Passport Question

[ravenmaniac]

Sailing on Allure of the Seas 12/9/18-12/16/18. We go to Nassau, Cozumel, Roatan, and Costa Maya. Passports expire 6/22/19. Just barely, but I’m good right?

[Coralc]

Yes! You are fine. There is no 6 month passport validity required for Caribbean port stops.

[mscinmia]

Yes you are good!

[nelblu]

Sailing on Allure of the Seas 12/9/18-12/16/18. We go to Nassau, Cozumel, Roatan, and Costa Maya. Passports expire 6/22/19. Just barely, but I’m good right?

 

 

Also, it's a closed loop sailing and I believe the 6 month rule is not applicable.

[jamesr3939]

This question will never die. But below is a list of Caribbean islands that require the six month rule to enter. Keep in mind the rule can be six months from entry or six months after departure it all varies and can change at a moments notice. If traveling outside the Caribbean then the list of six month countries is large and you need to check the DOS site. Some places might also require a visa and closed loop doesn't count to enter a foreign country only to leave and reenter the USA.

 

Antigua and Barbuda

Grenada

HondurasSaint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

Trinidad and Tobago

[Coralc]

No. Not as a cruise ship passenger day visitor.

Edited January 15, 2018 by Coralc

[not-enough-cruising]

This question will never die. But below is a list of Caribbean islands that require the six month rule to enter. Keep in mind the rule can be six months from entry or six months after departure it all varies and can change at a moments notice. If traveling outside the Caribbean then the list of six month countries is large and you need to check the DOS site. Some places might also require a visa and closed loop doesn't count to enter a foreign country only to leave and reenter the USA.

 

Antigua and Barbuda

Grenada

HondurasSaint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

Trinidad and Tobago

 

 

 

This list doesn’t apply to cruise ship passengers.

 

 

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[Merion_Mom]

This:

 

Yes! You are fine. There is no 6 month passport validity required for Caribbean port stops.

 

Not this:

 

Also, it's a closed loop sailing and I believe the 6 month rule is not applicable.

[jamesr3939]

This list doesn’t apply to cruise ship passengers. Forums

 

 

Source? Because according to the US DOS site this is correct and I don't see any exemption for cruise ships.

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages.html

[not-enough-cruising]

Source? Because according to the US DOS site this is correct and I don't see any exemption for cruise ships.

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages.html

 

 

 

I will have to search for a source, but if you are on a cruise ship they will let you into all those countries AND back into the US without having a passport at all

 

The DOS site you cited also states you must have at least one blank sheet for entry stamp. Have you ever gone through customs and receive a MANDATED entry or exit stamp on a closed loop Caribbean cruise?

 

 

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[Junkhouse]

My passport expires two weeks after we get back from a stop in Honduras. I called and they said no problem.

[not-enough-cruising]

Source? Because according to the US DOS site this is correct and I don't see any exemption for cruise ships.

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages.html

 

 

 

JamesR

 

If you look at the “Exit Entry Visa” section on the DOS website you cited for each of the countries you listed you will see notes for cruise line exceptions.

 

 

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[cruisinfanatic]

Source? Because according to the US DOS site this is correct and I don't see any exemption for cruise ships.

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages.html

For the cruise that the OP is going on, they don't even need a passport. There are a very few excursions that go to some of those islands that would require one but never from a cruise ship in the Caribbean with the exception of Cuba

[Wine-O]

For the cruise that the OP is going on, they don't even need a passport. There are a very few excursions that go to some of those islands that would require one but never from a cruise ship in the Caribbean with the exception of Cuba

 

What do they need if they don't need a passport, a birth certificate?

[cruisinfanatic]

What do they need if they don't need a passport, a birth certificate?

And government photo ID

[Coralc]

Really James? You can take closed loop cruises to the Caribbean with a certified copy of your birth certificate and a

government photo ID (thank you CF)

. There is nothing to report to immigration officials if you are traveling with a birth certificate. And likewise, if you are traveling with a valid passport, there is no requirement that it be valid for an additional 6 months if you are on a closed loop cruise to the Caribbean.

