Passport needed for US legal resident to travel a closed loop cruise??

I was planning to go on a cruise for my girlfriend’s birthday as surprise, but I’ve gotten mixed answers saying that I do or do not need a passport for the cruise.

The cruise begins in Long Beach ➡️ Catalina Island ➡️ Ensenada, Mexico ➡️ Back to Long Beach

I am a US legal resident with a valid green card, drivers license, and social security. Can someone please tell me if I need a passport to travel. My main concern is being able to leave Mexico.

I was planning to go on a cruise for my girlfriend’s birthday as surprise, but I’ve gotten mixed answers saying that I do or do not need a passport for the cruise.

 

The cruise begins in Long Beach ➡️ Catalina Island ➡️ Ensenada, Mexico ➡️ Back to Long Beach

 

I am a US legal resident with a valid green card, drivers license, and social security. Can someone please tell me if I need a passport to travel. My main concern is being able to leave Mexico.

You need a valid passport from your country of citizenship.

For example: If Canadian citizenship but living in US with a Green Card, you need a valid Canadian Passport to reenter the US.

Yes, you need your passport as well as your green card, since you are only a resident of the US, not a citizen.

And when US citizen you will need US passport as you are not a natural born US citizen, who can use their birth certificates.

We are too.

You might not have to worry about being able to leave Mexico,,,because the cruise line will deny you boarding at embarkation. We just had a long thread (now closed) about somebody being denied boarding for some document issue.

You need to check the entry requirements for citizens of your country of citizenship for Mexico. It makes no difference if you get off the ship or not. You are "in" the moment the ship enters their territorial waters. Without a valid passpost and possibly a visa you won't be allowed on the ship and will lose 100% of your fare.

It's good that you are asking about this now. A "green card" only lets you back into the States. It's not good for entry into other countries.

all non US citizens regardless of status require a valid passport and must abide by the countries the ship will be visiting requirements regarding tourists of that country.

My main concern is being able to leave Mexico.

Actually, if you do not have the proper documentation, you will not even be able to board the cruise.

Since OP mentioned embarking in Long Beach I will assume they are sailing Carnival.

This is what their website says on ID requirements for US Lawful Permanent Residents:

https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1401/session/L2F2LzEvdGltZS8xNTIxMzI5MDM4L3NpZC9mVXpEX2poUGlacmNoR2lnSDBDY0ZPVHQlN0U4NGFMRWJ6V3BIUzVWVHpEd3hWSXplX25DZ3BXdGpQdGcyeXFKVSU3RWNuOGU3VFdIXzdiYlB3aXl4M1o0NjcwZXBwVzI1Z1BWTWU1TDlhRUl0NkQ3emI0SVpYRkJZbGVnJTIxJTIx

Domestic Cruises that do not include travel to Cuba

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) does not pertain to U.S. Permanent Residents.

Cruises that begin and end in the same U.S port (referred to as a closed-loop cruise)

Cruises that begin or end in a different U.S port

• Guests are required to carry a valid Permanent Resident Card (also known as ARC or Green Card), that includes a photo I.D. In addition, U.S Permanent Residents must contact the appropriate embassy or consulate of the countries they will be visiting for specific travel documentation requirements. Carnival assumes no responsibility for advising guests of Immigration requirements.
  
• Please Note: If a Permanent Resident Card does not have an expiration date on the front, then it is a very old version and it is recommended that the guest applies to renew it. Filing instructions and forms are available at www.uscis.gov.
  
• Photo I.D. Information: If the Permanent Resident Card does not include a photo I.D., a non-expired government-issued photo I.D. is required of all guests 16 years of age or older such as a Driver’s License, Driver’s Permit or government-issued identification card (city/state/federal).
  

Now technically there are closed loop cruises that can be taken with nothing but a "Green Card" and an additional Govt issued picture ID--but Carnival passes the buck and leaves it up to the passenger to confirm whether or not their cruise is visiting a nation that will accept just said Green Card from a US Lawful Permanent Resident or not.

Carnival does go on to say that cruises to Canada or Bermuda require a passport in this case; Mexico is not specifically mentioned. But as all the responses above indicate, it would be wise to have that passport with you.

Good you asked and if your passport from home counry is expired, you need to get it renewed. Hope you have time to do that. Does your home country have an embassy or consulate within easy reach of where you live?

