Guidance

Seafarers

UK Visas and Immigration guidance for how it handles applications made outside the UK from seafarers.

• From: UK Visas and Immigration
• Published: 13 December 2013
• Last updated: 11 November 2025 — See all updates

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Seafarers

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Guidance for how applications from seafarers made outside the UK are handled by UK Visas and Immigration.

• Last updated: 11 November 2025
  Show all updates

  1. 11 November 2025

     Updated to reflect that 'Part 9: Grounds for Refusal' in the Immigration Rules has been replaced by 'Part Suitability'.

  2. 15 May 2024

     Removed references to the Isle of Man and Channel Islands as exceptions to permission to work.

  3. 21 December 2023

     Updated to reflect policy changes.

  4. 19 April 2021

     Amended to reflect change to the Immigration Rules: removal of paragraph 128.

  5. 31 December 2020

     Removed 'EEA nationals coming to the UK on short term visits must produce either a national identity card or a passport and are not subject to restrictions.'

  6. 13 December 2013

     First published.