[jamesr3939]

JamesR

 

If you look at the “Exit Entry Visa” section on the DOS website you cited for each of the countries you listed you will see notes for cruise line exceptions. Forums

 

I do see some exceptions for Visa's for closed loop cruises for some of the countries. Plus, the ever present warning about needing to return home without a passport in an emergency could cause a delay. I still don't see a clearly stated exemption for cruise passengers.

 

Keep in mind entry requirements and visa requirements are two different things.

 

To be safe, if I was traveling to any of those countries I would make sure I had six months left on my passport. As we all know, the USA doesn't care as long as it's valid when you leave or return. However, the foreign country can enforce whatever rules they want when they want.

 

Technically, Mexico requires a FMM tourist permit for entry. Anybody ever get one of those?

[jamesr3939]

For the cruise that the OP is going on, they don't even need a passport. There are a very few excursions that go to some of those islands that would require one but never from a cruise ship in the Caribbean with the exception of Cuba

 

Good point!!!

[jamesr3939]

Really James? You can take closed loop cruises to the Caribbean with a certified copy of your birth certificate and a

government photo ID (thank you CF)

. There is nothing to report to immigration officials if you are traveling with a birth certificate. And likewise, if you are traveling with a valid passport, there is no requirement that it be valid for an additional 6 months if you are on a closed loop cruise to the Caribbean.

 

These are the USA entry/exit rules/laws. They don't apply to any foreign countries you might or might not visit.

[Coralc]

These are the USA entry/exit rules/laws. They don't apply to any foreign countries you might or might not visit.

You are in a loop James. If you can cruise with a birth certificate, you don't need a passport.

[SG65CB]

Six month rule: A requirement that the expiration date of your passport be more than six months in the future when entering certain countries that use this rule.

 

Closed loop cruise: A cruise that begins and ends in the same port.

 

US citizens sailing on a closed-loop cruise from a US port can sail with a birth certificate and drivers license instead of a passport (there are some exceptions, such as if your cruise stops in Cuba).

 

The six month rule does not apply to cruise ship passengers in the Caribbean.

 

However, there is a very good reason to have a passport and that is if you are in a foreign port and you don't get back to the pier in time and the ship leaves without you. In that case you will be in a foreign country and you will need to fly to another foreign country to rejoin your cruise. You cannot do this without a passport. Instead you will first have to go to the US embassy and obtain a passport, then arrange a flight to catch up with your cruise.

 

I do not know if the six month rule would now apply, for example if the ship leaves you in Barbados and you need to fly to Grenada I don't know if Grenada will prohibit entry if your passport expires in less than six months.

 

Bottom line: bring a passport. Maybe renew it if it expires less than six months past the end of your cruise.

[Desert Cruizers]

While Pass Ports are not needed for closed look cruises to the Caribbean what seems to be left out is the possibility of an emergency whereby one needs to end their cruise and fly home from a Caribbean Port, there a Pass Port is required. The Emergency could be missing the Ship off a tour, medical Emergency at home or family member cruising with you. It is better to have one when traveling outside the US then to suddenly find yourself getting a one to fly home.

[ravenmaniac]

Thanks all, appreciate the responses.

[uksimonusa]

I do see some exceptions for Visa's for closed loop cruises for some of the countries. Plus, the ever present warning about needing to return home without a passport in an emergency could cause a delay. I still don't see a clearly stated exemption for cruise passengers.

 

Keep in mind entry requirements and visa requirements are two different things.

 

To be safe, if I was traveling to any of those countries I would make sure I had six months left on my passport. As we all know, the USA doesn't care as long as it's valid when you leave or return. However, the foreign country can enforce whatever rules they want when they want.

 

Technically, Mexico requires a FMM tourist permit for entry. Anybody ever get one of those?

 

 

Cruise passengers are not considered to have entered the country on Caribbean Cruises, they are considered in transit so entry rules do not apply

[waterbug123]

This question will never die. But below is a list of Caribbean islands that require the six month rule to enter.

 

Antigua and Barbuda

Grenada

HondurasSaint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

Trinidad and Tobago

 

 

When you visit these during a cruise stop, you are not considered to be "entering" the country in the legal sense. No passport needed (assuming US citizen on closed loop cruise starting/ending in US) so no particular length of validity needed on passport if one chooses to use that instead of BC/DL.

 

 

Source? Because according to the US DOS site this is correct and I don't see any exemption for cruise ships.

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages.html

 

See above.