Find out if cruise lines like Mein Schiff can legally keep your passport when traveling within the Schengen Area. Learn your rights as a Maldivian traveler with a Schengen visa.
Can a Cruise Ship Retain Your Passport?
If you are planning a European cruise from the Maldives, you may be asked to hand over your passport at boarding. This is common practice on ships such as Mein Schiff (Germany-flagged), but is it legal? And should you allow it?
This guide explains your legal rights as a Maldivian passport holder with a Schengen visa when traveling on a cruise within Europe.
1. Who Owns Your Passport?
Your passport always remains the property of the issuing government - in this case, the Republic of Maldives. According to ICAO Doc 9303 (Machine Readable Travel Documents), no private company, including a cruise line, has the legal right to permanently keep it.
2. Schengen Visa Rules on Cruises
If you are traveling with a valid Schengen visa, you only undergo immigration checks once - at your first port of entry. After that, you enjoy free movement across Schengen countries.
Regulation (EU) 2016/399 – Schengen Borders Code confirms this:
Article 22: Internal borders may be crossed without border checks.
- Article 23: Border checks at internal borders are prohibited.
This means that if your cruise itinerary is only within Schengen ports (Germany, Italy, Spain, France, etc.), there is no ongoing need for border inspections.
3. Why Cruise Lines Collect Passports
Cruise companies sometimes collect passports at the start of a voyage. The reason? To simplify paperwork with port authorities.
This practice is allowed under the FAL Convention (1965), which permits carriers to handle immigration formalities on behalf of passengers. However, this process is temporary and only for administrative convenience.
4. What Cruise Lines Cannot Do
A cruise operator, even if registered in Germany, is not an immigration authority. They cannot lawfully keep your passport against your will once immigration checks are complete. You have the right to ask for your passport back at any time.
Conclusion: Know Your Travel Rights
If you are a Maldivian traveler on a Schengen cruise, your passport may be collected briefly for port formalities - but it cannot be retained for the duration of the voyage. Your passport remains the property of the Maldives, and you are entitled to keep it with you once administrative checks are finished.
Key References
ICAO Doc 9303 - Machine Readable Travel Documents
- Regulation (EU) 2016/399 – Schengen Borders Code (Articles 22–23)
- IMO FAL Convention (1965) – Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic
Disclaimer: This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific guidance, consult qualified legal professionals or the relevant embassy/authority.
