On line check in for NON permanent residents

[Mrs Harley]

Hi all,

 

When we go to do our on line check in on the Carnival we put our place of citizenship as the UK ( we are Brits living in Texas) and our place of residency as the USA... we are on L1 and L2 inter-company visa's and we have been here since 2009 and will be until 2016....we also select we are not leaving the USA after the cruise....but when we go onto the next page the only choice of documentation we get is for a permanent residents card...which we obviously dont have as we are on visa's.....however if we select UK as our country of residence and go onto the next page we can enter our passport number. We contacted Carnival and was told " oh thats ok just put it as the UK it wont matter, the ports know how our systems work" ..to us they are telling us to lie on the check in, which we obviously dont want to do, so have asked them for written confirmation that this is acceptable, and will allow is to proceed with the cruise, we dont want any hic-cups when we get to port or when we come back with Homeland Security.... and I was just curious if any non residents have had this issue and how it turned out for them.....don't know if this has been asked before or if the subject has ever come up. This is our first time sailing with Carnival and its never been a problem with any other cruise line but seems it could be with Carnival so would appreciate your views and comments .....and if this is a bit long winded I'm sorry just want to make sure I explain it properly.....

[riffatsea]

Hi,

It sounds like the Carnival web site is not set up to take your info. Why don't you try calling back Carnival but this time hit the button for Tech Support .

Explain to the tech person that there is no window for you to input your specific data. Perhaps they can do it for you by hand or suggest a way that you can do it yourself.

I doubt if the sales people you talk to at Carnival have any tech knowledge or knowledge about visas /residency etc.!

 

[Mrs Harley]

Unfortunately it was Tech Support we spoke to, they were the ones who told us just to put our residence as the UK... but thanks for the reply

[loxley]

Unfortunately it was Tech Support we spoke to, they were the ones who told us just to put our residence as the UK... but thanks for the reply

 

Then I guess you will have to forego online checkin and do it at the port.

[Legend]

Although you live in the USA you are not what are referred to as 'Residents'

 

To be a resident you would have a green card.

 

You said you have visas therefore you are only visitors.

 

You need to fill out the online check in as visitors and enter the UK passport info, when it asks where you will stay after the cruise you can enter the address in the USA where you live.

[Mrs Harley]

The on line check says your country of residence regardless of citizenship and has the note to say where you are legally resident...we do not have a residence in the uk...thanks for your responses we will get it sorted eventually

 

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[Freckles_51]

Then I guess you will have to forego online checkin and do it at the port.

 

OP, in your situation I would follow the above advice. I might be wrong but I think you need to arrive at least 2 hours before sailaway if you do not do online checkin.

[Pattiecakes]

Hi all,

 

When we go to do our on line check in on the Carnival we put our place of citizenship as the UK ( we are Brits living in Texas) and our place of residency as the USA... we are on L1 and L2 inter-company visa's and we have been here since 2009 and will be until 2016....we also select we are not leaving the USA after the cruise....but when we go onto the next page the only choice of documentation we get is for a permanent residents card...which we obviously dont have as we are on visa's.....however if we select UK as our country of residence and go onto the next page we can enter our passport number. We contacted Carnival and was told " oh thats ok just put it as the UK it wont matter, the ports know how our systems work" ..to us they are telling us to lie on the check in, which we obviously dont want to do, so have asked them for written confirmation that this is acceptable, and will allow is to proceed with the cruise, we dont want any hic-cups when we get to port or when we come back with Homeland Security.... and I was just curious if any non residents have had this issue and how it turned out for them.....don't know if this has been asked before or if the subject has ever come up. This is our first time sailing with Carnival and its never been a problem with any other cruise line but seems it could be with Carnival so would appreciate your views and comments .....and if this is a bit long winded I'm sorry just want to make sure I explain it properly.....

 

 

My husband has had the same problem. he just did as Carnival told you...put that you are a UK resident. We have been on 2 cruises now and have yet to have an issue. Hope this helps.

[Not_Done_Living]

my wife has this issue -- bottom line is -- you are residing in the USA-- but you are NOT Residents of the USA.

 

you are residents of the UK even though you do not reside there.

 

see the difference?

[kirin]

my wife has this issue -- bottom line is -- you are residing in the USA-- but you are NOT Residents of the USA.

 

you are residents of the UK even though you do not reside there.

 

see the difference?

 

The OP has permission in the form of L-1/L-2 visas to reside in the U.S and is residing there. That is her legal residence for the duration of her visa, as long as she chooses to stay there. Issues of residence are quite different from issues of nationality. There are many people working at the U.N. who do not have (nor want) a U.S. Green Card, but are legal residents of the U.S. as it is their principle domicile, for the duration of their duties there.

 

To the OP, I hope you will not follow the Carnival phone rep's advice to supply misinformation for the on-line check-in, simply to expediate matters. This most likely would not, but could, come back to haunt you with the INS. I think your best bet is to deal with check-in at the terminal, before you board, as others have suggested.

 

Best of luck for a happy cruise,

Kate

[tallcruiser2]

Sorry to hi-jack this thread but my problem is similar with Carnival check-in. I am a Canadian citizen living in the USA with permanent resident alien (green card) that does not have an expiry date (all the newer ones do but my one that was issued in 1985 is still valid). When I try checking in for our May 4 Valor cruise from San Juan, when prompted for permanent resident card info, it wants an expiry date which I don't have and cannot continue.

When I called Carnival to see it they could help, they said there was northing they could do. Our other cruises have been on HAL and I have not had this issue before. Guess I will be taking longer to get through check-in at the port:mad:.

