Question about required documentation for cruise boarding

[calvodiego]

Hi, first cruise here, so although this question may seem dumb have mercy!

I recently naturalized as a US citizen (yay), and one of the things I did to celebrate was reserve a room aboard a 7 day cruise for me and my girlfriend on Norwegian Cruise Lines from Tampa to Mexico and Honduras. However, my parents just moved residences, and somehow managed to lose a box carrying our recently delivered certificate of naturalization.. The certification of naturalization, which we need to apply for a US passport can take 6-12 months for a new certificate to arrive, however the cruise leaves in 3 months.. So basically, it seems a US passport/Certificate of naturalization are out of reach.

 

Could a potential compromise be to utilize the valid Bolivian passport I have and receive travel visas to the cruise destinations?

Additionally, the NCL website merely says a valid passport, but I'm assuming this means US and not just any country?

 

You’re required to carry:

A VALID PASSPORT

OR

Proof of Citizenship (see below) AND Government-issued photo ID

• State certified U.S. birth certificate
• Original certificate of U.S. naturalization
• Original certificate of U.S. citizenship
• U.S. Consular report of your birth abroad

 

This post may be confusing. Sorry!

[clo]

26 minutes ago, calvodiego said:

Additionally, the NCL website merely says a valid passport, but I'm assuming this means US and not just any country?

 

First of all,congratulations! Second, I hope you get some great advice here. Third, based on nothing, why would you need a US passport? There are people from every nation traveling. I bet this isn't going to be a problem. But....  I'd contact every government office you can think of. And, again, I bet you're going to get all sorts of good info here and elsewhere.  Best of luck.

[sparks1093]

The problem is that you are a US citizen. As I understand it for you to leave the US you can only use your US passport. Of course you are going on a closed loop cruise so that throws things into question a little bit. You could cruise with your naturalization certificate and a government issued ID, if you find it before the cruise. A call to NCL might be in order, but I'm not sure that the customer service people are that well versed in required documentation. So, I'd say keep looking for the naturalization certificate, it might just turn up. If it doesn't turn up by the time the cruise leaves you really don't have much choice but to show up with your Bolivian passport and hope for the best (remember if you have to do this you would have to indicate you are a Bolivian citizen on the online check in). I would wait to order the new naturalization certificate unless there is a way to expedite it and get it before the cruise- they might invalidate your other one making it unusable if you find it. Good luck and I hope that your naturalization certificate is in the next box they open!

[Essiesmom]

Did you renounce your Bolivian citizenship when you became a US citizen?  Or do you now have dual citizenship?  If dual, traveling on your Bolivian passport might work.  I do not believe a certificate of naturalization would be invalidated if a new copy is ordered.  They don't invalidate a birth certificate if you order a new copy.  EM

[SRF]

Nope, as a US citizen now (and my congrats also), you MUST travel in and out of the US on a US passport.

 

Also if he renounced his Bolivian citizenship, then his Bolivian passport is invalid.

 

As for just acting like he is not a US citizen and traveling on his Bolivian passport is not exactly how a new citizen should start out.  By violating US Federal laws on traveling.

 

Unfortunately, without the certificate or a US passport, you may have to postpone this cruise.

[sparks1093]

36 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

Did you renounce your Bolivian citizenship when you became a US citizen?  Or do you now have dual citizenship?  If dual, traveling on your Bolivian passport might work.  I do not believe a certificate of naturalization would be invalidated if a new copy is ordered.  They don't invalidate a birth certificate if you order a new copy.  EM

A naturalization certificate is different, by law you may only have one (at least that is my understanding, I looked into getting a spare for DW and it was a no go), whereas you may have as many copies of your birth certificate as you want. 

[Itchy&Scratchy]

you must either have your US passport or naturalization certificate + birth certificate. Have your parents look for it, because you are not going to board the ship without one of these.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

3 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

Did you renounce your Bolivian citizenship when you became a US citizen?  Or do you now have dual citizenship?  If dual, traveling on your Bolivian passport might work.

a US citizen cannot reenter the US on a Bolivian passport. Or any other country's passport.

[sparks1093]

5 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

you must either have your US passport or naturalization certificate + birth certificate. Have your parents look for it, because you are not going to board the ship without one of these.

They don't need their birth certificate since it doesn't prove US citizenship, that's what the naturalization certificate does.

[Ferry_Watcher]

Wouldn't you have turned in your "Green Card" once you became a citizen? (Congratulations by the way).  I also think you might run into problems returning to the US with your Bolivian Passport.  Maybe a celebration trip stateside would be safer.  :  )

[flyingron]

Itchy&Scratchy nails it.   A US citizen must enter with their US passport.    You technically do not need any passport to leave, but most carriers (be it an airline or a cruiseship) won't board you without one because they don't want to be stuck with you when you can't get off.

 

That loss of a box is going to be very expensive for you.   The replacement cost is $555. 

There is a special procedure for those in your situation though.   Once you apply for the replacement certificate and have the receipt from the INS, you can use that to obtain a "limited validity" passport that is good for reentry into the US for a year.   Once you submit the replacement certificate of naturalization, they'll expand that to the four year term.  

You may wish to look into a company that handles expedited passport processing to assist you.

 

Edited January 24, 2020 by flyingron

[flyingron]

I think my brain failed or the spell checker got me.   The like should say once you submit the certificate you'll get the FULL ten year term.

 

[sparks1093]

On 1/24/2020 at 12:01 PM, flyingron said:

Itchy&Scratchy nails it.   A US citizen must enter with their US passport.    You technically do not need any passport to leave, but most carriers (be it an airline or a cruiseship) won't board you without one because they don't want to be stuck with you when you can't get off.

 

That loss of a box is going to be very expensive for you.   The replacement cost is $555. 

There is a special procedure for those in your situation though.   Once you apply for the replacement certificate and have the receipt from the INS, you can use that to obtain a "limited validity" passport that is good for reentry into the US for a year.   Once you submit the replacement certificate of naturalization, they'll expand that to the four year term.  

You may wish to look into a company that handles expedited passport processing to assist you.

 

This would be the best option, barring finding the box with the certificate in it.

[angie7911922]

Yes you need to have the US passport. Maybe just try to call NCL, you never know. But I would not get your hopes up. And DO NOT stop looking for the box!

Good Luck!

[Elaine5715]

On 1/28/2020 at 7:37 AM, angie7911922 said:

Yes you need to have the US passport. Maybe just try to call NCL, you never know. But I would not get your hopes up. And DO NOT stop looking for the box!

Good Luck!

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