immigration after a westbound transatlantic

[aquafit]

Hi there! Travelling to Cape Liberty, via Boston, Canada and from Europe....where would it be expected that the customs/border checks are done please?  I'm trying to plan the Boston day trip and not sure how long to allow for this.Thank you.

[njhorseman]

8 minutes ago, aquafit said:

Hi there! Travelling to Cape Liberty, via Boston, Canada and from Europe....where would it be expected that the customs/border checks are done please?  I'm trying to plan the Boston day trip and not sure how long to allow for this.Thank you.

Since Boston will be your first US port, immigration clearance will be done there. It's impossible to say how long the process will take because you never know how many CBP officers will be working and the thoroughness of the checking they'll be doing that day. Since you're a foreign national you may undergo a lengthier process than a US citizen.

You'll clear customs in your disembarkation port, Cape Liberty. Usually that's a perfunctory check unless you're chosen for a full examination of your belongings.

Edited August 1, 2022 by njhorseman

[aquafit]

Just now, njhorseman said:

Since Boston will be your first US port, immigration clearance will be done there. It's impossible to say how long the process will take because you never know how many CBP officers will be working and the thoroughness of the checking they'll be doing that day.

You'll clear customs in your disembarkation port, Cape Liberty. Usually that's a perfunctory check unless you're chosen for a full examination of your belongings.

Thank you.  The last time that we did this route the border patrol came on the ship during the last sea day and it was all done before arriving...Can this still happen maybe?

[njhorseman]

1 minute ago, aquafit said:

Thank you.  The last time that we did this route the border patrol came on the ship during the last sea day and it was all done before arriving...Can this still happen maybe?

I suppose it can, but that depends on the procedures in place at the time of your cruise.

[aquafit]

1 minute ago, njhorseman said:

I suppose it can, but that depends on the procedures in place at the time of your cruise.

Thank you.  I will report back what happens.

[Nanatravel]

46 minutes ago, aquafit said:

Hi there! Travelling to Cape Liberty, via Boston, Canada and from Europe....where would it be expected that the customs/border checks are done please?  I'm trying to plan the Boston day trip and not sure how long to allow for this.Thank you.

Are you stopping in Portland Maine before Boston?  They may have Customs clearance there.

 

[princeton123211]

1 hour ago, aquafit said:

Thank you.  The last time that we did this route the border patrol came on the ship during the last sea day and it was all done before arriving...Can this still happen maybe?

It used to be more common than it is today. The QE2 used to carry border agents on transatlantic trips and you would go collect your passports from them the last couple days of the trip by ordered appointment. Was very civilized and the ship would then dock as a domestic arrival-- sort of how you can preclear Immigration in Shannon Airport before flying to the US. 

 

Also keep in mind that agencies like CBP are stretched thin like a lot of things so I wouldn't necessarily expect this to happen. They would need to embark at one of your last Canadian ports.

 

Boston is a regular terminus for international cruises so the systems are in place at least to hopefully make it a quick process. 

[aquafit]

1 hour ago, princeton123211 said:

It used to be more common than it is today. The QE2 used to carry border agents on transatlantic trips and you would go collect your passports from them the last couple days of the trip by ordered appointment. Was very civilized and the ship would then dock as a domestic arrival-- sort of how you can preclear Immigration in Shannon Airport before flying to the US. 

 

Also keep in mind that agencies like CBP are stretched thin like a lot of things so I wouldn't necessarily expect this to happen. They would need to embark at one of your last Canadian ports.

 

Boston is a regular terminus for international cruises so the systems are in place at least to hopefully make it a quick process. 

Thank you for your information.  It's been a while since we've travelled to USA so I guess there are a lot of changes.

[GTJ]

15 hours ago, njhorseman said:

Since Boston will be your first US port, immigration clearance will be done there. . . . You'll clear customs in your disembarkation port, Cape Liberty. Usually that's a perfunctory check unless you're chosen for a full examination of your belongings.

