Embassy registration

We were sent forms to register with US embassy with our package from HAL and VisaCentral for upcoming transpacific cruise. Is this necessary or are we registered thru the cruise line?

Does your trip involve an extended stay in 1 or more countries before or after the cruise? Unless the answer is 'yes', I can't see the need for embassy registration. We've never registered with any embassy for routine cruise stops or even been furnished with forms by the cruise lines.

We've stayed a week pre or post cruise during an international itinerary and never felt the need to register with the US Embassy.

Thank you...

Where did you get your Chinese visa photos? Did you do your own or go through a company like VisaCentral?

Where did you get your Chinese visa photos? Did you do your own or go through a company like VisaCentral?

In 2016 we used standard passport photos from Walmart and had no problem using them with our Chinese visa application.

We've stayed a week pre or post cruise during an international itinerary and never felt the need to register with the US Embassy.

So if there is something happening, and the US Embassy is trying to get info out to Americans in country, they will not get in touch with you. As they do not even know you are in the country, much less how to contact you.

They may have advanced warning of civil unrest or other issues that you REALLY might want to know about.

Where did you get your Chinese visa photos? Did you do your own or go through a company like VisaCentral?

For passport photos we always go to our local photo store, advising them which passport I am renewing or which country's Visa we are applying for. They check the clothing requirements, background and size.

To obtain a Chinese Visa, we used a visa service, as we didn't have the time to queue outside the China Embassy in Vancouver for multiple days.

There is no harm in doing so and, especially if gives you some peace of mind, you should. We don't sign up for cruises usually since we are only in port for a day and the cruise line has our emergency contact information and knows how to reach us every evening but if we are staying in a country for an extended vacation we do enroll. You can sign up for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program directly on the State Department's website: https://step.state.gov/step/. They list the benefits as:

• Receive important information from the Embassy about safety conditions in your destination country, helping you make informed decisions about your travel plans.
  
• Help the U.S. Embassy contact you in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency.
  
• Help family and friends get in touch with you in an emergency.
  

After all since your tax dollars fund the program you might as well take advantage of it.

To obtain a Chinese Visa, we used a visa service, as we didn't have the time to queue outside the China Embassy in Vancouver for multiple days.

I don't know how it is in Vancouver (and it would be a Consulate there, the Embassy would typically be in Ottawa), but I had to get a China visa for work recently. We have a service, but I needed it RIGHT NOW, so went in person in DC.

I went one day, got a ticket, waited maybe 1 hour to be seen. They checked the paperwork, and I asked if I could have it the next day. They said fine. Next day, I showed up, got the ticket, but had to wait a bit over an hour, as I arrived just before they took a lunch break. Once they came back, got my passport with visa.

Fairly quick and painless.

No down side to registering your travel with the Embassy. Is it 100% necessary.... no but if you do have a problem or issue it will save you time. Also if any issues or problems come up, local area things that could affect you then the Government will send a notice to you.

It takes less than 10 minutes and I believe is worth doing if traveling to troubled parts of the world.

Is this necessary or are we registered thru the cruise line?

There is no harm in doing so and, especially if gives you some peace of mind, you should. We don't sign up for cruises usually since we are only in port for a day and the cruise line has our emergency contact information and knows how to reach us every evening but if we are staying in a country for an extended vacation we do enroll. You can sign up for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program directly on the State Department's website: https://step.state.gov/step/. They list the benefits as:

 

 

• Receive important information from the Embassy about safety conditions in your destination country, helping you make informed decisions about your travel plans.
  
• Help the U.S. Embassy contact you in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency.
  
• Help family and friends get in touch with you in an emergency.
  

After all since your tax dollars fund the program you might as well take advantage of it.

In all my travels I had never registered with the American Embassy and never felt the need nor was I ever advised to. The world is a much different place now. Thanks for providing the link...I'll now easily do this...Again many thanks.

I don't know how it is in Vancouver (and it would be a Consulate there, the Embassy would typically be in Ottawa), but I had to get a China visa for work recently. We have a service, but I needed it RIGHT NOW, so went in person in DC.

 

I went one day, got a ticket, waited maybe 1 hour to be seen. They checked the paperwork, and I asked if I could have it the next day. They said fine. Next day, I showed up, got the ticket, but had to wait a bit over an hour, as I arrived just before they took a lunch break. Once they came back, got my passport with visa.

 

Fairly quick and painless.

My mistake, concur in Vancouver we have a Consulate.

Unfortunately it isn't that easy out here. We went to the Consulate in the early morning, with everything required, only to find all appointments were already full. They advised queuing outside the back door for at least 2 hrs before opening. Once open they provide numbered tickets, however no guarantee that with a ticket you will actually be seen. If not seen, return tomorrow, arriving even earlier. Once the Visa was issued you repeated the process to pick up the passports.

They also refused to put a Visa in my UK passport, so I had to get a Canadian passport.

Not an easy process on the West Coast, especially as we still worked in those days.

There is no harm in doing so and, especially if gives you some peace of mind, you should. We don't sign up for cruises usually since we are only in port for a day and the cruise line has our emergency contact information and knows how to reach us every evening but if we are staying in a country for an extended vacation we do enroll. You can sign up for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program directly on the State Department's website: https://step.state.gov/step/. They list the benefits as:

 

 

• Receive important information from the Embassy about safety conditions in your destination country, helping you make informed decisions about your travel plans.
  
• Help the U.S. Embassy contact you in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency.
  
• Help family and friends get in touch with you in an emergency.
  

After all since your tax dollars fund the program you might as well take advantage of it.

We agree. It is free and you never know when such a warning, officially an advisory, may be useful to ensure your safety.

My mistake, concur in Vancouver we have a Consulate.

 

Unfortunately it isn't that easy out here. We went to the Consulate in the early morning, with everything required, only to find all appointments were already full. They advised queuing outside the back door for at least 2 hrs before opening. Once open they provide numbered tickets, however no guarantee that with a ticket you will actually be seen. If not seen, return tomorrow, arriving even earlier. Once the Visa was issued you repeated the process to pick up the passports.

 

They also refused to put a Visa in my UK passport, so I had to get a Canadian passport.

 

Not an easy process on the West Coast, especially as we still worked in those days.

Wow, I see why you did what you did.

Strange they would not do your UK passport, as a lot of consular sections pretty much exist for 3rd party visas. Like the US Embassy in London. UK only need visas for work, but many non-UK citizens live there and need a visit to visit the US.

Oh well, their visa, their rules.