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HAVE QUESTIONS?
GENERAL
DOCSUPPORT is a dedicated maritime crew services specialist. We handle three core areas: Crew Visas (processing visas for seafarers and airline crew in complex jurisdictions like the US, China, and Schengen), Crew Documentation (managing Flag State compliance, STCW certificates, seaman’s books, medical certificates, and PSC readiness), and Crew Travel Management (engineering flight, hotel, and ground transfer itineraries using a proprietary 15-point logistics audit). We work exclusively with maritime and aviation crew — not leisure or corporate travel.
We serve ship owners and management companies, yacht management and charter agencies, offshore energy operators, maritime security companies (PMSCs), cruise concessionaires, manning and crewing agencies, technical service providers, and non-maritime travel agencies that need specialist crew visa support for their clients. Our clients range from single-vessel operators to multi-fleet management companies.
DOCSUPPORT is based in Athens, Greece — the operational hub of the global maritime industry, where approximately 20% of global merchant fleet tonnage is controlled. We serve clients across all time zones and currently have active clients in Spain, Italy, Chile, the UK, Greece, and beyond. Our visa processing covers 20+ countries with specialised expertise in the US, China, and Schengen area.
We work primarily with companies — ship owners, management companies, crewing agencies, and operators — rather than individual seafarers directly. If you are an individual seafarer, we recommend approaching us through your employer or crewing agency. If you represent a company and need support for individual crew members, we handle that routinely.
CREW VISAS
The C1/D Visa is a non-immigrant combined transit and crew visa issued by the US for seafarers and airline crew entering US ports or transiting through the US. It is the most operationally critical visa in maritime because approximately 90% of global shipping companies now require a valid C1/D as a standard employment condition — even for vessels that never call at US ports. Over 10,600 C1/D applications were refused in FY2024 alone. Getting it right requires consulate-specific knowledge and precise documentation that generic agencies cannot provide.
Processing times vary significantly by consulate location and applicant nationality, typically ranging from 2 weeks to 3 months. The US Embassy in Greece, where we operate, has specific scheduling timelines. We include expedited appointment requests for all our applications at no additional cost. We recommend beginning the process at least 60–90 days before the seafarer’s deployment date.
The China Crew Visa (C Visa) is required for foreign seafarers entering China to join or leave a vessel at Chinese ports (Shanghai, Guangzhou, Dalian, Tianjin). It requires an invitation letter from a Chinese port agent’s Foreign Affairs Office and is valid for a single entry up to 90 days. Crucially, it must be secured before arrival in China. We manage the entire process including coordinating with Chinese port agents and securing the required landing permits.
Yes. Beyond our core expertise in US C1/D, Chinese C-Type, and Schengen visas, we process crew permits and visas for Australia, Canada, South Korea, UAE, Japan, Singapore, India, Philippines, and other jurisdictions. Contact us with your specific requirements and we will advise on the process, timeline, and documentation needed.
Requirements vary by jurisdiction, but core documents for most crew visas include: valid passport (6+ months remaining validity), seaman’s book / CDC, employment contract or letter from the shipping company, vessel itinerary and company letter specifying role/salary/duration, and recent passport-style photos. For US C1/D specifically, the DS-160 form must be completed with absolute accuracy. We guide applicants through every step and review all documents before submission.
CREW DOCUMENTATION
CREW TRAVEL
The 15-Point Audit is our proprietary review applied to every crew travel itinerary. It evaluates: MCT (Minimum Connection Time) Safety Margin, Terminal Flow Analysis, Border Control Heatmaps, Marine Fare Eligibility, Transit Visa Necessity, Vessel ETA Synchronisation, Commute Traffic Modelling, Aircraft Reliability Audit, Rest-to-Duty Ratio, Ground Connection Buffer, Alternative Route Redundancy, Lounge & Rest Access, Regional Disruption Monitoring, Document Validity Window, and Hidden Surcharge Audit. This is not a checklist — it is an architecture review designed to prevent every category of crew change failure.
Standard travel booking optimises for price and convenience. Crew travel must optimise for operational certainty. Seafarers have no flexibility — a missed flight means a vessel misses its crew, which can trigger charter party breaches, demurrage costs, and cascading crew change disruptions. We build itineraries backwards from the vessel’s arrival time, not forwards from the cheapest fare. Every element is chosen for reliability within the complete operational chain.
Yes. Emergency crew logistics is a core part of our service. We are available 24/7/365 for urgent mobilisations. This includes sourcing last-minute flights, coordinating expedited hotel and transfer bookings, requesting emergency visa appointments, and managing real-time disruptions when seafarers are already in transit. Please contact us directly by phone for urgent situations.
Use our contact form or call us directly. Describe your typical crew change volume, the routes you operate, the nationalities of your seafarers, and the most frequent problems you currently face. We will respond with a proposal for how we can support your operations. There is no minimum contract volume — we work with companies of all sizes.
We are happy to discuss your specific requirements. No question is too complex.
14, Stefanopoulou st. Athens, GR
+30 2130 232748
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