Visa for World Cruises

[hapzfl]

How does that work?

How far in advance does the process start?

 

I assume we will have to relinquish our passports for a while. That might cause a problem for other travel scheduled to take place before the WC.

[Wizpharm2]

5 minutes ago, hapzfl said:

How does that work?

How far in advance does the process start?

 

I assume we will have to relinquish our passports for a while. That might cause a problem for other travel scheduled to take place before the WC.

You can apply for a second passport…so you can send one in and have the other for travel..(assumes US Citizen)

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/have-passport/second-passport-book.html

[wcsdkqh]

Passport turnarounds, at least for renewals, is running 18 - 20 weeks.

[Pcardad]

I just got one renewed in 3 weeks for a client by using a service - The fee was $600. You might want to look into those as another option.

[HotRoot]

We just renewed ours.  With no trips booked, we did not pay for expediting.  They cashed our checks at the 4 week point.  We had passports back in hand at 8 weeks.  Our old passports arrived at the 10 week point.

[Lonedaddy]

21 hours ago, Pcardad said:

I just got one renewed in 3 weeks for a client by using a service - The fee was $600. You might want to look into those as another option.

what service?

[Pcardad]

I've used Rushmypassport and CIBT - the fee was about $300 each for fastest service on a renewal - give or take.

[Jimmcdaniel]

We just renewed our passports so we know that drill. I am curious about answers to the OP’s questions. I was not planning on having to get a second passport for our WC in 23. In the past, on shorter cruises, all of the visa’s we were required to get through Regent were handled “on arrival”. I realize it is dependent on the various countries but if we need to get second passports for our 23WC, I’d like to know about it well in advance. 

[xrvlcruiser]

China and Indian visas are good for 10 years so check the dates if you have those. If they are in an earlier passport, remember to bring that along on your trip.

 

Peggy

[rallydave]

Time and process for Visas depends on the Countries.  You do always need to send or bring your passport into the countries consulate.  Like said previous some of the Visa's are done by the ship on arrival in the country and charged to your shipboard account.  

 

Until you have all of the countries you will be going to cannot be much more specific.  We did a world cruise several years ago and the only countries we needed to do on our own were China and Brazil which we were able to do in person.  Brazil can now be done on the internet.  Also India is a need to do yourself or with a service.  Another Regent can't do is Russia.

 

Suggest you post the countries so we can provide more information but, like lots these days requirements can change well before your cruise which is in ?????

[xrvlcruiser]

I don't live near any Consulates so have always used a service. Or done what I can, on line.

I'll be on 22WC and at this point, the visas which might be needed are Australia, China, New Zealand, Vietnam, Cambodia and possibly Russia.

The India/Brazil information was "just because" and not specific to the cruise.

Peggy

[Jimmcdaniel]

@rallydaveWhen you did your WC were visa included in the package from Regent? Did you use them? I am guessing the OP (like me) is on a cruise where we have a “visa package” from Regent. Since my wife and I are trying to get a lot of postponed travel accomplished before we get too much older, we have a busy travel schedule. If Regent is going to need physical possession of my passport for, say, 2 months sometime before the 23WC, I’m probably going to need a 2nd passport. Never done that before. If any other World Cruisers have info or insight on this I would certainly be interested to hear. On the 23WC We aren’t going to Russia but we are going to China (Hong Kong) and Vietnam (places I have had to get visa in advance in the past).  

[Pcardad]

I don't think you need a visa for a short-term visit to HK....and VN will do an E-Visa.

 

[rallydave]

20 minutes ago, Jimmcdaniel said:

@rallydaveWhen you did your WC were visa included in the package from Regent? Did you use them? I am guessing the OP (like me) is on a cruise where we have a “visa package” from Regent. Since my wife and I are trying to get a lot of postponed travel accomplished before we get too much older, we have a busy travel schedule. If Regent is going to need physical possession of my passport for, say, 2 months sometime before the 23WC, I’m probably going to need a 2nd passport. Never done that before. If any other World Cruisers have info or insight on this I would certainly consbe interested to hear. On the 23WC We aren’t going to Russia but we are going to China (Hong Kong) and Vietnam (places I have had to get visa in advance in the past).  

No, was not on a WC with a package for the Visas.  Most Visas were gotten by the ship and charged to our ship account with the passport in the hands of the ship.  With your package, will work that way without the charges.

