Passports/Viasa for Foreign Travelers??

[MiamiNicole]

Are travel agent is checking this, but I wanted to know if anyone knew what type of Visas/Passports some of will need. One of us is a US resident (but Colombian passport), my boyfriend and I are flying in from Mexico City, he has a Mexican passport. We are going to the private island, St. Marteen, and St. Thomas, anybody know if security will be tighter for them? Visas? etc.

[ginak1112]

I think you should check directly with Princess. This is too important to leave to a message board to answer. You must have the proper paperwork or you may not get on the ship!!!

[Princesa]

Unfornately, I have the same question regarding traveling with a Mexican Passport for a family member and therefore am in the same "boat"! Princess will not give any advice on the subject of required paperwork/visas for non-citizens of the United States. You will be referred to the U.S. Consulate, blah, blah, blah . . . basically it is your responsiblity to figure this out.

I can suggest you ask the authorities whomever that may be if you may need a "Multi-Entry Visa" for the type of Caribbean cruise you have reserved.

I speak from terrible experience. I gifted my niece (U.S. Citizen) and nephew-in-law (Mexican Citizen) a Caribbean honeymoon cruise . Unfortunately, after nine months of asking travel agent for the appropriate visa requirements and being assured that the passengers were holding the appropriate paperwork, my nephew-in-law was denied boarding in Miami for lack of proper visa(s).

Therefore, BE VERY CAREFUL AND CHECK WITH THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITIES as you will NOT BE ALLOWED TO BOARD without proper papers.

Good luck to both of us on this quest.

Gina1112, your suggestion to go directly to Princess is wise common sense, however surprisingly, a deadend. o:

Please, please if anyone has information, please post it here as I am still trying to figure out this problem myself preferrably before another heartbreaking denial at the terminal.

[West Coast]

Saint Martin is a commune of Guadeloupe, an overseas territory of France. Check out the France embssy here:
http://www.france.diplomatie.fr/venir/visas/index.html (http://www.france.diplomatie.fr/venir/visas/index.html)


Sint Maarten is part of the Netherlands Antilles and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Check the Netherlands embssy here:
http://www.netherlands-embassy.org/visainquiry.asp (http://www.netherlands-embassy.org/visainquiry.asp)


Princess Cays is part of the Bahamas. Check thier embassy here:
http://www.un.int/bahamas/tourist%20visa%20info.htm (http://www.un.int/bahamas/tourist%20visa%20info.htm)

St Thomas / St John are part of the US

[Princesa]

I am regenerating this thread to the top in hopes of getting some feedback.

Thanks!

[spongerob]

Those who hold foreign passports and are legal residents of the US should make sure of the following items:

1. Check with your home country's foreign affairs office (or whatever the equivalent of the State Department for your country is) concerning entry requirements for the places you intend to visit. Fortunately, my passport is Canadian, so I encounter no restrictions except in St. Thomas, where I had to get up earlier and line up with the non-US passengers for a document check before going ashore.

2. Make sure that any documents issued by US Citizenship and Immigration Services are valid and correct. If you are in the midst of the paperwork process, you can request a "Parole for Foreign Travel" which will allow you to leave and re-enter the US while the documentation process is still underway.

3. Make copies of everything.

4. Plan well in advance, because the process to secure necessary documentation can take several weeks, at the least.

5. If you are in the US on a work visa (H1-B or similar), see if your employer has an attorney that works on immigration and documentation issues and get their opinion.

You have to deal with two sets of government regs - those that govern citizens of your home country while traveling, and those that govern entry to the US. Surprisingly, they'll let you go quite easily, but can be very hard to convince when you want back in. If this sounds like jumping through hoops, it is, but is much preferred to being asked to go the "waiting area" by US Border Patrol agents for an "interview". All it takes is someone having a bad day to set their sights on you, and it can cost you a lot of time and money correcting things. Been there, done that, got the sound track.