A-1 Visa: for Heads of State or foreign government officials: ambassadors, ministers, diplomats, consular officers and members of their immediate family.
A-2 Visa: for other foreign government officials, their employees and members of their immediate family.
A-3 Visa: for employees holding an official or diplomatic visa and members of their immediate family.
B-1 Visa: for business travel and domestic staff.
B-2 Visa: for tourist travel or for medical reasons.
C-1 Visa: for passengers in transit.
C-1/D Visa: for crew members in transit.
C-2 Visa: for individuals in transit to the United Nations Combined Headquarters under Sec. 11.(3), (4), or (5) of the Combined Headquarters agreement..
C-3 Visa: for senior officials, employees, and members of their immediate family in transit.
C-4 Visa: for passengers in transit under the ATP (formerly TWOV) program.
D-1 Visa: for crew members leaving the United States with the same vessel.
D-2 Visa: for crew members leaving the United States by means other than with the arrival vessel.
E-1 Visa: commercial exchange treaty, spouses and children under the age of twenty-one (21).
E2 Visa: for investors, spouses and children under the age of twenty-one (21).
E-2 Visa: for employees of investors, spouses and children under the age of twenty-one (21).
E-3 Visa: for Australian skilled workers, spouses and children under the age of twenty-one (21). It is called the “H-1B Visa for Australians”.
EB-5 Visa: green card for investors of a million dollars or five hundred thousand dollars under the “Pilot Program”.
F-1 Visa: for students.
F-2 Visa: for spouses and children of students under the age of twenty-one (21).
G-1 Visa: for members of a permanent mission of a government recognised by the United States to an international organisation.
G-2 Visa: for representatives of a government recognised by the United States who travel to the United States on an assignment with an international organisation.
G-3 Visa: for representatives of governments not recognised by the United States.
G-4 Visa: for individuals serving or on assignment with an international organisation such as the United Nations.
G-5 Visa: for staff of officials or holders of a diplomatic visa subject to meeting the required conditions.
H-1B1 Visa: for specialised professional jobs requiring a degree in higher education.
H-1B2 Visa: for individuals coming to the United States for a limited period to carry out research and co-production projects.
H-1B3 Visa: for renowned professional models.
H-1C Visa: for graduate nurses.
H-2A Visa: for temporary or seasonal agricultural workers.
H-2B Visa: for persons recruited for temporary jobs that could not be filled by US nationals or residents.
H-2R Visa: another type of H-2B visa granted temporarily for a limited period in order to circumvent the H-2B visa quotas for individuals who have already had an H-2B visa.
H-3 Visa: for professional trainees in an American company or subsidiary of a foreign company.
H-4 Visa: for spouses and children of trainees under the age of twenty-one (21).
I Visa: for journalists, spouses and children under the age of twenty-one (21).
J-1 Visa: for exchange visitors.
J-2 Visa: for spouse and children under the age of twenty-one (21).
K-1 Visa: for the fiancé of an American citizen.
K-2 Visa: for the minor children of the fiancé of an American citizen.
K-3 Visa: for the spouse of an American citizen under the LIFE decree.
K-4 Visa: for the children of the holder of the K-3 visa under the LIFE decree.
L-1A Visa: for expatriate managers or executives coming to work for the American subsidiary.
L-1B Visa: for expatriate skilled workers coming to work for the American subsidiary.
L-2 Visa: for spouse and children under the age of twenty-one (21).
M-1 Visa: for professional or specialised studies.
M-2 Visa: for spouse and children under the age of twenty-one (21).
N-8 Visa: for the parents of an individual with a SK-3 immigrant visa.
N-9 Visa: for children under the age of twenty-one (21) who have an N-8, SK-1, SK-2, or SK-4 immigrant visa.
NATO-1 Visa: for members of national delegations and NATO officials and members of their immediate family.
NATO-2 Visa: for other members of national delegations and NATO officials and members of their immediate family.
NATO-3 Visa: for staff (officials) accompanying members of NATO national delegations and members of their immediate family.
NATO-4 Visa: for NATO officials not classified under the NATO-1 category and members of their immediate family.
NATO-5 Visa: for experts who are not NATO officials engaged to carry out missions for NATO and members of their immediate family.
NATO-6 Visa: for military personnel attached to NATO allied staff in the United States on an assignment, or temporarily returning under the NATO status of Forces Agreement and members of their immediate family.
NATO-7 Visa: for employees in categories NATO-1, NATO-2, NATO-3, NATO-4, NATO-5 and NATO-6 as well as dependent members of their immediate family.
O-1A Visa: for individuals with extraordinary skills in science, arts, education, business or sport.
O-1B Visa: for individuals with extraordinary skills in the arts or having achieved extraordinary artistic feats in the film industry.
O-2 Visa: for professional assistants accompanying the holder of the O-1A visa.
O-3 Visa: for the spouse and children under the age of twenty-one (21).
P-1 Visa: for artists, athletes and professional assistants accompanying the holder of the P-1 visa.
P-2 Visa: for artists or coaches performing in the United States as part of cultural exchange programs.
