!!!To All Non-Schengen Yacht Crew!!!
#27/0364.
NON-SCHENGEN YACHT CREW
Planning a holiday in Europe under the new EES rules? Read this first!
Can you take a holiday in Schengen on your visa time?
Yes, but only if you can prove your status to immigration at the port or airport.
EES has replaced passport stamps, and your record lives in a system only border officers can access and correct. When you switch from working crew to personal holiday, you need a solid paper trail. If immigration can’t see when your crew status ended and your tourist days started, you risk an accidental overstay.
The risks
Only border, police and immigration officers can access and amend your EES record.
Tracking your days is 100% your responsibility, not your captain’s or management company’s.
Overstaying can mean fines, an entry ban, or being forced to sign off in a non-Schengen port.
Always keep
- Stamped Seaman’s Book: sign-on and sign-off entries certified by your captain or the maritime authority
- Travel tickets: copies of every flight, ferry and train ticket into or out of Schengen
- Proof of location: hotel bookings, port logs and immigration sign-off slips
Pro tip: Clear your disembarkation paperwork with local immigration before you head off on leave.
Check your remaining Schengen days with the official EU tool:
https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees/check-how-long-you-can-stay
Have you or your crew had issues at port immigration since EES went live? Share your experience in the group.