I have never understood the customs procedure of examination not at the first American port but at the final port. It would seem to me that person intent on smuggling goods into the United States (be it outright contraband or simply dutiable goods) might offload those goods at an intermediate port, never having the goods inspected at the final port. Have you any insights on this?

[GTJ]

15 hours ago, aquafit said:

The last time that we did this route the border patrol came on the ship during the last sea day . . . .

Obviously immigration and customs officials come aboard vessels, but I have never seen the Border Patrol on a cruise vessel. There have been several times when I have seen them come aboard motorcoaches or railroad trains that are traveling domestically within one hundred miles of the border, but never on a cruise vessel. Do you know why the Border Patrol would have been searching the vessel? Might there have been suspected stowaways?

[njhorseman]

6 hours ago, GTJ said:

I have never understood the customs procedure of examination not at the first American port but at the final port. It would seem to me that person intent on smuggling goods into the United States (be it outright contraband or simply dutiable goods) might offload those goods at an intermediate port, never having the goods inspected at the final port. Have you any insights on this?

There are two reasons.

First, smuggling. If there were a substantial amount of contraband being brought into the country it almost certainly would be done at disembarkation because anyone carrying large items off the ship at a port of call would almost certainly arouse suspicion. 

Second is the purchase of dutiable merchandise on board the ship on the last night or nights of the cruise.  The "duty free" shops are very busy at the end of the cruise with passengers buying large amounts of liquor, cigarettes and jewelry.  I have upon occasion had substantial amounts of nonrefundable on board credit to spend and rather than losing it I've spent it in the shops. Others may make purchases because they perceive they are getting a bargain due to the "duty free" status. The ships are required to report purchases above a particular dollar threshold to USCBP and duty can be collected upon disembarkation on those purchases. 

Edited August 2, 2022 by njhorseman

[njhorseman]

11 hours ago, GTJ said:

Obviously immigration and customs officials come aboard vessels, but I have never seen the Border Patrol on a cruise vessel. There have been several times when I have seen them come aboard motorcoaches or railroad trains that are traveling domestically within one hundred miles of the border, but never on a cruise vessel. Do you know why the Border Patrol would have been searching the vessel? Might there have been suspected stowaways?

I suspect the poster is just using the wrong name for the USCBP (United States Customs and Border Patrol ) agents and calling them USBP (United States Border Patrol) agents. 

 

Probably 99.9% of Americans wouldn't know the difference so it's a little much to expect someone from Spain to know it.

[rkacruiser]

8 hours ago, njhorseman said:

The ships are required to report purchases above a particular dollar threshold to USCBP and duty can be collected upon disembarkation on those purchases. 

 

I have wondered about this.  So, on the last evening of the cruise, after the shops on board have closed, a report has to be generated and sent to USCBP before arrival the next morning in port.  Correct?  If so, is there a time deadline the Purser's Office on the ship must meet for the report to arrive at USCBP so that it can be reviewed?  

[njhorseman]

2 hours ago, njhorseman said:

I suspect the poster is just using the wrong name for the USCBP (United States Customs and Border Patrol ) agents and calling them USBP (United States Border Patrol) agents. 

 

Probably 99.9% of Americans wouldn't know the difference so it's a little much to expect someone from Spain to know it.

Proving that 99.9% of Americans don't know the proper names, I wrote "Patrol" in my post when I meant to write "Protection" !!! 🤣🙄 😲

[njhorseman]

17 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

I have wondered about this.  So, on the last evening of the cruise, after the shops on board have closed, a report has to be generated and sent to USCBP before arrival the next morning in port.  Correct?  If so, is there a time deadline the Purser's Office on the ship must meet for the report to arrive at USCBP so that it can be reviewed?  

I don't have the foggiest idea about the details of the process.

[navybankerteacher]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

I have wondered about this.  So, on the last evening of the cruise, after the shops on board have closed, a report has to be generated and sent to USCBP before arrival the next morning in port.  Correct?  If so, is there a time deadline the Purser's Office on the ship must meet for the report to arrive at USCBP so that it can be reviewed?  