[Mrs Harley]

Thank you all for your responses, we managed to speak to someone in Carnival and have on an email a step by step to what we should do, basically they admit their system is not set up for Non US citizens who live in the USA and are not on greencards. We also called my husbands company visa compliance lawyers who contacted Homeland Security for advice and they said it will be OK. I guess its just the difference between American English and real English as we would never say some one is resident in a place they dont live.... but at least I have it in writting from Carnival and Homeland Security so should be ok

Edited April 4, 2014 by Mrs Harley

[fishtaco]

The on line check says your country of residence regardless of citizenship and has the note to say where you are legally resident...we do not have a residence in the uk...thanks for your responses we will get it sorted eventually

 

Sent from my SM-G730V using Forums mobile app

 

You are not a US "Resident", Some countries allow permanent residency without becoming a citizen, Australia allows this for some nationalities like Brits. If you are on a visa you are a visitor no matter how long you have been there. you are a British citizen and Resident temporarily residing in USA on a visa so you need to fill out your online check in as British Citizen or visitor to USA.

[fishtaco]

Also to add you may need to produce your visa to board at check in!

 

My last Carnival cruise out of Longbeach C.A they were not going to let me board because they couldnt find my USA entry stamp:eek: A supervisor found it eventually.

 

On Carnivals T&C,s it states people from overseas must produce an ESTA or valid visa along with their passport to board.:)

[kirin]

Thank you all for your responses, we managed to speak to someone in Carnival and have on an email a step by step to what we should do, basically they admit their system is not set up for Non US citizens who live in the USA and are not on greencards. We also called my husbands company visa compliance lawyers who contacted Homeland Security for advice and they said it will be OK. I guess its just the difference between American English and real English as we would never say some one is resident in a place they dont live.... but at least I have it in writting from Carnival and Homeland Security so should be ok

 

Mrs. H, I am glad to hear all is sorted and you can now enjoy preparing for your cruise with no worries.

 

I am smiling at your comment about the difference between "American English and real English." Honestly, American English is not so different from British English. In American English, you are a resident of the country where you legally live. You cannot be a resident of a country you do not live in. This is why on U.S. Customs forms, there are two separate questions: a) nationality and b) country of residence. It was clear from your first post that you and your husband know that you are non-permanent residents of the U.S. and I am puzzled as to why anyone would question your country of residence in the first place.

 

I am a U.S. citizen with Permanent Residence in a foreign country and therefore a resident of that country and a non-resident of the U.S.

 

There is a lot of good information on CC regarding cruising, but obviously a lot of murkiness when Immigration issues/terminology come up.

 

Cheers,

Kate

[Out to sea!]

Sorry to hi-jack this thread but my problem is similar with Carnival check-in. I am a Canadian citizen living in the USA with permanent resident alien (green card) that does not have an expiry date (all the newer ones do but my one that was issued in 1985 is still valid). When I try checking in for our May 4 Valor cruise from San Juan, when prompted for permanent resident card info, it wants an expiry date which I don't have and cannot continue.

When I called Carnival to see it they could help, they said there was northing they could do. Our other cruises have been on HAL and I have not had this issue before. Guess I will be taking longer to get through check-in at the port:mad:.

 

You could just get a new Alien Resident card and then you would have an expiration date to put in the box.

[Out to sea!]

Thank you all for your responses, we managed to speak to someone in Carnival and have on an email a step by step to what we should do, basically they admit their system is not set up for Non US citizens who live in the USA and are not on greencards. We also called my husbands company visa compliance lawyers who contacted Homeland Security for advice and they said it will be OK. I guess its just the difference between American English and real English as we would never say some one is resident in a place they dont live.... but at least I have it in writting from Carnival and Homeland Security so should be ok

 

Excuse me but "American English" IS "real English", it's just not "British English".

[fishtaco]

Excuse me but "American English" IS "real English", it's just not "British English".

 

Sorry to correct but American English is also British English as Britain adopted most of its modern English from American English.:)

 

OP was just confused about "State of residence" and where op actually "Resides" at present:)

[Out to sea!]

Sorry to correct but American English is also British English as Britain adopted most of its modern English from American English.:)

 

OP was just confused about "State of residence" and where op actually "Resides" at present:)

 

Sorry to disagree, but having lived in England for two years, and with the possible exception of IT terminology, I found British English to be far different from American English. Of course, English was derived mainly from Middle German so in a way, I guess we could say we both speak German, so to speak. ;)

Edited April 5, 2014 by Out to sea!

[Shaded Lady]

You are not a US "Resident", Some countries allow permanent residency without becoming a citizen, Australia allows this for some nationalities like Brits. If you are on a visa you are a visitor no matter how long you have been there. you are a British citizen and Resident temporarily residing in USA on a visa so you need to fill out your online check in as British Citizen or visitor to USA.

 

As someone who dealt with immigration issues for ages before I became a citizen, the OP IS a resident- just not a PERMANENT RESIDENT. My DH & I had a Canadian passport with a US visa and a US address. Our designation with USCIS was as a resident alien.

 

Which is why I did a happy dance the day I received my US citizenship- I was no longer an alien of any kind! I'm now a 'naturalized citizen'- and I prefer being natural than an alien any day!

[fishtaco]

Sorry to disagree, but having lived in England for two years, and with the possible exception of IT terminology, I found British English to be far different from American English. Of course, English was derived mainly from Middle German so in a way, I guess we could say we both speak German, so to speak. ;)

 

You may have lived in Britain but I am British:)

 

Without American English most Brits would not be able to understand todays English as it was.

 

I just watch an entire series on this subject. we do spell differently and we do speak differently at times but that is usually slang. Since the introduction of the Urban dictionary along with IT we will all speak and write the same within a few years and that is the beauty of the English language adaptability:)