Getting off the cruise ship at the ports with a C1/D Visa

[PlagueisMD 0]

Hello,

I'm about to start working on a cruise ship. I have my C1/D visa but don't have a tourist visa. I'm trying to understand if I can get off the cruise ship at the U.S. ports just with the C1/D and just for the time the cruise is on that port before resuming my duties.

I have read that you have 29 days to transit, but I don't know if that applies.

Reddit advised to post it here.

Thanks

[jan22 3,052]

5 minutes ago, PlagueisMD said:

Hello,

I'm about to start working on a cruise ship. I have my C1/D visa but don't have a tourist visa. I'm trying to understand if I can get off the cruise ship at the U.S. ports just with the C1/D and just for the time the cruise is on that port before resuming my duties.

I have read that you have 29 days to transit, but I don't know if that applies.

Reddit advised to post it here.

Thanks

The C1 (transit) part of the visa gets you into the US to join the cruise ship.  You are admitted into the US at a Port of Entry for the sole purpose of onward travel to the ship within 29 days (or the departure date of the ship if it's less than 29 days from date of your entry).  Once you've joined the ship, the C1 serves no purpose until you are no longer working on that ship -- then you can use the C1 to transit the US to go home or to travel to join a different ship.

 

The D (crewnember) part of the visa is used once you are working on the ship.  It will allow you (with immigration officer approval, of course) to enter the US when your ship is in a US port, with the requirement that you will depart with the ship or on any other vessel within no more than 29 days.

[PlagueisMD 0]

26 minutes ago, jan22 said:

The C1 (transit) part of the visa gets you into the US to join the cruise ship.  You are admitted into the US at a Port of Entry for the sole purpose of onward travel to the ship within 29 days (or the departure date of the ship if it's less than 29 days from date of your entry).  Once you've joined the ship, the C1 serves no purpose until you are no longer working on that ship -- then you can use the C1 to transit the US to go home or to travel to join a different ship.

 

The D (crewnember) part of the visa is used once you are working on the ship.  It will allow you (with immigration officer approval, of course) to enter the US when your ship is in a US port, with the requirement that you will depart with the ship or on any other vessel within no more than 29 days.

Thanks for the answer!

 

So if I got this correctly, I can get off the ship at US ports (and buy things, for example) as long as I depart with the ship (that I will be working on) no later than 29 days?

 

 

[jan22 3,052]

3 minutes ago, PlagueisMD said:

Thanks for the answer!

 

So if I got this correctly, I can get off the ship at US ports (and buy things, for example) as long as I depart with the ship (that I will be working on) no later than 29 days?

 

 

Yes, with the understanding that entry into the US depends on approval of the US immigration officer, as always.

[Pinkrlion 2,716]

You will need a tourist visa. 

[PlagueisMD 0]

Just now, Pinkrlion said:

You will need a tourist visa. 

Do I need a tourist visa? @jan22 just said that with my D visa I could enter as long as I depart within 29 days with my ship. 

[JeanneAdil 6,498]

Cruise ships fly the worker into the US just a few days (or even the day of ) departing 

you will have time off the ship in the different ports for a little shopping (not all cruise ship members are allowed off at the same time)

you have time to do a little shopping and wash clothes as ship crews hate to wash on the ships

 

ships are only in home ports a few days before it sails out again 

 

when your contract is over   the cruise ship flys u back to your home country

 

u will never be in the US for 29 days

and no ,  u do not need tourist visa the C/1D acts as the transit visa for the length of your contract

make sure u keep your passport and another form of photo ID with u when u are off ship

 

[JeanneAdil 6,498]

1st time u are doing a contract , so u will be flown in a few days ahead of departure to go over the contract and cruise ship rules

after this initial 1st time,  if  u sign for contract with same line,  they will fly u in closer to date of departure

 

if going with another ship,  the process will be repeated 

Contracts usually are for 7 or 8 months  and u may be able to sign for another months long contract when this one is over 

but usually the ships give u a few months off and fly u home  as u work 7 days a week on board 

trust me u will need this break between contracts

 

 

[jan22 3,052]

4 hours ago, Pinkrlion said:

You will need a tourist visa. 

No tourist visa is needed. The D visa allows you to seek entry to the US while your cruise ship is in a US port.

[PlagueisMD 0]

21 hours ago, JeanneAdil said:

Cruise ships fly the worker into the US just a few days (or even the day of ) departing 

you will have time off the ship in the different ports for a little shopping (not all cruise ship members are allowed off at the same time)

you have time to do a little shopping and wash clothes as ship crews hate to wash on the ships

 

ships are only in home ports a few days before it sails out again 

 

when your contract is over   the cruise ship flys u back to your home country

 

u will never be in the US for 29 days

and no ,  u do not need tourist visa the C/1D acts as the transit visa for the length of your contract

make sure u keep your passport and another form of photo ID with u when u are off ship

 

This was really helpful, thanks for the information. 

 

I presume that this also applies when I'm returning home after my contract ends. So I can fly home from the US with no problem

[PlagueisMD 0]

21 hours ago, JeanneAdil said:

1st time u are doing a contract , so u will be flown in a few days ahead of departure to go over the contract and cruise ship rules

after this initial 1st time,  if  u sign for contract with same line,  they will fly u in closer to date of departure

 

if going with another ship,  the process will be repeated 

Contracts usually are for 7 or 8 months  and u may be able to sign for another months long contract when this one is over 

but usually the ships give u a few months off and fly u home  as u work 7 days a week on board 

trust me u will need this break between contracts

 

 

I was told the contracts are for 4-6 months and then 2 months off. But yes, the 7-days-a-week working part seems rough at the beginning. 

 

Thanks again for your answes

17 hours ago, jan22 said:

No tourist visa is needed. The D visa allows you to seek entry to the US while your cruise ship is in a US port.

Thanks again

[JeanneAdil 6,498]

1 hour ago, PlagueisMD said:

I was told the contracts are for 4-6 months and then 2 months off. But yes, the 7-days-a-week working part seems rough at the beginning. 

 

Thanks again for your answes

Thanks again

contracts vary

normal is 7 or 8 months but Stephanie worked a 2 month contract on her summer vacations 

and after getting masters 4 months before starting her PHD

 

Do u know if your ship will stop in Mexico and what islands it will stop at

your C/1D is for US only 

if u stop at an island like Grand Cayman and u have to have a British visa to visit UK,  u need a British visa to depart the ship

some of our Caribberian islands are Dutch or British territories .  there u must follow their visa rules

[JeanneAdil 6,498]

1 hour ago, PlagueisMD said:

This was really helpful, thanks for the information. 

 

I presume that this also applies when I'm returning home after my contract ends. So I can fly home from the US with no problem

Cruise ship takes care of the flights

they arrange for a hotel if u need one and all

 

Make sure u understand all that the cruise ship companies do and u r not taken advantage of 

these ships like to hire from countires other than US as citizens of other countries speak 2 or more Languages

 

Steph worked with Romanians and Brazilains