Schengen Visa - Single or Multiple Entry?

[davidcraig2003]

Hi,

 

Hoping someone may have experience in this!

 

We are booked on the MSC Sinfonia, July 14th out of Genoa visiting Cannes, Ibiza, Mahon, Olbia, Salerno and returning to Genoa. One of our group requires a Schengen visa. I'm a little worried that the consulate advised only a single entry visa. I appreciate that the cruise is not leaving the EU, but technically, 12 miles off the coast is international waters (and authorities would have to assume no one has joined at sea, obviously this doesn't apply to cruise ships, but it may be a universal ruling).

 

Has anyone flew into the EU, then a cruise within the EU, on a single entry visa? Concerned that the single entry is 'used' on landing in Genoa, with no visa usage left for the cruise!

 

Thanks!

[Twickenham]

First, let's be clear - Schengen does not equal EU. Not all EU countries are in the Schengen zone, and not all Schengen zone countries are in the EU.

However, what's relevant in your case is that the cruise never leaves Schengen zone countries. I don't believe there will be any immigration procedures either at embarkation or disembarkation (although someone who has taken this or a similar cruise can confirm/correct this). If this assumption is accurate, the issue of the visa becomes moot.

[John Bull]

As Twickenham's answer, all the ports are in Schengen countries so a single-entry Schengen visa will do the job.:)

It's the ports of call that matter, not international waters in-between. So a port of call in the middle at somewhere like Tunis or even the UK (in the EU but not a Schengen country) would mean a multi-entry visa to re-enter at the next Schengen port.

Normally a visitor should apply for a visa from the first Schengen country that they plan to visit - in this case Italy - though that's not a hard-and-fast rule.

 

BTW single-entry visas are very straightforward, a multi-entry visa can involve a lot of questions & answers cos it is usually granted only for business visits etc.

But no worries here, cos multi-entry isn't needed :)

 

JB :)

[davidcraig2003]

Perfect, thanks :)