P-3 Visa: for artists or coaches performing in the United States as part of cultural programs (unique program).
P-4 Visa: for the spouse and children under the age of twenty-one (21).
Q-1 Visa: for individuals participating in cultural exchange programs.
Q-2 Visa: for Irish persons participating in cultural exchange and training programs (Walsh visas).
Q-3 Visa: for spouse and children under the age of twenty-one (21).
R-1 Visa: for religious workers or working for a religious institution.
R-2 Visa: for spouse and children under the age of twenty-one (21).
S-5 Visa: for individuals providing information on criminal organisations.
S-6 Visa: for individuals providing information on terrorist organisations.
S-7 Visa: for family members of S-5 and S-6 visa holders.
T-1 Visa: for victims of traffickers.
T-2 Visa: for the spouse of the victim of traffickers.
T-3 Visa: for the children of the victim of traffickers.
T-4 Visa: for the parents of the victim of traffickers (if the victim is under the age of twenty-one (21).
TN Visa: for Canadian and Mexican professional workers (NAFTA).
TD Visa: for spouse and children under the age of twenty-one (21).
TWOV Visa: for transit passengers or crew members exempt from a visa under the ATP (formerly TWOV) program. This program was CANCELLED on Saturday, 2 August 2003 at 11:00.
U-1 Visa: for the spouse of the victim under a U-1 visa.
U-2 Visa: for the spouse of the victim under a U-1 visa.
U-3 Visa: for the child of the victim under a U-1 visa.
U-4 Visa: for the parents of the victim under a U-1 visa (if the victim is under the age of twenty-one (21)).
V-1 Visa: for the spouse of a legal permanent resident who is the primary beneficiary of the application for legal permanent residence through the family (Form I-130) which was registered before 21 December 2000 and has been waiting for at least 3 years.
V-2 Visa: for the children of a permanent resident who is the primary beneficiary of the application for permanent residence through the family (Form I-130) which was registered before 21 December 2000 and has been waiting for at least 3 years.
V-3 Visa: for children linked by marriage to holders of V-1 or V-2 visas.
TPS Visa: for temporary protection status.
1. As British ships, they are protected by the British Navy and enjoy consular services around the world.
2. The CISR is a true offshore registry with its headquarters in the Cayman Islands. This is not a flag of convenience. It enjoys an excellent reputation, allowing it to enter ports around the world without fear of excessive inspection by the port authorities.
3. The CISR has a competent inspection service that is sensitive to the needs of the owners and the understanding of their needs, while maintaining the integrity of the applicable rules and conventions. In particular, the CISR inspection service provides comprehensive consulting services to constructors, designers and owners of new yachts under construction.
4. The Merchant Shipping Act, revised in 2007, is the legislation governing all ships registered in the Cayman Islands. In order to meet the different needs of the owners, the law provides for several types of registration, including full registration, provisional registration, registration of vessels under construction and chartering of bareboat vessels. For example, an owner who has a vessel built may decide to register the vessel first as a vessel under construction, which can easily be converted to a full registration upon delivery.
5. Time is often a critical factor for owners. The CISR is able to expedite the registration process and provide the certificates and other documents required to operate a vessel very quickly. Subject to the payment of shipping costs, the CISR will issue any required documentation, including the British registry certificate or removal documentation on an “over the counter” basis. As a general rule, the CISR is prepared to accept faxed/scanned documents, provided that the party undertakes to provide the original documentation within seven days at one of the representative offices of the CISR, including in Fort Lauderdale, London, Cannes, Athens, Tokyo and Singapore.
6. Pleasure boats must comply with the Cayman Islands Merchant Shipping Regulations of 2002 (commercial vessels for sport and pleasure). Code-compliant yachts benefit from good rental and resale value, and insurance premiums at preferential rates.
7. All major financial organisations are familiar and comfortable with the Cayman Islands for the financing of vessels. Assuming the vessel is based outside the Cayman Islands (as is generally the case), there are no duties or taxes on the registered mortgage to secure financing. Mortgages may be deposited at the shipping registry office in the Cayman Islands or at one of its five representative offices.
8. Provided that the captain and crew have the appropriate qualifications, there are no restrictions or rules regarding the nationality of the crew.
9. To register a vessel on the Cayman Islands ships registry, the owner must be a qualified person. Although it is generally recommended to use a Cayman Islands company for property purposes, any legal entity may own a Cayman Islands registered yacht or vessel, either by appointing a representative or by registering as a foreign company. This allows owners to use a foreign business as a vehicle for which there are tax benefits or other reasons. The use of a company to own a vessel has the important advantage of limiting the liability of the owner in the event of a collision or other event involving liability. In practice, a new company with a limited liability is usually incorporated to own each vessel, which is generally administratively simpler and less likely to result in delays.
10. The Cayman Islands are well known to be a leading offshore jurisdiction with a tax-neutral environment. The Cayman Islands does not levy any income, capital gains or other taxes on the companies owning the ships. The CISR operates within a stable British legal system, which is a compelling reason to choose it for vessel registration. The internationally renowned financial sector of the Cayman Islands also provides owners with access to a full range of services.