Given you stated concern about 'leaving Mexico', if your passport is from Mexico and needs renewing,hopefully that should be possible?

Yes I am sailing Carnival. I’ve called Carnival customer service multiple times and each time was a different answer and I’ve also called a travel agent and they said I can’t go unless I have a passport. For my citizenship I don’t require a visa for Mexico so I’m stumped. I have a Vietnamese passport, but that is expired. if I renew my passport would I be allowed to go on the cruise? Keep in mind it’s a Vietnamese passport.

You have no choice if you want to cruise, or travel anywhere outside the US. You have to have a valid passport. In your case (not born in the US) a passport is the only acceptable travel document, even on a closed loop cruise.

In future, you have to realize that neither the cruise line nor a travel agent are experts on travel document requirements, since these change frequently and without notice. That's the reason that the fine print says it's the passenger's responsibility to ensure their docs are in order. The only official sources are the embassies of the country you are travelling to. And for foreign immigration purposes, it's the country whose passport you carry that matters, not a green card.

Hope you can get your passport renewed before the cruise. Next time don't let it lapse.

Yes I am sailing Carnival. I’ve called Carnival customer service multiple times and each time was a different answer and I’ve also called a travel agent and they said I can’t go unless I have a passport. For my citizenship I don’t require a visa for Mexico so I’m stumped. I have a Vietnamese passport, but that is expired. if I renew my passport would I be allowed to go on the cruise? Keep in mind it’s a Vietnamese passport.

According to the Mexican Consulate-San Francisco website, you will need a valid passport. NOTE the last paragraph and its last sentence:

• Effective March 1st 2010, all visitors traveling to Mexico either by air, land or sea are required to present a valid (non-expired) Passport or Travel Document from their country to enter Mexico.
  
• With the purpose of facilitating and promoting travel to Mexico, effective May 2016 all those foreign nationals, regardless of their nationality, visiting Mexico for tourism, business or transit are NOT required to obtain a Mexican visa IF they hold a valid (non-expired) Visa or Permanent Residence of any of this countries: United States of America, Canada, Japan, United Kingdom or Schengen area (European Union).
  
• Traveling by cruise. Foreigners of any country traveling to Mexico by cruise on leisure trips visiting Mexican maritime ports, are NOT required to obtain a visa or consular stamp. The passenger must carry its valid passport.
  

https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/sanfrancisco/index.php/visas-traveling-to-mexico

You have no choice if you want to cruise, or travel anywhere outside the US. You have to have a valid passport. In your case (not born in the US) a passport is the only acceptable travel document, even on a closed loop cruise.

 

In future, you have to realize that neither the cruise line nor a travel agent are experts on travel document requirements, since these change frequently and without notice. That's the reason that the fine print says it's the passenger's responsibility to ensure their docs are in order. The only official sources are the embassies of the country you are travelling to. And for foreign immigration purposes, it's the country whose passport you carry that matters, not a green card.

 

Hope you can get your passport renewed before the cruise. Next time don't let it lapse.

The cruise line is an absolute expert on travel documentation, otherwise they would have no idea who to let onboard and who to deny boarding to. It's the Customer Service Reps that don't have a clue. While it sounds like OP might be able to renew his passport fairly easily many permanent residents can't for one reason or another (such as needing to return to their native country to renew and not having the means for that, or from facing arrest when they land).

if I renew my passport would I be allowed to go on the cruise? Keep in mind it’s a Vietnamese passport.

Yes, go to the local Vietnamese embassy or Consulate in San Francisco and renew your passport. You can then leave the US and return on your Green Card

Unfortunately, you can't rely on immigration "advice" from phone agents. As stated, you'll need to renew your passport.

According to the Mexican Consulate-San Francisco website, you will need a valid passport. NOTE the last paragraph and its last sentence:

 

• Effective March 1st 2010, all visitors traveling to Mexico either by air, land or sea are required to present a valid (non-expired) Passport or Travel Document from their country to enter Mexico.
  
• With the purpose of facilitating and promoting travel to Mexico, effective May 2016 all those foreign nationals, regardless of their nationality, visiting Mexico for tourism, business or transit are NOT required to obtain a Mexican visa IF they hold a valid (non-expired) Visa or Permanent Residence of any of this countries: United States of America, Canada, Japan, United Kingdom or Schengen area (European Union).
  
