Looking for some clarification re needing visa in Cochin, India stop-over from our fellow passengers/cruisers. Celebrity Cruise has no comment Or that we are on our own on this issue. Indian Embassy, of course, would want you to have a visa but they make it hard to get one.
Husband and I are doing above cruise starting in Barcelona and ending in Sngapore. We are both U.S. citizen but Imy birthplace is Philippines. Since we are only having less than 48-hour stop-over and are not planning on getting off the ship in Cochin, we are deciding on not getting a visa.
What is the rest of our fellow passengers doing on this visa issue?
Joe and Linda of Portland Oregon
Celebrity Solstice Nov.2012--Dubai/Singapore- Re visa for India??
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Feedback: What are your thoughts on cruising?
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Amy_D
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49 responses; most recent on May 4, 13 at 05:46 PM
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Never mind India, Dubai should be the one port you worry about.
If you are US Citizen and holds US passport, your birth place should not make any difference.
Thank you.
I agree with Eschew. The Indian govt. makes it very hard for some to get a visa. My wife, a former Indian citizen who now is a US citizen went thru hell 2 yrs. ago to get a visa. We also found out that even if you have a US passport but were naturalized you have to provide a translated copy of your original birth cert. so for you that means you need your orig. Phillipino birth cert. translated to English!
Even I as a born in the US citizen still had to provide a copy of my birt cert. even with a US passport. For < 48 hrs. It's not wort it. Heck a 6 mo. Visa was around $ 75.00 at least. Maybe more. I don't recall.
Frankly if she did not have family there we'd never go back.
They even require a naturalized citizen to send a copy of their naturalized cert. even though on the cert. itself it says it's illegal to make a copy.
Rest in Cochin and enjoy the rest of your cruise.
Thank you for your kind response. Now I feel better.
Cheeers. Larry
I am a Canadian going on this cruise and as I write this I have sent my application in for a visa for the Indian portion of this trip. I believe it is required to have a visa for India even if you are not going on shore, you are in their country and it would be a shame if you had difficulties boarding without the required visas. Now as a Canadian I was instructed to get visas for both Dubai and India. Yes India's visa seems a bit more complicated as I needed to print off a check list, a declaration form, an itinerary etc. so if I were you I would play it safe and get one if it is required of US citizens. Hope to meet you on board.
Hello I am British and my wife is Swedish, Celebrity were not particularly helpful and were quite ambiguous re the visa requirement.
However what I have found out is that without the correct visa it is probable that you may be denied boarding in Dubai .
The Indian embassy are typically awkward my wife has been given a six month multi entry visa, wereas I a British citizen I have been given a three month single entry.
We are on this cruise, our visas have just arrived it took about ten days in total.
Got the below from emirates website re Dubai issues:
If your country of nationality appears on the list below, no advance visa arrangements are required to visit the UAE. Simply disembark your flight at Dubai International Airport and proceed to Immigration, where your passport will be stamped with a 30-day visit visa free of charge. This can be extended for an additional 30 days at an additional charge.
Australia
Andorra
Austria
Brunei
Belgium
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hong Kong
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
Malaysia
Monaco
Netherlands
New Zealand Norway
Portugal
San Marino
Singapore
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
United States of America
The Vatican
My wife and I are going on this cruise. If you do not leave the ship, you do not have to worry. Dubai and Singapore do not require visas for US citizens. Oman does require a visa for US citizens.
When we traveled to Russia (visa required for US citizens) we took two excursions from the ship and did not have to obtain visas. The same may apply here.
We also received a letter from either our travel agent or Celebrity that said visas might be approved on board for a small amount. This was after I had already spent a lot of money for visas.
BTW, India has outsourced their visa services to Travisa www.travisa.com and you can obtain the Oman visa also. Be aware that they are not customer friendly or fast.
Hope you have a great trip!! We are looking forward to it.