Entry into Bermuda for US Resident

Wondering if anyone knows if a legal resident of the US is able to get off the ship in Bermuda if he only has a US green card (resident card). He

does not have a passport from this home country. Cruise line is giving conflicting information, as is the web. Thanks!

Wondering if anyone knows if a legal resident of the US is able to get off the ship in Bermuda if he only has a US green card (resident card). He

 

does not have a passport from this home country. Cruise line is giving conflicting information, as is the web. Thanks!

Not surprising that it would be confusing with conflicting info. This would involve Bermuda government regulations, US regulations and the cruise line’s rules.

You don’t say what cruise line or whether it is a closed loop or open loop cruise. Or what country he is a citizen of. Bermuda might have rules about that. The cruise lines usually have a written policy but he would still be responsible for having the correct documents. I don’t think anyone could answer with the info you posted but I would not rely on answers posted on Cruise Critic.

The wording of your post indicates that you might believe that it is only a matter of being able to get off the ship in Bermuda. However the cruise line may not let him board the ship at all if more than a Green Card is required for Bermuda.

Wondering if anyone knows if a legal resident of the US is able to get off the ship in Bermuda if he only has a US green card (resident card). He

does not have a passport from this home country. Cruise line is giving conflicting information, as is the web. Thanks!

A great reason to fully understand the cruise lines requirements on its' own merits', the US requirements for such travel on our merits' and the Country of Bermuda's requirements on its' own merits'.

That means calling each entity responsible for travel to and from each country and fully explain the situation and where you can get the written/printed info they need for travel i.e. policies and rules applicable to this situation so they have something to show in case there are issues, including embarking for the sailing.

The traveler is responsible for knowing and having the correct documents for travel before traveling.

The cruise line's site may have some essential guidelines as to what they will be looking for in terms of documents for travel and embarkation.

bon voyage

I am no expert on this, and could be very wrong about the following.

I would assume that you would need a passport from the citizenship county to go along with the green card, along with whatever Bermuda requires from that person (possible visa?).

UUHhhhh,

Bermuda is not a country.

It is a territory of UK.

But, 1 second on Google finds this: https://www.bermuda-attractions.com/bermuda2_00005d.htm

Passport Requirement

All foreign nationals must carry valid passport for entry into Bermuda irrespective of cruise or air travel. There is an exception for US citizens as mentioned below.

This requirement of separate Bermuda entry visa has been now abolished for all countries, for both cruise as well as air travelers to Bermuda. But there are other requirements to be met depending on your nationality. So read the following section carefully:

 

If you are a national of USA, UK or Canada, you do not require any kind of visa to enter Bermuda irrespective of whether you are a tourist, business visitor or a work permit holder going on a job. You are all set to go once you have a valid passport and return tickets (note that U.S. passport cards are not acceptable in air travel).

 

However nationals of countries other than USA, UK and Canada will require a multiple entry transit visa for USA, UK or Canada (as applicable depending on one's port of transit). This is because such nationals will need to transit and return through US, UK or Canada. This visa is known as Multi Re-Entry Visa (MRV) which ensures that a visitor is able to leave Bermuda, and return to his/her own country via US, UK or Canada (as the case may be).

 

NOTE: A multiple entry US, UK or Canada visa (with valid passport) is enough for tourists to enter Bermuda. But visitors coming on work or business (short or long term) also require a work permit. The Bermuda based company inviting you to work in the island needs to apply for this work permit (which may be a short term or periodic permit) and the permit is issued by Bermuda Immigration Department.

 

So nationals who require and have valid MRV (Multi Re-Entry Visa for US, UK or Canada) can now visit Bermuda without requiring any separate visa for Bermuda or visa waiver. So tourists, persons on business and work permit holders from such countries (including who were earlier Visa Controlled Nationals) now do not need a separate entry visa for Bermuda. However the following conditions must be met by them:

 

1) One must show the MRV on arrival in Bermuda which must be valid for minimum 45 days beyond the date of departure or expiry of work permit (as applicable);

 

2) Passport should be valid for minimum 45 days from the date of departure from Bermuda or expiry of work permit (as the case may be). Note that this requirement of minimum 45 days passport validity applies only for nationals requiring and holding MRV. Others (i.e. nationals of US, UK and Canada) only need to have a passport valid till the return journey is completed;

 

3) The traveler must have valid return or onward tickets.

Seems to me, since they are not a US citizen, they MUST have a passport from their home country.

UUHhhhh,

 

Bermuda is not a country.

 

It is a territory of UK.

 

But, 1 second on Google finds this: https://www.bermuda-attractions.com/bermuda2_00005d.htm

 

Seems to me, since they are not a US citizen, they MUST have a passport from their home country.

Bermuda is a British Overseas Territory which means it is internally self governing.

The Bermuda Attractions website is a private website based in India. Google brings it up as a top hit because people keep clicking it. Or maybe they pay google. Info on that website may or may not be accurate.

I suggest that OP contact the Government of Bermuda for accurate information about US Green Card holders arriving on a cruise.

UUHhhhh,

 

Bermuda is not a country.

 

It is a territory of UK.

 

But, 1 second on Google finds this: https://www.bermuda-attractions.com/bermuda2_00005d.htm

 

Seems to me, since they are not a US citizen, they MUST have a passport from their home country.

In one second Google has found a website that is owned and maintained by a person who lives in India. It's anything but an official government source of information. The site is notorious for being chock full of misinformation.

The website may very well be correct in this instance but as the saying goes, "even a blind squirrel finds an acorn every once in a while" and the OP should really get the answer from the nearest British consulate. There are eight of them located in major US cities .

Thank you to those who responded. As you have discovered, the information online is not clear and unfortunately the cruise line, NCL, provided a different answer each time she called.

