Another passport / birth certificate quandry

[scoutfinch72]

I searched but really could not find the answer to this issue. Our cruise is in August, 4.5 months from now. I had planned to renew dh's passport next week and probably apply for passports for both kids, but the planned gov't shutdown might put a kink in those plans. My passport is valid until mid 2012 and I have birth certificates for both kids, but I will have to request another copy of dh's birth certificate. I haven't seen his since I requested it last in 1997 so we could obtain his first US passport. Here's the rub - though dh is a US citizen, he was born in Canada. Mom was a Canadian citizen and dad is a US citizen. If we aren't able to get his passport renewed in time, will he have a problem using a Canadian birth certificate to board? I'm not sure how else he would verify that he's a US citizen and I'm not sure what Canadian citizens are required to show for boarding.

 

I am reluctant to send off his expired passport right now only to have it sit on someone's desk waiting for the gov't to get it's act together.

[kc5grw]

Wait until the current "crisis" is over and send it in. You should still have it back in plenty of time.

 

Yes, I would think that without some other proof of citizenship, a Canandian BC might be a problem.

[scoutfinch72]

Thanks! His application is all filled out and waiting. I'm going to keep praying there's just no shut down. I know that logically we will have enough time, I just wish I had renewed it already!

 

I'm hoping someone else with a foreign birth certificate might chime in with experience, though I will likely call Carnival to ask.

[cherylandtk]

A foreign birth certificate is of no value in proving US citizenship, so don't even bother requesting another one unless you need it for other purposes. Your DH should have received a different form from his parents, called a Consular Report of Birth Abroad. THAT is the document that proves his US citizenship, and which could be taken on the cruise in lieu of the passport.

[sugarsmacksweet]

Canadians need a valid passport :)

[scoutfinch72]

A foreign birth certificate is of no value in proving US citizenship, so don't even bother requesting another one unless you need it for other purposes. Your DH should have received a different form from his parents, called a Consular Report of Birth Abroad. THAT is the document that proves his US citizenship, and which could be taken on the cruise in lieu of the passport.

 

His mom passed away a few years ago and his dad is not exactly on top of things, so I am reasonably certain that dh has never had a copy of his Consular Report of Birth Abroad and that his father would have no idea what I'm asking about if I call him. I am not kidding when I tell you that they moved to Calgary to have their last 3 children because MIL's Canadian citizenship allowed them free health care. They moved back to the US when dh, the youngest, was a year old. :rolleyes: Thank you the clarification on that point, though. I won't bother getting his Canadian BC.

 

Of course, the Report of Birth Abroad also comes from the State Department (Passport Services division), so it will have to wait until after the shutdown as well. I'll most likely request one as well and hope it takes less time than a passport renewal.

[Boatdrill]

. I am not kidding when I tell you that they moved to Calgary to have their last 3 children because MIL's Canadian citizenship allowed them free health care. They moved back to the US when dh, the youngest, was a year old.

 

Kinda confused...I think I'm missing something.

 

DH was born in Canada.

Moved to US when 1 year old.

How/when did he become a US citizen....

was it via an ARC (green card) and then living here long enough to apply for citizenship ?

[Justsyd]

Kinda confused...I think I'm missing something.

 

DH was born in Canada.

Moved to US when 1 year old.

How/when did he become a US citizen....

was it via an ARC (green card) and then living here long enough to apply for citizenship ?

 

His Dad is a US citizen - that means he qualifies as one, too.

[cherylandtk]

scoutfinch72

1. I gather from your posts that his passport is already expired, if so, go ahead and submit the renewal as soon as possible. Getting in line now puts you that much further ahead of the game when the shutdown is over. If you wait until after the shutdown, there will be a big rush of people who held off because their passports are still valid. That does not apply in your case, so get in line now. And remember that the longest shutdown has been 21 days. Your cruise is not until August, so you should have his renewed passport in PLENTY of time. Something submitted this week will probably be back in 8 weeks, even with a 3 week shutdown. Something submitted after the shutdown will take at least as long, if not longer.

 

2. Since your DH has a passport issued in 1997, he had to have used something originally to prove his US citizenship. What was it? It could not have been a Canadian BC that recently. Ideally it was the Consular Report of Birth (FS-240) or the State Dept. issued Certificate of Report of Birth (DS-1350) which is no longer issued (although copies are). If he has no clue, and Dad In Law does not either, you probably should apply for the copy and hope that there is something on file. Cost is $50, see this page if you did not already know:

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_825.html (But I suspect you did since you knew it came from State ;) )

[DebJ14]

A foreign birth certificate is of no value in proving US citizenship, so don't even bother requesting another one unless you need it for other purposes. Your DH should have received a different form from his parents, called a Consular Report of Birth Abroad. THAT is the document that proves his US citizenship, and which could be taken on the cruise in lieu of the passport.

 

My Brother in law had this problem. He was born in Germany while his father was stationed there. Before he could apply for a passport he had to get the State Department to issue a Consular Report of Birth Abroad. His parents never got one for him. Then he took that to apply for his passport. It took several months to get everything done.