Travel w/Birth Certificate & Drivers License

Their concern is their planned excursion to Yukon. Passports are required.

 

 

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I quote the following from the following source: https://www.worldtravelguide.net/guides/north-america/canada/passport-visa/

"Citizens of the USA holding a birth certificate, certificate of citizenship or naturalisation, US permanentresident card, or certificate of Indian status along with photo ID. However, it is recommended that you carry a valid passport. US citizens re-entering the USA from Canada via air, land or sea require a valid passport or passport card."

Dozens of times every week during the Alaska cruise season, literally hundreds of people who are US citizens enter Canada via cruise ships using official American birth certificates and government issued photo ID's.

The Yukon is part of Canada so I would assume, admittedly a dangerous thing, that it is bound by the same Canadian laws as the rest of Canada. Is that not the case?

Tom

We just did an Alaska cruise and did the train excursion in Skagway that went into Canada. We had to show our passport before we got on the train. If you did not have a passport, you did not get to go. The law states you must have a valid passport to cross the border into Canada from the US. I hope they get their passport in time for the cruise.

We just did an Alaska cruise and did the train excursion in Skagway that went into Canada. We had to show our passport before we got on the train. If you did not have a passport, you did not get to go. The law states you must have a valid passport to cross the border into Canada from the US. I hope they get their passport in time for the cruise.

If you are a US citizen, you can also use an enhanced drivers license or certified copy of your official birth certificate along with a government-issued photo ID card (normally a driver's license) to enter into Canada. If that were not the case then you couldn't even get on the ship to go on the cruise. It is better to have a passport, however.

Tom

Passport arrived Friday!!!! Took 6 1/2 weeks door to door and that was after they finally processed the extra charges to expedite. Glad it’s here and can go fully enjoy our cruise and all the excursions we have booked.

Passport arrived Friday!!!! Took 6 1/2 weeks door to door and that was after they finally processed the extra charges to expedite. Glad it’s here and can go fully enjoy our cruise and all the excursions we have booked.

Glad it arrived. Amazing that it took more than twice as long as ours took and we didn't pay for expediting!

I quote the following from the following source: https://www.worldtravelguide.net/guides/north-america/canada/passport-visa/

 

 

"Citizens of the USA holding a birth certificate, certificate of citizenship or naturalisation, US permanentresident card, or certificate of Indian status along with photo ID. However, it is recommended that you carry a valid passport. US citizens re-entering the USA from Canada via air, land or sea require a valid passport or passport card."

 

Dozens of times every week during the Alaska cruise season, literally hundreds of people who are US citizens enter Canada via cruise ships using official American birth certificates and government issued photo ID's.

 

 

The Yukon is part of Canada so I would assume, admittedly a dangerous thing, that it is bound by the same Canadian laws as the rest of Canada. Is that not the case?

 

Tom

The problem is not entry into Canada. From their web site the birth certificate and DL is sufficient. The problem is on the return to the US. Birth Certificate and DL is not sufficient for land entry back into the US. The DL and birth certificate is only valid for entry into US on closed loop cruises, not for land entry or air entry.

Beginning in 2009, U.S. citizens aged 16 and older traveling into the U.S. from Canada by land or sea (including ferries) have had to present documents denoting citizenship and identity, which include a valid U.S. passport, U.S. passport card, Trusted Traveler Program card (NEXUS, SENTRI, Global Entry or FAST), an Enhanced Driver’s License, U.S. Military identification card when traveling on official orders, U.S. Merchant Mariner document when traveling in conjunction with official maritime business, Form I-872 American Indian Card, or (when available) Enhanced Tribal Card. Children under age 16 (or under 19, if traveling with a school, religious group, or other youth group) need only to present a birth certificate issued by an appropriate state or local authority, or a Naturalization Certificate.[28] [29] Persons who do not present acceptable documents may be delayed as U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the port of entry attempt to verify identity and citizenship.

The problem is not entry into Canada. From their web site the birth certificate and DL is sufficient. The problem is on the return to the US. Birth Certificate and DL is not sufficient for land entry back into the US. .

Not totally accurate, at least as to returning via sea cruise. In fact you really don't need anything to get back into the US. In October, DIL and one GD (5 yrs) had all their ID including passports stolen while on a shore excursion. When we returned to the US CBP asked a few questions, told them to make a report via an 800 number, and sent them on through.

Not totally accurate, at least as to returning via sea cruise. In fact you really don't need anything to get back into the US. In October, DIL and one GD (5 yrs) had all their ID including passports stolen while on a shore excursion. When we returned to the US CBP asked a few questions, told them to make a report via an 800 number, and sent them on through.

You apparently did not read the last line of my post

Persons who do not present acceptable documents may be delayed as U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the port of entry attempt to verify identity and citizenship.

