Have we left the country 'properly'?

[Tink1987]

Hi all,

 

I am hoping my fellow Britons can help me with a question that has been worrying me since our Disney TA cruise back in May. We boarded our DCL cruise ship in Galveston, TX and flew to Houston 2 days before the ship set sail. We obviously had authorised ESTA's with us before entering the US.

 

When we checked into the cruise in Galveston, the woman seemed very confused as to what to do with our British passports. We had handed over our ESTA paperwork with our passports and she could clearly see the stamp from the Houston arrivals customs officer allowing us into the US. She asked us a few times about how we were allowed into the country!! as she was not used to dealing with Brits checking in. We were getting really worried as she kept tapping at her screen and pulling faces. Finally, she called over another member of staff and he looked at everything and said thats fine, they just haven't filled in this piece of paper before arriving. I explained that we had filled in everything when I had checked in online weeks before. He just nodded and said everything would be OK, so we filled in the forms but kept thinking about it.

 

Now, we are due to go back to the US on the 29/12 and we keep thinking about this situation in the back of our head knowing how strict American customs are. I keep thinking that we are going to get to Vegas and be told that we never 'left' the country properly. Does anybody know how I could check anything like this or put my mind at rest by saying they have done the same thing whilst leaving a American cruise terminal to a destination outside of America? I am thinking of calling the American or British embassy but not sure if I am just getting myself worked up?

 

We spoke to a couple of British people onboard the ship and they didn't experience anything like this which has not helped my worrying mind.

 

Wish we still had the green card days, where it would have just been pulled out of my passport :(

 

Thanks very much all for any advice you can offer.

[John Bull]

We flew in/out earlier this year, also by co-incidence Vegas. Our passports were stamped on arrival but not on departure, all very smooth & professional. So you don't have a missing stamp.

 

I suggest you take with you some document relating to your cruise itinerary, showing you were on a cruise departing the US. And mebbe something (credit card statement showing purchases in the UK?) to demonstrate you were in the UK in the intervening period.

I really don't think you have a problem, but I can understand it's a little niggling worry at the back of your mind.

 

JB :)

[Gittel]

This has happened to me several times when the green card was in existence. Many times came home for the US put the passports away then taken them out for next trip and found the green card still in passport. Never had a problem on entering the US though. Seems the US has the same problem as the UK does - counting them in but not out.

 

Its the same with the ESTA counted in but not out.

[newport dave]

Don't worry, we've just come back from an Alaskan cruise and didn't have our passports stamped when we arrived in Whittier or flew home from Anchorage via Seattle and Washington. As long as your ESTA is still valid, you'll be fine.

 

And if you're flying into Vegas from the UK, then it's obvious that you left the USA. Or how would you be able to take a flight from the UK...........

[Tink1987]

Thanks very much for your help all, you have really helped put my mind at rest. Newport Dave that is very true regarding flying into Vegas from the UK - I never thought about it like that! :)

 

Thanks again all, much appreciated!