Question about cruising with a birth certificate

[Scrapenthusiast]

I've never cruised before and I've been contemplating whether or not to get a passport since I'd only be using it to cruise.(no other plans for travel outside of the country. -I'm aware that in an emergency I wouldn't be able to fly out of another country or into the U.S. without it.) My question is this - I have a TX birth certificate but it is the short form versus being the long form. It is an official birth certificate issued by the Bureau of Vital Statistics with the raised seal. I was just wondering if the short form is acceptable for the cruise or if I need the long form? TIA.

[MadOx75]

Here ya go - I asked the same question a few weeks ago, and it turned into a flame war...

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1406036

[Scrapenthusiast]

Here ya go - I asked the same question a few weeks ago, and it turned into a flame war...

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1406036

 

Thanks for your reply! That thread went south fast! lol Oh well from what I gather I guess it will be okay. My short form birth certificate does have my parents names on it though.

[Hlitner]

The problem with using a birth certificate is nobody seem to be 100% sure of the rules. And the rules seem to change depending on how is making the decision. The State Department recently announced that they will no longer accept birth certificates (to get a Passport) unless they list the name of your parents. In some states this info is not on the so-called short forms (each state is different). Whether this same standard is now being applied at US ports we do not know....and who knows what will be the rule next week, month, etc. IMHO if you want to be 100% safe, get a valid Passport. Otherwise, just go and pray :) I am going to paste the current State Department annoucement which may, or may not, affect what is happening at the ports with closed-loop cruises. Keep in mind this State Department annoucement is very new (last month) so a lot of the opinions you see on posts pre-date this info:

 

 

"Beginning April 1, 2011, the U.S. Department of State will require the full names of the applicant’s parent(s) to be listed on all certified birth certificates to be considered as primary evidence of U.S. citizenship for all passport applicants, regardless of age. Certified birth certificates missing this information will not be acceptable as evidence of citizenship. This will not affect applications already in-process that have been submitted or accepted before the effective date."

 

Hank

P.S. It is interesting that they put this new requirement in effect right after Pres. Obama released the "latest version" of his birth certificate which did include his parents names.

[msbask]

P.S. It is interesting that they put this new requirement in effect right after Pres. Obama released the "latest version" of his birth certificate which did include his parents names.

 

I'm not sure what you're implying. The first birth certificate Obama released included his parent's names, too.

[cb at sea]

Actually, you WILL be able to get home, should an emergency arise...you will NOT be stranded in a foreign country! It may be a bit of a hassle, but you WILL get home!!!

 

I see no reason to pay for a passport if you really don't need one, and on a closed loop cruise to the Caribbean, you don't need one.

 

As long as your BC was issued by the STATE, (not the hospital!!), you're fine.

[msbask]

Actually, you WILL be able to get home, should an emergency arise...you will NOT be stranded in a foreign country! It may be a bit of a hassle, but you WILL get home!!!

 

I see no reason to pay for a passport if you really don't need one, and on a closed loop cruise to the Caribbean, you don't need one.

 

As long as your BC was issued by the STATE, (not the hospital!!), you're fine.

 

Ahhh... the voice of reason! :)

[Scrapenthusiast]

Ahhh... the voice of reason! :)

 

I agree!! Thank you thank you thank you!! I was thinking that same thought! I appreciate your response cb.

[paracer]

And now another question in the same area.

 

My wife and I will be cruising in July for our honeymoon. We will be using our driver's licenses, and birth certificates. Licenses are non-enhanced, and our b-certs are state issued.

 

I have zero issues with my booking since my name has never changed. My wife has a b-cert with her birth name, and a driver's license with her name from a previous marriage. Will this cause an issue? What name should I register with carnival for her booking? The one that is on the booking is as listed on her driver's license.

[paracer]

And now another question in the same area.

 

My wife and I will be cruising in July for our honeymoon. We will be using our driver's licenses, and birth certificates. Licenses are non-enhanced, and our b-certs are state issued.

 

I have zero issues with my booking since my name has never changed. My wife has a b-cert with her birth name, and a driver's license with her name from a previous marriage. Will this cause an issue? What name should I register with carnival for her booking? The one that is on the booking is as listed on her driver's license.

 

I think I may have found the answer to my question. The Birth Certificate will be required. The driver's license will be okay as long as the name matches the one on the cruise booking. Let me know if this doesn't sound right.

[Bebet]

One thing about the passport. When I applied for a job about 3.5 years ago I could not find my SS card to show as proof of citizenship. They took my passport as proof.

[cherylandtk]

I think I may have found the answer to my question. The Birth Certificate will be required. The driver's license will be okay as long as the name matches the one on the cruise booking. Let me know if this doesn't sound right.

:) It's right...ID is for her proof of identification, BC is for her proof of citizenship. As long as her legal first and middle name match the BC first and middle names, along with the birthdate, she won't need any other documents. If she had changes to her first or middle name, she could need proof of the name change.

[AintnoGoogin]

I was born in Texas. I had to order a new Birth certificate fro the Vital statistic dept in Texas. On their website it said the short form was able to be used for Passports etc., so I ordered it.

I decided to get my passport since we may decide to travel by air outside the U.S. Got my application together and went to our passport agency and low and behold the application was rejected because They do not accept the Texas short form birth certificate any more. :mad:

Had to spend another $22 for the long form and then submitted my application with no problems.

They keep changes all these rules it's hard to keep up with them.

I would make sure your "Texas" short form is good for travel before showing up at your departure port.

FYI.... where we turned in our application for passport our charges for 2 passports came to about $275 with all the service fees.

Personally if you do not intend to fly out of the country go with your Birth certificate as long as it's accepted... just dont get hurt,sick or miss you ship or put yourself in a position that would cause you to have to fly. :D

[Offroad]

We used our DL and BC on our first cruise. You have to have proof of all names that are asscoiated with all papers. Example: DW has been married before so had to have divorce papers (we did). When we were checked by agent before boarding we showed all papers. When DW got her divorce she did not go back to her maiden name (thus the problem) Maiden name to (first) married name, now remarried with marriage license in new name, nothing to follow name change. Fortunately he has a senior agent who knew to ask DW if she possibly had her social security card with her maiden name as proof of same name as on BC. I hope this make sense to you. We thought we were very prepared but found out we may have not been able to board. Thank god she had he original SS card and we were allowed to board.

We spent the money on Passports...............

[Scrapenthusiast]

I was born in Texas. I had to order a new Birth certificate fro the Vital statistic dept in Texas. On their website it said the short form was able to be used for Passports etc., so I ordered it.

I decided to get my passport since we may decide to travel by air outside the U.S. Got my application together and went to our passport agency and low and behold the application was rejected because They do not accept the Texas short form birth certificate any more. :mad:

Had to spend another $22 for the long form and then submitted my application with no problems.

They keep changes all these rules it's hard to keep up with them.

I would make sure your "Texas" short form is good for travel before showing up at your departure port.

FYI.... where we turned in our application for passport our charges for 2 passports came to about $275 with all the service fees.

Personally if you do not intend to fly out of the country go with your Birth certificate as long as it's accepted... just dont get hurt,sick or miss you ship or put yourself in a position that would cause you to have to fly. :D

 

I will definitely be double checking to make sure the BC I have is sufficient. It does have both parents names on it, but I *think* it's the short form....TX has to be difficult with having two forms:eek: LOL. Thanks for your advice!:)