Immigration to the USA process

[Stinkerbelle]

Hi - going on a Princess cruise next year. Flying from the UK to LA, then doing the Hawaiian islands, returning to Portsmouth (New Hampshire?). Can anyone tell me what immigration process would be required on this cruise? Since Hawaii belongs to the USA, we're not actually going to another country are we?

 

I recently read some horror stories about UK passengers in New York, waiting in line for hours, their fingerprints were taken and because they were smudged by the machine they were held in a room until it was determined that they were a fine upstanding citizen of the UK. Then they were free to go on their way.

 

Can anyone tell me what the procedure will be for this cruise? :)

[spongerob]

You will have to pass through border controls upon arrival in the US, just as we do when going to the UK. But, you will only have to do it once.

 

It's a good idea to allow at least three hours if you are traveling onwards on a connecting flight. After you go through the documents inspection and fingerprint scan (I get to do the scan, too, since I'm a legal resident) and those scanners don't work very quickly. Then, you will have to collect your bags, go through Customs, and return your checked bags to the airline employees on the other side of Customs. AFter that, you have to be cleared by TSA security screening again since you have touched your luggage and are no longer considered to be cleared. And yes, you have to take off you shoes and cannot carry liquids in packages larger than 2 ounces.

 

Easy! :rolleyes: <-- Eye rolls for the system, not the OP, who as a fine upstanding citizen of the UK is welcome on our shores.

[Stinkerbelle]

Spongerob thanks. I didn't make it clear that I am not travelling independently. Travelling from the UK to LA is part of the whole cruise package so hopefully any delays at border controls will have been taken into account. Should we have locks on our luggage? - also heard bad stories about US immigration officials smashing open people's luggage. No worries about removing shoes etc. and am aware of the liquids restriction.

 

Looking forward so much to seeing a little bit of LA, Hawaii and neighbouring islands. My husband's always wanted to go since Hawaii Five 0 was screened in Britain a lifetime ago ! So we booked it Danno :D

[BruceMuzz]

I have never heard of a cruise that starts in Hawaii and ends in New England. If it is true, you are going to be on that ship for several weeks. It also means you are going through the Panama Canal (or around South America). You will be stopping in many non-US ports in any case. Although I suspect that this would be a good time for you to get out a good Atlas to find out where you are really going.

 

Anyway, a cruise on a non-US flagged ship (Princess) that starts in one US port and ends in another US port must - by US Law - call at a non-US port. So you will definitely be stopping somewhere that is not in the USA.

 

I recently had a passenger on my ship who complained that if she "had known where the ship was going, she would never have booked the cruise". I hope that wasn't you.

[spongerob]

We use TSA-approved locks that can be opened by inspectors if necessary. Regular locks will be cut off if they want to check the contents of your bags. Use plastic zip ties if you don't want to purchase special locks, and of course, keep anything you cannot risk losing in your carry-on bag.

[-Lew-]

 

Should we have locks on our luggage? - also heard bad stories about US immigration officials smashing open people's luggage.

We always lock our luggage using locks the TSA can open if necessary. The TSA approved locks have a separate keyway that accommodate their key.

 

Immigration would most likely not be concerned with your luggage. Customs and TSA might need to open luggage and if it's locked with non-TSA locks, they have the right to cut the lock off.

 

We've had our luggage opened; they leave a notice inside the luggage to inform you it's been opened for inspection.

 

Lew

[spongerob]

they leave a notice inside the luggage to inform you it's been opened for inspection.

Sometimes. Other times, you can tell because everything looks like it was thrown back in haphazardly.

[skf]

-LEW-...The two departments of Immigration & Customs have been merged into one.

 

We use the zip ties & carry spares, they take no space. You just have to have something to cut them on arrival.

[fridaythecat.u.k.]

I have never heard of a cruise that starts in Hawaii and ends in New England. If it is true, you are going to be on that ship for several weeks. It also means you are going through the Panama Canal (or around South America). You will be stopping in many non-US ports in any case. Although I suspect that this would be a good time for you to get out a good Atlas to find out where you are really going.

 

Anyway, a cruise on a non-US flagged ship (Princess) that starts in one US port and ends in another US port must - by US Law - call at a non-US port. So you will definitely be stopping somewhere that is not in the USA.

 

I recently had a passenger on my ship who complained that if she "had known where the ship was going, she would never have booked the cruise". I hope that wasn't you.

 

I hear what you are saying, but I think you need to cut the OP a little slack - they did put a question mark after New Hampshire, so they are obviously not aware of which precise state they are returning to... Not the biggest crime in the world :) I'm sure that they are fully aware of their itinerary though :D

[crischickie]

If you are doing a 7 night Hawaii cruise you will only need a govt issued picture ID (just like boarding a plane internal to US) to embark. For a 7 night Hawaiian cruise there is no immigration or customs at the end--you will only visit US ports.

 

If you are cruising from Hawaii back to the US, you will need a passport because there will be at least one foreign port included. UK should not need a visa for any of the ports you will visit.

[ggprincess2004]

If you are doing the 14 day Hawaiian roundtrip out of LA, you will have to deal with customs and immigration upon return to the US, as the last port call for that cruise is Ensenada, Mexico, to comply with the Passenger Services Act. So, upon arrival in the US there will be customs and immigration at the airport, and upon return from the cruise there will be same at the cruiseport in Los Angeles/San Pedro.

