately July 1, 2010. The Minister of General Affairs and Foreign Relations, Mrs. Emily de Jongh-Elhage and the Minister of Justice of the Netherlands Antilles, Mr. David Dick, have decided hereto.
Of the comprehension "commercial yacht" (luxury commercial pleasure yacht) it is assumed when it is a nautical vessel with paid crew and paid (paying) passengers on board, the size of the yacht is minimal 14.6 meters (48 feet), it possesses cabins for minimum 6 passengers and separate sleeping quarters for the crew, transporting of freight is not the main purpose of the voyage. Besides the local labor legislation must be complied with and the passengers must either be paying passengers, or owner of the relevant commercial yacht. Finally the crew must have the disposal of an internationally recognized sailor's log.
The visa policy of the Netherlands Antilles is a joint exercise of the visa work group in which are represented members of the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of General Affairs and Foreign Relations. In specifically this framework they have worked closely with the stakeholders in the shipping sector of the Netherlands Antilles.
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