# Need urgent help (cruise line job, visa subclass)



## Igoritza (Sep 7, 2012)

Dear friends, please help me

I am applying for a job at a certain cruise line company, and I got to the final stage, I actually got the job, buy now I need to fill out Visa application form

My visa application form (147) does not state subclass suitable for my work position. 

so I googled it all, and it turns out: 

me working on a Cruise ship, would require this subclass: 

Maritime Crew visa, subclass 988

Alas, this Visa is not eligible for entering Australia which I need to do, if I want to get on board  I really do not understand how they made this visa, for foreigners to work, without taking into account that they need to GET to Australia to begin with. 

So, after 2 hours of searching, I figured out that I need actually 2 visas: 

1. transit visa

2. maritime crew visa

but then again, do I need more than that ... ? What if my company wants me to go out of the ship to do some stuff, and my transit visa expired (its 72 hours) and I only got Maritime visa which grants me ship presence, not the land .. ? 


Has any of you met with a same problem, and do you know what I need to fill out in my VISA Application form .. ? 

Thanks in advance, this is a real problem for me, cause Australia immigration noted that I MUST reply ASAP, with red WARNING letters (scaring people like that, that's fun ... )


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## Boboa (Mar 24, 2009)

You can't get a transit visa if your final destination is in Australia, your maritime visa usually allows you to stay in Australia providing your ship is berthed at Australian port. These rules differ depending on what country you come from (example Phillipines is easier than India). 
Best option is to ring the Australian embassy or DIAC. They will inform you how long you can stay in the country before boarding the ship. DIAC is extremely friendly with people who actually call for more information as it saves them time later.


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## Igoritza (Sep 7, 2012)

Boboa said:


> You can't get a transit visa if your final destination is in Australia, your maritime visa usually allows you to stay in Australia providing your ship is berthed at Australian port. These rules differ depending on what country you come from (example Phillipines is easier than India).
> Best option is to ring the Australian embassy or DIAC. They will inform you how long you can stay in the country before boarding the ship. DIAC is extremely friendly with people who actually call for more information as it saves them time later.


Oh, Im not a Filipino  Im from Serbia.

DIAC states this:

"The Maritime Crew VISA is not valid for air travel to Australia. Crew flying to Australia to join their ship must also hold another type of visa that is valid for air travel (eg Transit visa, Visitor visa or Electronic Travel Authority)"

does this mean that I should apply for both Tourist or Transit Visa, plus MCV .. ?

I sent emails to both cruise company, and Australian Embassy, hoping for a correct answer on this, Australian Visa regime is so confusing


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## bma (Sep 28, 2011)

I'm curious about your case and this type of a visa, how did it go?


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## Igoritza (Sep 7, 2012)

It went really bad ...  

I was a victim of a scam. There are African Douchebags who represent them selves as HR of many different cruise companies, and they do their scam all the way to the point where they ask you to pay a Maritime Security Identification Card (MSIC) which they ask you to pay, with receiver info from an account in Guinea. 

As soon as I saw - Guinea, I knew it was a fraud, but the detail of the fraud before that moment is ridiculous. 

Silversa is the company which they piggybacked on, and they had all the official forms of Silversea, and their emails were masked really good (diplomats com - which someone should shut down cause it appears is used only for fraud) 

they do all that stuff for 400$ which they ask for MSIC. And on top of that - the fraud is towards poor people from 3rd world wanting to work in western countries. I do not care so much for the fraud, they would never trick me, I regret only the dream they shattered. If I had the means, I would really destroy their lives, cause I latter read that many MANY people got tricked, and those are all Serbs like me, bulgarians, romanians, croatians, innocent Africans and so on ... 

beware of frauds. I am constantly struggling over here in Serbia, possesing IQ of 152, and yet working every day such mundane jobs as handyman work, construction, programming high-level websites for 1/10 of real pay, smuggling stuff and so forth, just to survive. Have they tricked me, I wouldnt be able to make up for that loss, specially when my father is sick, and I want to go in foreign countries to earn for his medical costs. 

Since there is no recruit agent anywhere near me for any of the Australian companies which I would prefer, I applied for US company - Royal Caribbean. 

that's the sad story about me, I apologize for that.


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## bma (Sep 28, 2011)

Igoritza said:


> It went really bad ...
> 
> I was a victim of a scam. There are African Douchebags who represent them selves as HR of many different cruise companies, and they do their scam all the way to the point where they ask you to pay a Maritime Security Identification Card (MSIC) which they ask you to pay, with receiver info from an account in Guinea.
> 
> ...


What a horrible story, I'm sorry you had such an awful experience. Have you been working on the boats before?? I have a friend who used to work on cruisers, I can ask her about her experience...

Could you migrate as a skilled worker? What about New Zealand, any chances for a visa there?

I can imagine what you're going through, my family is really struggling in what used to be the most promising country of ex YU. I know.

All the best and keep your spirits up!!


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## trackambika (Aug 8, 2013)

I also don't understand why issue this type of visa if you find suitable answer please inform me.

Thank you


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