CBP deal with lost ID and other issues, but often it can and does result in delays. On a closed loop cruise CBP has the information on the passengers before the cruise leaves port. As such they have plenty of time to validate all of the passenger and as such it is far less of an issue than showing up at a land boarder crossing where they do not have such data.

That is why the excursions require passports.

Nope I read your entire post. Just citing a personal experience. CBP never confirmed anything. They didn't even look at a computer terminal. They asked for DIL and GD documents, where told they were stolen, and allowed to walk on through.

Passport arrived Friday!!!! Took 6 1/2 weeks door to door and that was after they finally processed the extra charges to expedite. Glad it’s here and can go fully enjoy our cruise and all the excursions we have booked.

Thank you for letting us know. Too many people post and never come back to tell us the happy ending.

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canceled

Nope I read your entire post. Just citing a personal experience. CBP never confirmed anything. They didn't even look at a computer terminal. They asked for DIL and GD documents, where told they were stolen, and allowed to walk on through.

Because they were coming off of a cruise ship on a closed loop where all passengers had been vetted.

A personal one off experience does not constitute policy and is not the same as if it would work for a land border crossing back into the US from Canada.

Good to know, thanks!

Passport arrived Friday!!!! Took 6 1/2 weeks door to door and that was after they finally processed the extra charges to expedite. Glad it’s here and can go fully enjoy our cruise and all the excursions we have booked.

Happy that you received your passport finally. The 6 1/2 weeks is rather long from what has been reported on CC. I renewed mine last fall and it took about 3 weeks between the time I mailed it and received the new one. I did apply online before mailing the old one and documents to them which hopefully helped.

In Skagway, if you take the train or the highway, there is a RMP at the border at the top of the pass and they do insist on passports to enter Canada. We had rented a car and was driving to Emerald Lake and Carcross. We did the train the first time we visited Skagway and it was a lot of fun but now that we have crossed off that square, we don't need to do it again.

We will be crossing into Canada from Seattle next month on a land trip to visit Vancouver. We have crossed into Canada at quite a few US/Canada crossings and they all required a passport to enter. Some on here are claiming that a DL and BC to get to Vancouver for an AK cruise is all that is needed which I find very interesting. We flew into Vancouver on our NB AK cruise and had to have a passport but then we have had one for decades.

One interesting note is that the Canadians always ask for your home state. Most of my crossing the border has been in a rented car and the first time I said TX. That was a very large mistake as they think we are all cowboys toting a six shooter so I got the evil eye questioning. I since have learned to give them my home state and they just wave me in.

I hope things work out for your trip, but I am actually relieved that your congressman couldn't/wouldn't get involved in a case like this This is not some bureaucratic snafu, it is a case of someone procrastinating on getting a passport. I think congressmen/women should devote their ombudsman activities to helping people out with problems caused by the government, like some of the other situations described in the thread, not bailing out people who create their own problems.

Wow, your empathy is underwhelming. I'll bet you work for the government.

Just saw that it arrived. Congrats.

Passport arrived Friday!!!! Took 6 1/2 weeks door to door and that was after they finally processed the extra charges to expedite. Glad it’s here and can go fully enjoy our cruise and all the excursions we have booked.

Thanks for the update.

Nice to read a happy ending.

Glad it arrived. Amazing that it took more than twice as long as ours took and we didn't pay for expediting!

Well, to be fair, that includes the extra time that filing with an inadequate birth certificate injected into the process.

It is "rumored" that Princess is going to require all passengers to have a passport and not accept the birth certificate/photo ID. So, make sure you check to see if this has been implemented. Another "catch" is that your passport must have at least six months left on it before expiration after your return date. I know some countries overseas require this now but not sure if it is a policy in Canada and Mexico.

 

 

We will be crossing into Canada from Seattle next month on a land trip to visit Vancouver. We have crossed into Canada at quite a few US/Canada crossings and they all required a passport to enter. Some on here are claiming that a DL and BC to get to Vancouver for an AK cruise is all that is needed which I find very interesting. We flew into Vancouver on our NB AK cruise and had to have a passport but then we have had one for decades.

 

 

 

If your Alaska cruise starts in Vancouver and you plan to fly in, yes you need a passport. The DL and BC option is only good for land and sea. Air requires an actual passport.

If your Alaska cruise starts in Vancouver and you plan to fly in, yes you need a passport. The DL and BC option is only good for land and sea. Air requires an actual passport.

Canada might allow dl and birth certificate to cross into Canada, but US requires passport to come back into the US via land. Been that way since 2009.

Dl and birth certificate only works for a close loop cruise.

We leave from Seattle to Alaska in less than 2 weeks and one of our party hasn’t yet received their passport. Agency still says processing and is of no help in letting us know when it will be ready. I called Princess and they have stated that an adult can travel with a certified birth certificate and drivers license. Has anyone done this? Did you have any issues? Also, has anyone applied for a new passport recently... if so, how long did it take to receive your passport?

we expedited in may and had it back in 10 days