Entry by sea rather than air

[dakotan 0]

My husband and I have the crazy idea of going to the US the old fashioned way once he gets his IR-1. We'd like to take a cargo ship from Hamburg or Rotterdam to New York. (Compared to a oneway plane ticket these trips aren't even that expensive, often actually cheaper). Plus it would be a lot of fun to get a taste of the way (e)migrating must have been for my great-great-grandparents. Funny, they actually left Hamburg for New York back then and now I'd just love to do it again, some 100 years later.

Oh, and of course there is the luggage issue. The ships we looked at allow 275lbs of luggage per person and there is no weight limit on the individual bag or the number of bags you can carry. As long as you can carry it yourself and store it in your own cabin, you're OK.

Anyway, so much about the dream. But can we actually do that? Will my husband have difficulties entering through the port of New York rather than an airport? Does anybody have any experience on this field?

[mateo 0]

My husband and I have the crazy idea of going to the US the old fashioned way once he gets his IR-1. We'd like to take a cargo ship from Hamburg or Rotterdam to New York. (Compared to a oneway plane ticket these trips aren't even that expensive, often actually cheaper). Plus it would be a lot of fun to get a taste of the way (e)migrating must have been for my great-great-grandparents. Funny, they actually left Hamburg for New York back then and now I'd just love to do it again, some 100 years later.

Oh, and of course there is the luggage issue. The ships we looked at allow 275lbs of luggage per person and there is no weight limit on the individual bag or the number of bags you can carry. As long as you can carry it yourself and store it in your own cabin, you're OK.

Anyway, so much about the dream. But can we actually do that? Will my husband have difficulties entering through the port of New York rather than an airport? Does anybody have any experience on this field?

Interesting question!

I have dealt a lot with ports and everyone that steps off a ship is from somewhere else so there are customs and immigration officers, however, I would bet they have no idea of how to process you. You might want to start with contacting the Captain of the port and see if they can get you the number for immigration at the port.

http://www.panynj.gov/DoingBusinessWith/seaport/html/

[rjp44 1]

My husband and I have the crazy idea of going to the US the old fashioned way once he gets his IR-1. We'd like to take a cargo ship from Hamburg or Rotterdam to New York. (Compared to a oneway plane ticket these trips aren't even that expensive, often actually cheaper). Plus it would be a lot of fun to get a taste of the way (e)migrating must have been for my great-great-grandparents. Funny, they actually left Hamburg for New York back then and now I'd just love to do it again, some 100 years later.

Oh, and of course there is the luggage issue. The ships we looked at allow 275lbs of luggage per person and there is no weight limit on the individual bag or the number of bags you can carry. As long as you can carry it yourself and store it in your own cabin, you're OK.

Anyway, so much about the dream. But can we actually do that? Will my husband have difficulties entering through the port of New York rather than an airport? Does anybody have any experience on this field?

I would think that USCIS has immigration officers at the port of NY. You should be able to call them and check for certain.