April 8, 2004

The State Department Eliminates Crew List Visas

The final rule eliminating the Crew List Visas will take effect on April 18, 2004.

The proposal to eliminate such lists was made by the State Department due to the fact that crew list visas presented a serious security vulnerability. Prior to this proposal, crewmen were not subject to the same requirements as non-immigrant visa applicants and therefore did not have to submit the same documents to a consular officer or schedule an interview. Instead, each and every crew member will now be required to complete the non-immigrant visa application, submit a valid passport, schedule an interview at a U.S. Consulate and undergo a background check. Additional documents as well as photos and certificates will be required when the applicant appears for his/her interview. A telephone number has been set up by the State Department for all seafarer interviews.

The Maritime Industry has suggested that the proposal to eliminate the crew list visas will disrupt international shipping and force crewmen to be confined to their vessels during U.S. port visits because they will be unable to obtain a U.S. visa. However, the proposal does permit a crewman to apply for a non-immigrant visa outside his/her home country at any U.S. Consulate. This will allow crewmen to apply for visas closest to them rather than returning home which could be a long and costly trip. Consular Officers will have discretionary authority to reject any application.

Recently, Richard Clarke, the former counterterrorism official for the current Bush Administration, suggested in his book that Al-Quaeda members were stowaways on vessels carrying LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) into the Port of Boston. Many Massachusetts officials have sent letters to Secretary Ridge for clarification on this issue. The State Department hopes that the elimination of the crew list will play a role in lessening the threat of terrorism against U.S. soil.