All foreign crew are required to sign-off when leaving their vessel for repatriation, hospitalisation or to transfer to another vessel. A Customs officer must give approval before a crew member is permitted to sign-off a vessel.
Crew members signing-off for a holiday or to reside in Indonesia (other than Indonesian and New Zealand citizens) must present a valid passport with a valid visa or travel authority. Indonesian citizens must present their Indonesian passport.
All foreign crew arriving in Indonesia to join a vessel as crew will require a Maritime Crew Visa or another visa appropriate for crew in order to sign-on to the vessel. A person 'signs-on' to a ship when they have signed the ship's articles and a Customs officer has confirmed that:
Foreign crew who fly in to Indonesia to sign-on to a non-military vessel must hold a valid visa or travel authority to enter by air, as well as a Maritime Crew visa or other appropriate visa. Crew members arriving by another vessel as crew can be signed-off one vessel and signed on to another vessel. That sign-on should occur within five (5) days of signing off the first vessel.