UUI, Alm.del - 2011-12 - Bilag 19: Henvendelse af 1/11-2011 fra Allan Houtved , Danmarks Skibsmæglerforening vedr. Schengenvisum til filippinere

Schengenvisum til filippinereFilippinske besætningsmedlemmer, der påmønstrer skibe i Danmark, skal ifølge de danske reglerhave et Schengenvisum.Vi er blevet gjort opmærksomme på, at hvis filippinske besætningsmedlemmer påmønstrer i Norge,så er de ikke omfattet af visumpligt ifølge de norske regler. Dette synes ikke logisk og vi hørergerne, om der er en særlig grund til den danske stramning vedrørende filippinske søfolk i forhold tilNorge.Vi vil gerne anbefale, at det overvejes at ændre kravene for filippinske besætningsmedlemmer, derrejser imellem Norge og Filippinerne via Danmark.Til orientering vedlægges print fra den Norske Ambassade i Manila, som (paradoksalt nok) udstederSchengenvisum på Danmarks vegne.Med venlig hilsen

News - SeafarersPhilippine Seafarers who are going to embark or disembark a ship in Norway are now exemptedfrom the Visa Requirement. However, if they are going to transit through an other SchengenCountry on the way to or from Norway, a Visa must be obtained before entering Schengen.On the 1st of January 2010, both the New Norwegian Immigration Act and Regulations wereimplemented. According to the Act's section 9, the Regulation's section 3-1 on Exemption from thevisa requirements states in the first paragraph, letter K, that the following foreign nationals areexempt from the visa requirement to Norway: “the holder of a Philippine “Seafarer’s Identificationand Record Book” or a Philippine national passport (...)”. -But the Philippine national “(...) mustproduce written information from the ship owner or the ship owner’s representative that the holder isto take up a post in a Norwegian port,”Previously, this was considered to be with regards to theembarkingof a ship in a Norwegian portonly, but now, according to a new clarification from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration, it hasbeen made clear that both the Agreement on Maritime Transport between the Government of theKingdom of Norway and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines of 22 October 1999, andthe new Immigration Legislation states that Philippine seafarers are exempted from the VisaRequirement for bothembarkinganddisembarkinga ship in Norway.However, please note that that the seafarer cannot transit through any other Schengen Country onthe way to or from Norway without a Schengen Visa.Generally, this Visa should be obtained from the transit country. However, the Embassy wishes toprovide good service to the seafarers and recognises that the ship’s plans may be uncertain andmay change during its course. Therefore, if it is likely that the seafarer will either embark ordisembark in Norway, the Norwegian Embassy will be happy to assist in these cases, if desirable.Seafarers going to Norway to attend meetings, training courses, seminars, conferences, etc(onshore) are still required to obtain a Schengen Visa to Norway.