• Traveling by cruise. Foreigners of any country traveling to Mexico by cruise on leisure trips visiting Mexican maritime ports, are NOT required to obtain a visa or consular stamp. The passenger must carry its valid passport.
  

https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/sanfrancisco/index.php/visas-traveling-to-mexico

And this is a classic example of a government website that is incorrect, as is the US Department of State's website in many instances when enumerating document requirements for cruises.

I'm not suggesting that the OP, as a Vietnamese citizen, might not need a valid passport issued by Vietnam, but the paragrph I've highlighted in red, which you rely on to provide your advice, is wrong, because when it says "foreigners of any country" it totally ignores the fact that a US citizen traveling on a closed loop cruise to Mexico that departs from a US port can take such cruise without a passport. An official birth certificate and government-issued photo ID are all that's needed. So, the last sentence you quoted from the website is clearly wrong.

I’ve gone onto the the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website and it doesn’t give me a clear answer either http:// https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1139/kw/Mexico

And this is a classic example of a government website that is incorrect, as is the US Department of State's website in many instances when enumerating document requirements for cruises.

 

 

I'm not suggesting that the OP, as a Vietnamese citizen, might not need a valid passport issued by Vietnam, but the paragrph I've highlighted in red, which you rely on to provide your advice, is wrong, because when it says "foreigners of any country" it totally ignores the fact that a US citizen traveling on a closed loop cruise to Mexico that departs from a US port can take such cruise without a passport. An official birth certificate and government-issued photo ID are all that's needed. So, the last sentence you quoted from the website is clearly wrong.

Not us, naturalized or residents aliens.

Only US born citizens.

Not us, naturalized or residents aliens.

Naturalized citizens need only bring their naturalization certificate with them instead of a birth certificate. US citizens born abroad may bring a Consular Report of Birth Abroad certificate.

Is there a problem with renewing your passport? If not, just do it. If there is a problem, work to resolve it quickly. In your situation, I would not be attempting to cruise without a passport.

Yes I am sailing Carnival. I’ve called Carnival customer service multiple times and each time was a different answer and I’ve also called a travel agent and they said I can’t go unless I have a passport. For my citizenship I don’t require a visa for Mexico so I’m stumped. I have a Vietnamese passport, but that is expired. if I renew my passport would I be allowed to go on the cruise? Keep in mind it’s a Vietnamese passport.

Renew your passport. Plain and simple. IMHO You should never have allowed your passport to expire in the first place. One never knows when one needs or wants to travel.

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Naturalized citizens need only bring their naturalization certificate with them instead of a birth certificate. US citizens born abroad may bring a Consular Report of Birth Abroad certificate.

Did you try?

I don't think so. We were always asked for passport.

Did you try?

You're wrong. Sparks1093 is correct. The requirements, including the use of a naturalization certificate or Consular Report of Birth Abroad are clearly spelled out in the regulation covering closed loop cruise exceptions to passport requirements.

You're also totally missing the point of my post. A poster cited a web page from the Mexican Consulate in San Francisco as proof that the OP would need a passport. The problem is that the web page is wrong when it says that all foreigners visiting Mexico on a cruise must carry a passport. It's flat-out wrong. Large numbers of US citizens cruise to Mexico every week without using a passport.

You're wrong. Sparks1093 is correct. The requirements, including the use of a naturalization certificate or Consular Report of Birth Abroad are clearly spelled out in the regulation covering closed loop cruise exceptions to passport requirements.

 

You're also totally missing the point of my post. A poster cited a web page from the Mexican Consulate in San Francisco as proof that the OP would need a passport. The problem is that the web page is wrong when it says that all foreigners visiting Mexico on a cruise must carry a passport. It's flat-out wrong. Large numbers of US citizens cruise to Mexico every week without using a passport.

The OP is still a Vietnamese citizen so any discussion about US birth or naturalization certificates does not apply to him/her.

The OP should just get a new Vietnamese passport anyway if not for this cruise then for other future travel or ID purposes.

The OP is a Vietnamese citizen.

I understand that. Here's what I said in my first post on this thread: "I'm not suggesting that the OP, as a Vietnamese citizen, might not need a valid passport issued by Vietnam".

What I'm saying is that when you cited the Mexican Consulate web page as evidence that the OP needs a passport you're citing a factually incorrect source that says EVERYONE NEEDS A PASSPORT. That is patently not true. There is absolutely nothing on the web page the poster cited that actually answers the OP's question.