Confused how to count number of days outside US

[hieumin 2]

My wife and I went on cruise for 5 days departed from Miami. On second days we arrived Key West, Florida. On third days because bad weather we stayed about 18 hours in Bahamas then went back to MIami. So most of the time we were at sea.

Please help me answer these two questions. thanks

How many total days you spend outside of the US during the last 5 yrs?

How mant trips of 24 hours or more have you taken outside of the US during the last 5 yrs?

[NickD 202]

According to the DOS site:

"Sea Travel: U.S. citizens traveling to The Bahamas by sea on private watercraft or most commercial vessels must have a valid passport. Those traveling by sea on an officially-designated “closed-loop cruise”, meaning that the port of entry is the same port as the port of re-entry upon return to the U.S., may enter using a passport, passport card, or other Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) compliant document, however, it is prudent to obtain a passport before travel in case of an unforeseen emergency that requires a cruise passenger to disembark and return by air. (Please verify with your cruise line if your intended cruise is designated a closed-loop cruise.) Travelers arriving via private watercraft are charged docking fees."

You do need a passport to travel to the Bahamas. If that five day trip is all you took in the last five years, just list 5 days, that is nothing for meeting the residency requirements. I assume your passport had both exit and re-entry stamps in it, use those dates.

Wife only took two short trips during her 3 year period, in preparation and reading the N-400 at the beginning, recorded those dates. But just to double check, went through my wife's passport book where she made many trips before we were married. Took me a couple of hours, these guys are really sloppy, stamping one on top of another. But at her interview, her IO just opened it for a couple of seconds and said all was okay.

[hieumin 2]

According to the DOS site:

"Sea Travel: U.S. citizens traveling to The Bahamas by sea on private watercraft or most commercial vessels must have a valid passport. Those traveling by sea on an officially-designated “closed-loop cruise”, meaning that the port of entry is the same port as the port of re-entry upon return to the U.S., may enter using a passport, passport card, or other Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) compliant document, however, it is prudent to obtain a passport before travel in case of an unforeseen emergency that requires a cruise passenger to disembark and return by air. (Please verify with your cruise line if your intended cruise is designated a closed-loop cruise.) Travelers arriving via private watercraft are charged docking fees."

You do need a passport to travel to the Bahamas. If that five day trip is all you took in the last five years, just list 5 days, that is nothing for meeting the residency requirements. I assume your passport had both exit and re-entry stamps in it, use those dates.

Wife only took two short trips during her 3 year period, in preparation and reading the N-400 at the beginning, recorded those dates. But just to double check, went through my wife's passport book where she made many trips before we were married. Took me a couple of hours, these guys are really sloppy, stamping one on top of another. But at her interview, her IO just opened it for a couple of seconds and said all was okay.

At Miami port, customs official only glanced at the passport and no stamps issued.

[NickD 202]

Would put those five days in anyway, even without written proof, won't hurt a bit if you do, may if you don't.