Why don't i need a passport to go to haiti?

Question

I'm going on a cruise to Labadee, Haiti, and the cruise line says while I need a passport for other stops like Dominican Republic and Jamaica, I don't need it for Haiti. Why is this?

Answer 1

Probably because Labadee is totally isolated and it is owned by the cruise line.

Answer 2

Even through the travel government website doesn't say so, all cruise lines require you have a passport to even go on the cruise doesn't matter where it is leaving out of.  As of Jan 2007 this took effect, thats why there was such a huge passport backup last year between Jan and May.

Answer 3

I've been on several Caribbean cruises and have never had my passport taken.  Never even looked at, except for ID purposes and immigration checks on board before going onto US territories [e.g. St. Thomas].

Labadee is the cruise line's private island, and you won't be leaving the confines, so you won't really be on foreign soil as far as passport regulations are concerned.  You won't need the passport in DR or Jamaica, either, although it's recommended you take it with you in case you don't get back to ship in time.  Of course, there's always the worry about having it stolen, so make sure you have a copy in the safe on the ship, or take the copy with you ashore - if you're left behind, it might expedite things with the embassy.

You may need the passport to get back into the U.S.  The rules on that are changing, so it would be safest to have it.

If you're unsure, you can always check the State Department website for current info.

Answer 4

I'm not completely sure that they're correct.  

From the State Department website:

Haitian law requires U.S. citizens to have a passport to enter Haiti.  In the past, officials have waived this requirement if travelers had a certified copy of their U.S. birth certificate.  The U.S. Embassy strongly recommends that U.S. citizens obtain passports before travel to Haiti.  

U.S. Citizens traveling to and from Haiti must present a valid passport when entering or re-entering the United States.

Answer 5

If you are going on the cruise I think you are, Labadee is a private beach owned by the cruise line and you are tendered to the beach from one of their vessels. I am sure Labadee is one of several ports of call for your itinery.  They do not check your passport at this stop but you will need your passkey if you leave the ship.  The bar-b-que is great.

Depending on your other port of calls, your passport will be  be required.  You will need your passport if you are going on a cruise to the Caribbean Islands.

Answer 6

There is an agreement between the Haitian government and the Royal Caribbean Line that visitors to Labadee are not subject to  Haitian immigration and customs as long as they stay within the resort's barriers.  Since Labadee is the nation's most important source of revenue, exemptions can be made in order to generate much needed revenue to keep the country afloat.

By the way, Labadee is not an island. It is a peninsula connected to the Haitian mainland. Here is a satellite map of Labadee:

http://www.satellite-sightseer.com/id/45...

Answer 7

I think that it is because you are being kept inside a resort and not allowed to stray outside. (You'd have a real shock if you did!) I am a little puzzled, though, as normally you hand your passport in when you board the ship and don't get to see it again until you disembark at the end of the trip.

Answer 8

I'm pretty sure that it's because Labadee is an island off of haiti and you are forbidden from leaving the island and going to the mainland.  So in affect.. you're really not an Immigration risk.

Labadee is heavily guarded.