This guide explains two things for ships in Indian ports. The first is the shore leave pass, which lets you go ashore. The second is crew change, which means signing on or signing off. The rules are correct as of November 2026.
The rules come from India's Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). It changed the seafarer part of India's Visa Manual on 3 July 2026, in MHA Circular No. 663. India's maritime authority is the Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA). It explained the changes in DGMA Circular 38 of 2026 on 15 July 2026. The changes started at once.
The guide is for Indian and foreign seafarers, of all ranks, on Indian and foreign ships. It also covers supernumeraries. These are people on board who are not part of the crew, for example a trainee or a riding technician.
Some words used in this guide
Shore leave pass (SLP): the paper from immigration that lets a seafarer leave the ship and go ashore.
Foreign-run ship: a ship on international voyages, coming from or going to ports outside India.
Coastal-run ship: a ship that only sails between Indian ports.
Immigration Post: a port with its own immigration office.
FRRO / FRO: the Foreigners Regional Registration Office or the Foreigners Registration Office. These immigration offices give approvals for foreigners in their area.
OCI card: the Overseas Citizen of India card, for some people of Indian origin with a foreign passport.
Shore leave: the basic rule
A shore leave pass lets you go ashore from 06:00 to 23:45 each day. You must be back on board outside these hours.
For a foreign seafarer, the pass is for up to seven days. It ends earlier if your visa ends or the ship sails first. A pass for more than seven days needs a good reason. You also pay a fee. It is the same fee as for a Temporary Landing Permit (TLP).
How long the pass lasts for your case
The daily hours above apply in every case. The length of the pass depends on your nationality and the ship's trade.
Indian crew on a foreign-run ship (Indian or foreign flag): up to 30 days, or until the ship sails, whichever comes first.
Foreign crew on a foreign-run ship (Indian or foreign flag): up to 7 days, or until the ship sails, whichever comes first. Ports without an Immigration Post do not give a pass to this crew.
Foreign crew on a foreign-flag coastal-run ship: up to 30 days. It ends earlier if your visa ends or the ship sails first. You need an OCI card, or a B-1, E-1 or X-1 visa. The visa must have an endorsement that allows you to join the ship. To go ashore at a port without an Immigration Post, the local FRRO must approve it.
Shore leave in an emergency
Sometimes a ship is outside port limits and a crew member needs to go ashore. An example is a medical evacuation. The FRRO or FRO can then agree to an emergency shore leave pass.
The ship's agent or the port tells immigration about the emergency. The crew member can go to hospital first. The agent sends the papers to immigration as soon as possible after that.
Pakistani nationals get a shore leave pass only with a police escort. This applies to emergencies too.
Supernumeraries
Indian supernumeraries on a foreign-run ship: the rules for Indian crew apply.
Foreign supernumeraries with a valid Indian visa: the rules for foreign crew apply. They must first get arrival clearance at an Immigration Post. Only then can they go ashore at a port without one. They show their passport with the Indian visa. Immigration should not ask them for a CDC (Continuous Discharge Certificate).
Crew change: signing on and signing off
Crew change is allowed for ships inside port limits. This includes ships at a berth and at the outer anchorage. It also includes the port lighterage area, and a single buoy or single point mooring inside port limits. It is allowed for Indian and foreign ships, and for Indian and foreign seafarers.
The master or the shipping agent must ask in writing. The shipping agency must also promise in writing to send the crew home safely. For a real example, read how crew changes started again at Vizhinjam's outer anchorage.
Crew change is not allowed for ships outside port limits. There is one exception: an urgent case, such as a medical emergency. Then the FRRO or FRO must give permission first. Pakistani nationals can sign off only with a police escort.
Ships that change to coastal trade
Some foreign-flag ships arrive in India and then start coastal trade between Indian ports. If this lasts more than 30 days, the sign-on rules for coastal ships apply. This is because the crew will later sign off in India without visiting a foreign port.
Foreign crew on these ships go through immigration. Immigration puts a "Coastal Sign-On / Sign-Off" stamp on the General Declaration, not in the passport. The General Declaration is the arrival form the master and agent give to the port. The crew also need an OCI card, or a B-1, E-1 or X-1 visa with the endorsement to join the ship.
What to do before you arrive or sign on
Check your passport, visa and CDC before the ship arrives. Foreign crew on coastal-run ships need the right visa with the joining endorsement.
Keep your seafarer identity documents valid. Indian seafarers can read about the new SID card fee and five-year validity.
Ask the agent early if the port has an Immigration Post. This decides if foreign crew of a foreign-run ship can get a pass there.
Plan to be back on board by 23:45, when the daily shore leave time ends.
For a crew change, ask the agent to send the written request and the repatriation promise in good time.
If the ship is outside port limits and someone is ill, the master should tell the agent at once. The agent then asks the FRRO or FRO for permission.
Do you have problems with a shore leave pass or a crew change? Tell the local FRRO, and send a copy to the DGMA. DGMA Circular 38 asks for this. Official help lines and certificate checks are on Crewboard's useful links for seafarers.
Official links
Other parts of the seafarer chapter of the Visa Manual did not change, DGMA says. Rules can change again, so check the newest DGMA circulars before you travel.
Cover photo: Aerial view of Visakhapatnam port, India, January 2015. Illustrative photo. Photo: Av9/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sources: DGMA Circular 38 of 2026: Revised immigration provisions on Shore Leave Pass and Crew Change (15 July 2026), DGMA: Crew division circulars.
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