Holly is the editor of Dockwalk. She grew up racing sailboats in England before switching to the world of superyachts and moving across the pond to Fort Lauderdale.
Changes introduced by authorities in Mallorca mean any non-EU crew arriving in Mallorca will require a seaman’s discharge book in order to be stamped out of the Schengen Zone and onto the vessel.
From January 1, 2024, employment contracts and letters will no longer be accepted as evidence of seafarer status, and stamping out is only possible upon presentation of a valid seaman’s discharge book. Failure to present the correct documentation will mean that any non-EU crew joining yachts in Mallorca will not be stamped out and will be subject to regular visa controls with their permitted days in the Schengen Zone counting down.
All non-EU yacht crew are advised to apply for a discharge book from the flag state of their vessel as soon as possible to avoid problems when stamping out.
Any crew already employed and stamped on board remain unaffected, with their days in the Schengen Zone “frozen.” However, if any crew disembark and are required to stamp back on, this may not be possible without a seaman’s discharge book.
Failure to abide by the new rules could have serious consequences for Schengen allowance if you are a non-EU national. The new rules apply to all yacht crew, regardless of the vessel’s flag.
Note that the stamping in procedure remains unchanged.