TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

Please take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the required travel documents. The requirements described below are required by government regulations and policies. They are subject to change without notice.

UMCruises International Ltd. strongly recommends that all guests travel with a passport that is valid for at least 6 months beyond the end of the cruise.

It is the sole responsibility of the guest to identify and obtain all required travel documents for the entire cruise vacation and have them available when necessary. These appropriate, valid travel documents – passports, visas, family legal documents and inoculation certificates – are required for boarding and re-entry into the United States and other countries.

Guests who do not possess the proper documentation may be prevented from boarding their flight or ship or from entering a country and may be subject to fines.

United States and Canadian Citizens:

You MUST have one of the following:

– OR –

  • Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) or Trusted Travel Documents. Click here for a list of all approved documents.

Exceptions:

  • United States citizens on cruises that begin and end at the same port in the United States can use a government-issued picture ID (i.e. driver’s license) AND a government-issued birth certificate or original Naturalization Certificate.
  • Minors under the age of 16 will be able to present either an original government-issued, original, notarized or certified copy of his or her birth certificate; a Consular Report of Birth Abroad Issued by DOA; or Certificate of Naturalization issued by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Note: Baptismal papers and hospital certificates of birth are NOT acceptable. Military identification cards, voter registration cards or Social Security cards are NOT considered proof of citizenship.

 

United States Permanent Residents:

You MUST have the following:

  • United States Permanent Resident Card. Click here for additional information.

– AND –

  • A passport from your home country is strongly recommended.

 

Canadian Legal Residents:

You MUST have the following:

  • Passport from your home country.

– AND –

  • Original copy of your Permanent Resident Card (PR Card), formerly the IMM 1000.

– AND –

  • Multiple entry United States visa (if applicable).

 

All Other Nationalities:

You MUST have the following:

  • Passport from your home country.

– AND –

  • Multiple entry United States visa (if applicable), or US Visa Waiver (see details below).

 
Visas:

It is the responsibility of the guest to identify, obtain and present necessary visas before the start of their cruise vacation. Requirements vary based on the guest’s nationality and countries visited on your trip. Please go to the United States Department of State travel information website to determine if a visa is required.

 

Visa Waiver Program:

The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) enables most citizens or nationals of participating countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. Travelers must have a valid Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) approval prior to travel and meet all requirements explained below. If you prefer to have a visa in your passport, you may still apply for a visitor (B) visa.

Andorra Hungary Poland
Australia Iceland Portugal
Austria Ireland San Marino
Belgium Italy Singapore
Brunei Japan Slovakia
Chile Latvia Slovenia
Croatia Liechtenstein South Korea
Czech Republic Lithuania Spain
Denmark Luxembourg Sweden
Estonia Malta Switzerland
Finland Monaco Taiwan
France Netherlands United Kingdom*
Germany New Zealand
Greece Norway

* To be eligible to travel under the VWP, British citizens must have the unrestricted right of permanent abode in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man.

Each Traveler Must Have a Valid ESTA

In order to travel without a visa on the VWP, you must have authorization through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) prior to boarding a U.S. bound air or sea carrier. ESTA is a web-based system operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to determine eligibility to travel under the VWP to the United States for tourism or business. Visit the ESTA webpage on the CBP website for more information.

Updating Your ESTA

In most cases, your ESTA will be valid for two years. You also must obtain a new ESTA if you: (1) receive a new passport, including an emergency or temporary passport; (2) change your name; (3) change your gender; (4) change your country of citizenship; or (5) need to change your responses to any of the “yes” or “no” questions on the ESTA application.

Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015

Under the Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015, travelers in the following categories must obtain a visa prior to traveling to the United States as they are no longer eligible to travel under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP):

  • Nationals of VWP countries who have traveled to or been present in Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, or Yemen on or after March 1, 2011 (with limited exceptions for travel for diplomatic or military purposes in the service of a VWP country).
  • Nationals of VWP countries who are also nationals of Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, or Syria.

These individuals can apply for visas using regular appointment processes at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate. For those who require a visa for urgent travel to the United States, U.S. Embassies and Consulates stand ready to handle applications on an expedited basis.

If an individual who is exempt from the Act because of his or her diplomatic or military presence in one of the seven countries has his or her ESTA denied, he or she may go to the CBP website, or contact the CBP information Center. The traveler may also apply for a nonimmigrant visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection strongly recommends that any traveler to the United States check his or her ESTA status prior to making any travel reservations or travelling to the United States. More information is available on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) website.

Have the Correct Type of Passport

You must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months after your planned departure from the United States (unless exempted by country-specific agreements). For families, each member of your family, including infants and children, must have his/her own passport.

In addition, you must have an e-passport to use the VWP. An e-passport is an enhanced secure passport with an embedded electronic chip. The chip can be scanned to match the identity of the traveler to the passport. E-Passports must be in compliance with standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). You can readily identify an e-passport, by a symbol on the cover. See the example below. More information about e-passports is available on the DHS website.

 

More information on the Visa Waiver Program can be found here.