Of course, if there is an "interesting $ amount" of duty free" purchases on the report, there will be a sufficient paper trail for the customs people to be able to follow up.

[aquafit]

12 hours ago, njhorseman said:

I suspect the poster is just using the wrong name for the USCBP (United States Customs and Border Patrol ) agents and calling them USBP (United States Border Patrol) agents. 

 

Probably 99.9% of Americans wouldn't know the difference so it's a little much to expect someone from Spain to know it.

Yes!!  That's what I meant! Sorry...Really, I'm just trying to get an idea of wheat time to book transport for either our day out in Boston or disembarking in NYC.  Thank you 

 

[aquafit]

On 8/2/2022 at 7:54 AM, GTJ said:

Obviously immigration and customs officials come aboard vessels, but I have never seen the Border Patrol on a cruise vessel. There have been several times when I have seen them come aboard motorcoaches or railroad trains that are traveling domestically within one hundred miles of the border, but never on a cruise vessel. Do you know why the Border Patrol would have been searching the vessel? Might there have been suspected stowaways?

Sorry, I meant immigration checks.....Really, I'm just trying to get an idea of wheat time to book transport for either our day out in Boston or disembarking in NYC.  Thank you 

[GTJ]

On 8/2/2022 at 8:11 AM, njhorseman said:

First, smuggling. If there were a substantial amount of contraband being brought into the country it almost certainly would be done at disembarkation because anyone carrying large items off the ship at a port of call would almost certainly arouse suspicion.

I am thinking of the expression, "the best things come in small packages."

 

On 8/2/2022 at 8:11 AM, njhorseman said:

Second is the purchase of dutiable merchandise on board the ship on the last night or nights of the cruise.

I was not thinking of onboard purchases, but rather purchases made on shore. In those cases the vessel would not have a record, and it would be the work of customs officers to probe and find dutiable merchandise. If such merchandise could be offloaded prior to the final, perhaps handed to a colleague or shipped domestically, it could seemingly escape inspection.

 

I have long been aware of a similar situation, but the reverse. The Washington State Ferries operate (though presently suspended) an international route that travels between Sidney, B.C., and Anacortes, Wash., stopping enroute at Friday Harbor, Wash. The timetable notes that passengers boarding at Friday Harbor, destined for Anacortes, are subject to customs inspection at Anacortes. I have long thought about the intrusiveness of such inspection without warrant for this domestic travel. The reason for it, of course, is this practice of having customs inspection at the final port of a given itinerary, rather than at the first American port encountered. Again, it is something I do not understand.

[GTJ]

11 hours ago, aquafit said:

Sorry, I meant immigration checks.....Really, I'm just trying to get an idea of wheat time to book transport for either our day out in Boston or disembarking in NYC.  Thank you 

It is a very sensitive issue here in the United States. Many people are concerned about the tactics of the Border Patrol boarding transport vehicles--in particular buses and trains on entirely domestic itineraries--in a search for illegal aliens. It had become particularly acute when the ACLU accused Greyhound Lines of cooperation with the Border Patrol, allowing the officers to board and interrogate the passengers,  in some cases in a manner amounting to a seizure (which is unlawful absent at least reasonable suspicion). Greyhound Lines had long maintained they were legally obligated to permit the Border Patrol to do so. More recently, however, Greyhound Lines (and several other bus companies) have reversed their legal position, and now maintain they have a right to refuse consent for the Border Patrol to do these stops and interrogations. Because this is a very big civil rights issue in this country, it caught my attention when I read that the Border Patrol was now boarding cruise vessels. The implications would be especially acute as an expansion of controversial tactics (though legitimately it would be difficult to distinguish, from a legal perspective, a search for illegal aliens on a cruise vessel from a search for illegal aliens on a bus). The correction that this was immigration, and not Border Patrol, is reassuring!

 

NBC News: Border Patrol searches have increased on Greyhound, other buses far from border

USA Today: Greyhound to stop allowing Border Patrol on buses for immigration checks