New here and need help (cruising with green card)...

[iloveGESUS 0]

Hi everyone!

I just found this forum today while doing some research. I need asisstance with an issue and I hope I'm posting it in the right section of the forum.

Anyway, my family along with a few relatives and friends will be going on a closed-loop cruise (leaving and coming back in Miami) on the Carnival Breeze in January 2014. One of our group is not a U.S. citizen and only has a green card and valid driver's license. He came here as a child with his family almost 20 years ago. They came as refugees so he doesn't have a passport from his birth country (Thailand). I contacted the Thai embassy to see if he could get a Thai passport but was told he couldn't get one because he's not a "real" Thai citizen. I've done hundreds of researches online and asked on various cruising forums if he will be okay to cruise but received many different responses. I even contacted all the consulates of the ports we will be visiting (Grand Turk, Domincan Republic, Curacao, and Aruba) with no luck. I've only received one reply from Curacao in which they just directed me back to their website for "additional" information. Has anyone cruised with just a green card and valid driver's license? Did you have any issues boarding? Getting on and off the ship at each port? From my past cruising experience, I have never been asked to show my ID or passport when getting on or off the ship. I've only been asked for my Sign and Sail card (a card Carnival issues to cruisers when they board). I spoke with three different Carnival vacation planners who all confirmed that he will be okay to board. However, I would feel much better hearing from experience.

Thank you,

Julie

Edited July 11, 2013 by iloveGESUS

[hmh33 117]

He should apply for a refugee travel document from USCIS. Or naturalize.

[Noel194 53]

He can cruise with only his greencard as long as it is valid. The danger is if something were to happen in a foreign port he would need his passport to fly home. Lets say he become ill and is sent to the hospital off the ship in the DR. The ship will leave him there and he would need a passport to fly back to the USA. My wife and I have taken several cruises and she ONLY shows her greencard to the Cruise staff but we carry her Ukraine passport just in case. The ports have a special deal worked out with the cruise line and you do not need a visa if you are on a cruise. He will only be asked to show his ship ID card (given to you upon boarding the ship) to enter and exit the ships at foreign ports. Purchase travel insurance!!!

Edited July 14, 2013 by Noel194

[Darnell 8,479]

If he's held a green card for more than 5 years - it's best (IMO) to apply for USCitizenship, then get a USA Passport.

If he/she filed next week, would it arrive in time for the cruise? Most likely not, given current capacity and laq in queue.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

He should apply for a refugee travel document from USCIS. Or naturalize.

Yes to this. The form is I-131 to get a travel document. It works as a passport for people that cannot get a real passport from their country.

[iloveGESUS 0]

Thank you for everyone's responses!!! I really appreciate them!

He can cruise with only his greencard as long as it is valid. The danger is if something were to happen in a foreign port he would need his passport to fly home. Lets say he become ill and is sent to the hospital off the ship in the DR. The ship will leave him there and he would need a passport to fly back to the USA. My wife and I have taken several cruises and she ONLY shows her greencard to the Cruise staff but we carry her Ukraine passport just in case. The ports have a special deal worked out with the cruise line and you do not need a visa if you are on a cruise. He will only be asked to show his ship ID card (given to you upon boarding the ship) to enter and exit the ships at foreign ports. Purchase travel insurance!!!

Thank you for your reply! This is reassuring! I've been going back and forth with immigration, border patrol, the cruise line, and the ports consulates...one place just points me to another! It's very frustrating! Ultimately, I was told by border patrol and Carnival that he will be okay to cruise but I have to call the consulate for each port of call and make sure they're okay with it. I've been told two different things by these consulates so I'm lost! One person told me he needs a passport...PERIOD. Another person told me he shouldn't need it because cruise passengers are considered "in transit" and they're in the countries for less than 24 hours. I wish these people would make it straightforward and clear! I will definitely be purchasing for this trip. Do you have any recommendations? And will they cover your trip if you were denied boarding?

[iloveGESUS 0]

If he's held a green card for more than 5 years - it's best (IMO) to apply for USCitizenship, then get a USA Passport.

If he/she filed next week, would it arrive in time for the cruise? Most likely not, given current capacity and laq in queue.

I suggested that he gets naturalized and then get a passport but we only have a little over 5 months until the cruise so Idk if that's enough time.

[newacct 688]

Lets say he become ill and is sent to the hospital off the ship in the DR. The ship will leave him there and he would need a passport to fly back to the USA.

Permanent residents do not need a passport to enter the U.S. The airline might not let him on however.

[Noel194 53]

Permanent residents do not need a passport to enter the U.S. The airline might not let him on however.

You are correct Greencard holders do not need passports to enter the USA but no airline I am aware of will allow a greencard holder to FLY without a passport. I am not sure of another way one would travel from the Dominican Republic perhaps he could hop a ride on a freighter, swim, build a raft like Tom Hanks or ship himself in a giant FEDEX box. THat said US Citizens cruise everyday with birth certificates and drivers licenses but if they need to fly out of a foreign country they need only contact the nearest US Embassy for a travel document. If you took the time to read the OP's post his friend is not recognized as a citizen of his home country so if he does wind up in the situation I mentioned how do you propose he get from said foreign country back to the USA.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

I suggested that he gets naturalized and then get a passport but we only have a little over 5 months until the cruise so Idk if that's enough time.

So get the refugee travel document. Look at form I-131 for him. That is the solution. All the rest is now idle chatter.