 

As to Hong Kong, so far no need for a Visa as Hong Kong so far is considered different from the mainland and no visas are required.  As to Vietnam, on our cruise that was a visa on arrival handled by the ship but, know it continues to change in and out with sometimes yes you have to get it and other times gotten on arrival.  No telling for you.  Based on what you wrote, am guessing you may not need to send your visa to Regent's processing company and any Visas should be on arrival.  The only countries I know you have to get the passport to the consulate in advance are Russia, India, and Mainland China.  May be others I am not currently aware of.

 

Hope this helps.

 

[xrvlcruiser]

Russia: you do not need visa if you plan to do ship's tours. You will if you plan to tour independently.

And yes, part of the WC package is that Regent does the visas. Will that work going forward? Who knows but I'm sure they are working on it. It's been fine in the past.

Peggy

Edited August 18, 2021 by xrvlcruiser
grammar

[Jimmcdaniel]

Thanks all. Looks like we are OK……for now. 

[hapzfl]

16 hours ago, Jimmcdaniel said:

@rallydaveWhen you did your WC were visa included in the package from Regent? Did you use them? I am guessing the OP (like me) is on a cruise where we have a “visa package” from Regent. Since my wife and I are trying to get a lot of postponed travel accomplished before we get too much older, we have a busy travel schedule. If Regent is going to need physical possession of my passport for, say, 2 months sometime before the 23WC, I’m probably going to need a 2nd passport. Never done that before. If any other World Cruisers have info or insight on this I would certainly be interested to hear. On the 23WC We aren’t going to Russia but we are going to China (Hong Kong) and Vietnam (places I have had to get visa in advance in the past).  

Jimmcdaniel you are exactly in the same situation we are in with the WC 2023 and that's why I asked this question which still has not been answered yet despite all the valuable suggestions. E.g. I didn't know about the possibility of a 2nd passport. I thought that was only a feature for Diplomats and people that go to countries that would object to travel documentation in their passport from "enemy" countries.

 

I also contacted Regent directly but they have not responded as yet.

[HotRoot]

We flew around the world with Starquest Expeditions.  We had travel plans which conflicted with when they needed our passport for Visas.  The Visa Service had us send a copy of our current passport along with all completed Visa forms.  With that they could get a second passport issued with all of the Visas we needed for that particular trip.  I think we also had to send them flight itineraries to show we needed our original passport.  It was all very easy and worked smoothly.

[mrlevin]

We are on Grand Arctic next year which includes complete visa package.  Sort of misleading as Russia is only country on itinerary that requires visa and even though four stops in Russia, don't need visa if on ship's tours.  

 

For 2023 World Cruise I am in same boat as others as we don't get back from our previous cruise until 4 October 2022.  Luckily we still have a few years on our ten year India visa and the rest we should be able to get on ship.  

[rallydave]

Marc sincerely doubt Regent will get you a Russia visa since no need if on ships tour. This will confuse people who wish doing Russia on their Own although private tours provide visa coverage 

 

only reason fir a personnel visa in Russia is if you want to get off ship on your own. 

[Jimmcdaniel]

India now has a short term e-visa/ETA. I am thinking Regent can probably take care of that for us. Based on the feedback here, I don’t think any of the other countries on the WC23 will require a “hard” visa that would require physically sending our passports to embassies or services. If anyone knows otherwise I would appreciate your input. Thanks. 

[rallydave]

22 minutes ago, Jimmcdaniel said:

India now has a short term e-visa/ETA. I am thinking Regent can probably take care of that for us. Based on the feedback here, I don’t think any of the other countries on the WC23 will require a “hard” visa that would require physically sending our passports to embassies or services. If anyone knows otherwise I would appreciate your input. Thanks. 

I know prior to Coved the India e visa was not valid for cruise ship arrival as had a limo nites number if entry points. Things may or may not have changed plus believe cruise lines cannot do e visas like Australia as last time there we had to do our own e visa. As they say things like this change over time so have to get the current process. 

[BBWC]

34 minutes ago, rallydave said:

I know prior to Coved the India e visa was not valid for cruise ship arrival as had a limo nites number if entry points. Things may or may not have changed plus believe cruise lines cannot do e visas like Australia as last time there we had to do our own e visa. As they say things like this change over time so have to get the current process. 

 Regent did our e-visas to Australia for us on the 2018 WC. We just had tp provide them with the passport details.

[rallydave]

10 minutes ago, BBWC said:

 Regent did our e-visas to Australia for us on the 2018 WC. We just had tp provide them with the passport details.

Great information.  We had to do our own previously.  As I said, these issues change quite frequently so need to get the latest information  for the current time.

[BBWC]

Also, you can get the Indian evisa if you enter at one of the following ports: Chennai, Cochin, Goa, Mangalore and Mumbai. So there should be no need to send in passports for the 2023 WC.