PASSPORT RULE
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PASSPORT RULING |
HELICOPTER SAFETY ADVISORY CONFERENCE (HSAC) GULF OF MEXICO
"Under applicable immigration law, sailing from a United States port into international waters, without a call at a foreign port, and returning to the United States, does not constitute a ''departure'' from the United States and, consequently, is not an ''entry'' into the United States that requires a passport under section 215(b) of the INA. Therefore, passports will not be required for persons (including commercial fishermen) onboard a vessel that sails from a United States port and returns without calling at a foreign port or place as the vessel is not considered to have departed the United States. Therefore, commercial fishermen would not be required to possess a passport unless they call at a foreign port or place."
Regarding passengers and crew arriving via helicopter from the OCS the following is final:
U.S. Crew/Pax arriving from the OCS will not require a passport unless they are arriving via a foreign port. Ex. "An individual who travels to a MODU from outside the United States OCS and, therefore, has not been previously inspected and admitted to the United States, would be required to possess a passport and visa when arriving at the United States port-of-entry by air."
"DHS and DOS note that offshore employees on MODUs underway, which are not considered attached, would not need to present a passport for re-entry to the United States mainland if they do not enter a foreign port or place during transit."
Under the final rule for aircraft it states that the pax/crew must posses a passport if arriving from a foreign port within the Western Hemisphere, which the OCS is not considered.
I believe these two excerpts clearly state that there will not
be a passport requirement for U.S. Citizens arriving from the OCS. The air rule
is final and the final rule for sea will come out later.