Documentation for Resident Aliens
 

Hello all. PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS ONE. No one seems to know and the websites are not very clear on this matter. For resident aliens (have green cards but no US passports yet) what is required for them to cruise to the Caribbean starting in 2007? Thank you very much!

After Dec,31 2006 ALL need to have US Passports. Sorry, I am sure of it because my friends are aliens and it was the last time this year we could go abroad together. They are applying for a Citizenship now, you should to. Good luck and have you seen everything in US yet? LOL

Ziana - thanks for your reply. Actually I'm already a US citizen. It's for someone else and he can't apply for citizenship yet b/c he's still within the waiting period. The cruise lines themselves are unclear about this and keep transferring me to the State Dept. and as you know there's no customer service rep. at the State Dept. to answer my question. Some travel agents have told me that he can travel with various documents - his native passport, a reentry permit, visas, etc. I just don't want to buy a whole package for him and then it turns out that he can't go.

P.S. Not everything in the US yet, but my family really enjoyed our last cruise with RCL. =)

I am sorry friend will have to wait until Citizenship will kick in.
We use to order green passports for our friends at http://www.passportvisaexpress.com/

They have whole bunch of info and they are in Washington and you can call just to make sure. Take care

I remembered! It called Re-entry permit and was bright green Passport like document...when we went on a cruise everyone from security were coming to take a look - must be rare paper!
So ask what is happening to Re-entry permits, are they out from 2007?

The fact you couldn't get an answer doesn't surprise me. Very few people who's supposed to know it, knew it before the change, and even less will know it now. What surprises me is Ziana actually came pretty close to correct answer. The way things are now, the green card holders only need green card with valid ID for Caribbean, Canada and Mexico cruises. Re-entry permit only required when they travel to Europe, South America, etc: countries where American citizens need passports. You can tell that re-entry permit is an equivalent of US passport for them. After 01/08/07, they will need re-entry permit for all outside US travel, including Caribbean, similarly to passport requirements for US citizens. I know that because my IL are green cards holders and cruise with us.

Thank you Ziana and Roswalt for your help.
Roswalt - are your in-laws cruising with you in 2007? I will post when I get a definite answer (from an official agency), however, a reentry permit does seem like the most likely document and it at least gives me a starting point. I just don't understand why they can't just be clear about it on their website!

ROSWALT,
I hope you will ever come as close to your dream as I came close to right answer...which you duplicated word by word what made your post useless to the core...now you can change your name from caps to normal people fonts.


Wait a minute, read this post:
Author: schmerl
Date: 10/11/2006, 07:11 am
I just received this e-mail:

" Travel Rules Changes
Passports requirements for cruise ship travelers got a reprieve from the pending changes. People traveling out of the United States into the Western Hemishpere (Mexico, Canada & Caribbean) by cruise ship have been given an extension on the requirement for a passport until June 1, 2009, latest, or until the new system called PASScard (a sort of national identity card) can be implemented; whichever comes first. This means the January, 2007 deadline is no longer in place. It doesn't mean, however, that you should delay getting a passport. You are going to need one anyway, why delay, do it today! The air rules are somewhat different so be careful"


I am not sure what to make of it...

Yes, Ziana is right, there is a "traveler's passport" for Green Card holders for US re-entry.

With all the recent changes, and our relations with Mexico not getting better, I would not risk to go to Caribbean without a passport.

our relations with Mexico not getting better? So we going to see less Mexicans in US? Holly cow! What a shame...

When people mention passport - I assume they mean U.S. passports. Some cruise/travel websites say that non-citizens should bring a passport and their green card. Which would mean that it could be a non-U.S. issued passport.

As for re-entry permits, according to the gov't site, this is only required if travel is for more than a certain amount of time (not for a 7am-8pm cruise stop). Feel free to correct me if you've had a different experience.

At this point I'm just going to book our NLC cruise trip to Belize and Cozumel. It seems like that whole Western Hemisphere Initiative is being pushed until 2009 anyways. If I receive any definitive and accurate information I will definitely post again. Thanks again!

PS. Believe me we would love to get a U.S. passport for our friend but there's a certain waiting period.

You know what? You are absofreakinglutely right!!! I forgot that there are other countries in a world that issuing passports LOL

What happened was my friends passports from their native countries were expired and it was no way to renew unless they went there which was no way.

So we never exersized this option...
Your friend CAN and SHOULD go if his passport ok. Thanks

They need a passport from their country of citizenship and the green card. As noted, the reentry permit is not necessary for a short trip. It's only required for being out of the U.S. for more than one year, and recommended if out for more than 6 months.

Wrong. Green card holders live in USA permanently and for Caribbean cruise don't need their native passports. Which many of them don't have at all as refugees. Buttafly18, you are right: given that no law changes take place before 2009, only green card and ID needed.

Wrong you! Greencard is not enough to come BACK to US...they can leave wuth GC but to return without trouble they need re-entry permit (for those who has no passport from native country)

laphroaig: Luv that handle. Do you like a good Scotch too? :-)

My IL are green card holders, cruised Caribbean with us 3 times and never needed a permit for return. As usual, Ziana doesn't know what she's talking about, but I'm sure will be arguing. I will just take a great advice to ignore her.

OSFALT,
you just said
What surprises me is Ziana actually came pretty close to correct answer...
pull your *** together!!!!!!!!!

One more question...in wich century it happened that your someone crused with you?

The law change is being deferred ONLY for land border entries. The change for air and sea entries will still take effect in 1/07. But even without the change, I would never suggest that a permanent resident, other than a Canadian, attempt to enter the U.S. without their native country passport (or refugee travel doc if no passport). Your in-laws were very lucky.

Yes, jacketwatch, I do love a good scotch.