Mexican Cruise
 

I'm a new US citizen who has just applied for her US Passport. Unfortunately hadn't realized how long it takes to issue these - I was told to expect it in four-to-six weeks if I'm lucky.
So, we're booked on a Mexican Cruise in March. We're not flying anywhere - driving to LA, picking up the boat there and doing a round trip of the Mexican Riviera and landing back in LA.
IF I don't have my US passport, and have to use my UK one, is there likely to be a problem re-entering LA from a cruise-ship? Do I even need to show a passport at this point? I know I need one for the cruise, just in case I have to be taken off-ship (in medical emergency etc).
Does anyone have any experience of this? Or any advice? Please?

Re: Mexican Cruise
 

We just did a 4 night Mexican cruise from LA over Christmas and we went through the full monty as far as immigration and customs is concerned on our return to LA - passports checked, fingerprints, photo etc.

Checking in for the cruise was also similar to airline check in - they checked our passports and looked at our L1/2 visas to make sure we would be able to re-enter the US.

Re: Mexican Cruise
 

By law, a USC must use a US passport to enter the US... and if you have a visa in your UK passport, someone's going to start asking questions.

Ian

Re: Mexican Cruise
 

If you carry your UK passport and US naturalization certificate they'll have to let you in, although you may be given a fine.

Re: Mexican Cruise
 

That's the boilerplate lingo; most people report getting them back w/in two weeks.
My observation suggests they speed up new citizen applications too. :)

Re: Mexican Cruise
 

I recently renewed mine and got the standard 4 to 6 weeks wait time. Had it within 3 weeks of ordering it via mail.

Re: Mexican Cruise
 

There are some exceptions to the passport requirement for "Closed Loop" cruises. See if this information is useful to you:

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/in...d_loop_faq.xml

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/va...go/sea_travel/

It says people can travel with US birth certificates, but it's not clear on natz certificates. The cruise line will be able to tell you.

Re: Mexican Cruise
 

I applied for my first US passport 3rd December and had it back in under 2 weeks

Re: Mexican Cruise
 

Thanks for all the help and information. I guess I'll just keep my fingers crossed and hope that the passport turns up in time! I'll let you know how it goes.....

Re: Mexican Cruise
 

There was a thread recently by someone in a similar situation but he had to travel to Canada on business. When going through US Immigration he was sent to secondary and told not to try to enter the US again without a US PP or he would be fined.

Re: Mexican Cruise
 

As a US Citizen, it's the law that you must enter the US using the correct document - in this case, a US passport.

As has been said if there's no land stops on this cruise, you're deemed to have never left the US though.

Re: Mexican Cruise
 

The Natz Cert is likely to be at the US passport application office......

Re: Mexican Cruise
 

I thought they might return it before sending the passport, as they did here with my UK naturalisation certificate.

Re: Mexican Cruise
 

Mine was returned with the US PP...my husband's was returned separately...it arrived the following day.

Re: Mexican Cruise
 

There can be land stops, it doesn't have to be a cruise to nowhere. Such cruises can be made with a drivers license and a birth certificate. I just don't know about a natz cert.

This person will likely get the passport on time. The cruise company knows the answer to this question.