Visa requirements for crew members are administrative entry restrictions imposed by the countries for the pilot or a member of the crew during a transit. The crew visas are associated with the request for permission to enter a country for a short duration and perform the predefined duties in the given areas, distinct from actual formal permission for an alien to enter and remain in the country. Validity of transit visas for crew members is usually limited by short terms such as several hours to 10 days depending on the size of the country and the circumstances. The visa policy for crew members is set by the country and applies to during the transit or to join the vessel. It is illegal for the crew members to perform repairs or similar work without work permits in port, or traveling in the waters. By law, only a few countries that offer a visa waiver program or do not issue a crew visa, but allow their entry for a limited time with mandatory clearance documents. Most of the countries permit crew members to travel within the Common Travel Area by carrying a passport or a national identity card.
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Overview
A crew visa application in advance of arrival gives non-citizens clearance to enter a country and to remain there within specified constraints and region without a prohibition against employment. They are required to enter into or exit from the country with the aircraft (train and ship) they work for. Many countries require crew to obtain relevant crew visas and they often carry a second passport that allows one to be submitted for visas while other passport as a backup ready in case of a short-notice trip. The flight crew can obtain visas directly from an embassy however, it take longer, the companies have a 3rd-party provider and applies for multi-entry visas whenever possible. Pilots, seamen, air hostesses, flight attendants, stewards, or employees on board a ship whose services is required for normal operation.
Passport validity
Many countries require passport validity of no less than 6 months at the time of visa application with a minimum of one or two blank pages.