 

You meant Portsmouth, England......no doubt......as your final destination?:eek:

[Stinkerbelle]

:o Oh I am embarrassed because I have misread some information a friend of mine e-mailed me and I have posted on here before reading all my literature! Our holiday is 17 days long (overnight stay in LA) sailing from LA taking in Hilo, Honolulu, Kauai, Lahaina, Ensenada, then finally Los Angeles. My friend is on the same cruise but has booked another and it was this one she was talking about. I'm not familiar with the USA so thought that Portsmouth was near LA ! :o

[moyaroo]

:o Oh I am embarrassed because I have misread some information a friend of mine e-mailed me and I have posted on here before reading all my literature! Our holiday is 17 days long (overnight stay in LA) sailing from LA taking in Hilo, Honolulu, Kauai, Lahaina, Ensenada, then finally Los Angeles. My friend is on the same cruise but has booked another and it was this one she was talking about. I'm not familiar with the USA so thought that Portsmouth was near LA ! :o

 

 

So you will clear customs/immigration at your first US airport. You will clear again as you get off the ship in LA (this is usually painless even for non US citizens. You will be instructed to go to some location on the ship to clear and then walk off just like everyone else.

[Stinkerbelle]

Moyaroo,

 

thank you for the information, and to everyone else who took the time and trouble too. Happy cruising ! :)

[-Lew-]

 

-LEW-...The two departments of Immigration & Customs have been merged into one.

Okay...did not know that. Thank you.

 

Lew

[Crown Prince]

So you will clear customs/immigration at your first US airport. You will clear again as you get off the ship in LA (this is usually painless even for non US citizens. You will be instructed to go to some location on the ship to clear and then walk off just like everyone else.

 

You will be in a shorter line at LAX for the Customs & Immigration because most pax will be Yanks and take up more lines.

 

Yes, it is true. Princess-U.K. puts together some very nice all-inclusive packages, which the Brits really like. Packages usually include: Cruise, Air (either Chartered or Commercial), Hotel stays before or after, or both, Transfers. The Packages cater to the G.B. market and are at good fares, as well.

 

OP: I LoL about Portsmouth being near L.A. Do I wish. It might be cooler here today in SoCal than 90 degrees F.

 

:D:cool:;):cool::D

[Joy R]

The immigration process at USA airports takes ages, so just plan to be in a queue for quite a long time, after a long flight! They look at your passport and visa forms, fingerprint you and take iris photos - in our experience it felt as if you were being treated like a suspected criminal, guilty until proved innocent! Sometimes it's better than other times, the second time we went through Airport Miami something went wrong with my husband's fingerprints and they took him off to another room for a little while, but they were very nice about it - and there wasn't much of a delay. The year before the official had been quite nasty. Just depends who you get. One tip - don't joke with them! They take this job extremely seriously.

[terrierjohn]

Spongerob thanks. I didn't make it clear that I am not travelling independently. Travelling from the UK to LA is part of the whole cruise package so hopefully any delays at border controls will have been taken into account. Should we have locks on our luggage? - :D

It does not make any difference that you will be travelling as part of a "cruise package", when it comes to transitting US immigration you will do this yourself, or as a couple. If LA is your first US airport then clearance will be done there and the Princess reps meeting you will wait until everyone has collected their bags, so you will not be left at the airport. You will then, probably, be directed to a hotel shuttle bus stand to take you to your hotel.

If you change flights at a US hub then you would clear immigration and customs there, long delays here could cause you problems with your connecting flight, but we have always managed to get through a hub in under an hour.

Your journey to the ship the next day will be organised by Princess.

On your return Immigration and customs clearance will take place as you leave the ship in LA and you could be standing in line quite a while, but again clearance should be under 30 mins.

As regards locks I suggest you pop in to a luggage shop and buy yourself some TSA approved locks, the shop should know what these are. These can be opened by US customs officers with a special tool and then re-locked.

[Stinkerbelle]

Thanks to all those continuing to provide helpful information which is appreciated. I will expect to queue, and hope I don't get a nasty immigration official! I would never ever joke with an official. Someone my husband knew made a joke in poor taste at a British airport and was carted off ! Not a good idea, and it wasn't so funny for him in the long run. I heard a story of a family. The parents were Italian, living in America but their children had been born in America. I think it was the day they left the ship the parents had to go to the 'aliens' queue whilst the kids went on their merry way! Something like that.

 

As I said before this will be my first Princess cruise so I expect all the arrangements will be tried and tested. Have I been forgiven for thinking that Portsmouth was near LA ? My friend's information confused me, and you've got a big country you know ! ;)

[skf]

We got back from this same cruise in October. People w/ US passports did not have to go thru Immigration at all. Visitors from other lands had a long queque, it didn't look like they were moving at all.

Steve

[Goldryder]

Don't forget to fill this in before you leave for the US when flying in from a visa waiver country such as the UK...

 

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/esta.html?_flowExecutionKey=_c1206DD28-1358-D7D6-E00B-758788199865_kB6FBAA49-E751-D7B4-CE0D-E9B5E0F18A10

 

You may still get those green forms to fill on the plane but you are meant to fill the online one at least 72 hours before departure and be approved for entry into the US. Helps to if you print it off once completed and you're approved, the approval lasts 2 years and you can go back into the system anytime and alter/update passport number, holiday address, cruise ship information etc by using the very long reference number that you are given upon approval to enter the country.

 

I did mine last year when I went to Houston for 4 days, the form is very straight forward and it takes a matter of seconds to get approved.