For those that asked, the traveler is a Portuguese citizen. She lost her passport and was researching her options in case the replacement couldn’t be processed in time for her cruise.

I reached out to the Bermuda Tourism Office this morning. They confirmed that the green card was an acceptable document to enter Bermuda via a cruise ship. It is also all that is required for this person to return to the US via the ship.

Thank you to those who responded. As you have discovered, the information online is not clear and unfortunately the cruise line, NCL, provided a different answer each time she called.

For those that asked, the traveler is a Portuguese citizen. She lost her passport and was researching her options in case the replacement couldn’t be processed in time for her cruise.

I reached out to the Bermuda Tourism Office this morning. They confirmed that the green card was an acceptable document to enter Bermuda via a cruise ship. It is also all that is required for this person to return to the US via the ship.

You should be aware of the possibility that even if having only the green card is acceptable to the governments of Bermuda and the US, the cruise line has the right to impose more stringent requirements and demand that the passenger have a passport. That practice is very common on luxury cruise lines (admittedly NCL is most definitely not a luxury cruise line), where typically all passengers are required to have passports with a minimum of six months post cruise validity, even if the cruise could be legally taken with just a birth certificate and photo ID card.

OK< for those who searched, the second hit is the Government of Bermuda. Where they say:

be landed in Bermuda, the following requirements must be met:

1) all travellers who require a multi re-entry visa (MRV) must present this visa-type upon arrival in Bermuda;

2) the MRV for the UK, US or Canada must be valid for 45 days after the expiration of a visitor stay and/or of the work permit; and

3) all travellers must possess a passport that is valid for 45 days past the expiration of travel and/or of the work permit (Note: US Passport Cards are not permitted for use for travel to Bermuda by air)

Persons whose MRV and passport validity is less than 45 days will not be landed. For clarity, the passport rule (45 days validity) only applies to travellers who require an MRV.

Basically the same thing.

OK< for those who searched, the second hit is the Government of Bermuda. Where they say:

 

[/font]

Basically the same thing.

No...incomplete and incorrect for cruisers, not all of whom are required to carry passports. Government websites, both foreign and those of the US Department of State often neglect to include the exceptions to passport requirements that have been agreed upon by the countries as part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. Also, virtually everything you quoted applies to those requiring a multiple re-entry visa, and you neglected to quote the all-important first sentence of the page:

"As of 1 March 2014, Bermuda entry visas and visa waivers will no longer be required for tourist and business visitors and work permit holders."

That does not remove the requirement for a passport. Just getting a visa.

Yes, there can be differences for cruise passengers.

So SHOW ME THE REQUIREMENTS?

So far, no one has posted ANY specific information, from ANY source, about the requirements.

That does not remove the requirement for a passport. Just getting a visa.

 

Yes, there can be differences for cruise passengers.

 

So SHOW ME THE REQUIREMENTS?

 

So far, no one has posted ANY specific information, from ANY source, about the requirements.

No one has shown anything because in all likelihood there is no definitive answer published on the Internet, as is often the case. That is why I recommended contacting the nearest British consulate.

The OP has contacted the Bermuda tourism office, which said the green card is sufficient. That answer is probably correct because the tourism office almost certainly gets inquiries like this on a regular basis. It would be a black eye for Bermuda if their tourism office was giving out misinformation.

I live in Bermuda and work with Customs & Immigration on quite a few sailing events. From Customs: You need a valid passport that has at least 45 day beyond the dates you travel to come into Bermuda. You will also need proof of your multi-entry visa (green card) to the USA as this is where you are coming from. https://www.gov.bm/bermuda-entry-visas

Sent from my iPad using Forums

I live in Bermuda and work with Customs & Immigration on quite a few sailing events. From Customs: You need a valid passport that has at least 45 day beyond the dates you travel to come into Bermuda. You will also need proof of your multi-entry visa (green card) to the USA as this is where you are coming from. https://www.gov.bm/bermuda-entry-visas

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

In my more than 30 years of traveling to Bermuda, I've encountered a few customs agents assigned to a cruise terminal who unfortunately did not know the differences between documentation requirements for cruisers versus those required of airline passengers and would ask for documents cruisers were not required to have. A couple of times supervisory intervention was required to correct the agent's document request.

Are you unaware of the fact that in many cases cruise passengers do not require a passport?

Also, a green card is not a multi-entry visa, or any type of visa at all. It's proof that the holder is a legal permanent resident of the US.

You're also citing a web page that we have already seen and is largely invalidated by the first sentence

"As of 1 March 2014, Bermuda entry visas and visa waivers will no longer be required for tourist and business visitors and work permit holders.'

It’s not invalidated just because it’s dated 2014. That’s the last update. You need a passport if you want to get off a ship in Bermuda. We’re a foreign country, sorry, dependent territory. If you all really want the correct answer - contact immigration in Bermuda. Not tourism, not something some American site may say. Immigration - Bermuda.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

It’s not invalidated just because it’s dated 2014. That’s the last update. You need a passport if you want to get off a ship in Bermuda. We’re a foreign country, sorry, dependent territory. If you all really want the correct answer - contact immigration in Bermuda. Not tourism, not something some American site may say. Immigration - Bermuda.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

What the 2014 update does is document that visas are no longer required, so your comment about "needing proof of your multi-entry visa" isn't valid, because per the 2014 update no one needs a visa.

No disrespect, but most cruisers arriving in Bermuda from the US do not require a passport.

Those who are US citizens traveling on a closed loop cruise are only required to have a birth certificate and government-issued photo ID.

Yes, the person the OP is inquiring about is not a US citizen, but my point is your general statement "you need a passport if you want to get off a ship in Bermuda" is not true because it doesn't apply to the vast majority of cruisers visiting Bermuda, who are US citizens on a closed loop cruise.