Transatlantic and US Visa Waiver

[Thoie]

I'll be flying into the US (under the visa waiver programme), and then returning to Europe on a TA cruise. Normally under the VWP you're stamped in and out at the airport, and it can cause problems for your next trip if you haven't been stamped out of the country on departure. Will the cruise ship be able to stamp me out once we hit international waters? Or is there some other standard method of dealing with this?

[jcl410]

A quick google search found this page:

 

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/752/kw/cruise%20ship%20departures/session/L3NpZC9tQVFzQzhnbA%3D%3D

 

Out of curiosity, when departing the US by air, where do you turn in the form? I've never seen the CBP checking paperwork for US departures.

 

Aloha,

 

John

[barante]

I hope someone has the answers.

[Thoie]

A quick google search found this page:

 

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/752/kw/cruise%20ship%20departures/session/L3NpZC9tQVFzQzhnbA%3D%3D

 

Out of curiosity, when departing the US by air, where do you turn in the form? I've never seen the CBP checking paperwork for US departures.

 

Aloha,

 

John

 

Thanks - I'd found that later as well, though it's still a little confusing. It says that your exit can be independently verified with the cruise line, but doesn't specifically say that the cruiseline sends in the paperwork. Will make sure I keep my cruise details in my passport after I get back anyway, just in case!

 

Embarrassingly, I can't remember when they take the second half from you when exiting, but from previous trips, on arrival in the US (or in Dublin if there's pre-clearance), I get a stamp from CBP with the entry date in red and a signature in my passport, and they staple a green form to that page. On leaving I get another similar stamp (on the same page), and the green form is taken. The exit bit is always done on the US side.

[Thoie]

I hope someone has the answers.

 

Provided my booking has been done correctly this time, I'll still be sharing the ship with you :) The exit issue won't cause any problems for the cruise, but if not done properly would cause me problems the next time I tried to travel to the US. While I'm sure all the CBP people are lovely, no-one wants to be dragged into a small room and quizzed about dates and times at the end of a 9 hour flight!

[Starbright]

My husband and I once visited the USA, and upon leaving the green slip was not torn out of our passports. I was very concerned as to what would happen the next time we visited the States. I telephoned the US Embassy in London. They took all the details from me and said that they would deal with the matter. Told me to rip out the green slip and destroy it, which I did. We visited many times after that and never had any problem.