How many are travelling without passports for their kids

[mikesteg]

Also, FWIW we take the passports when flying. Photo ID is not required, but some carriers may require proof of age when flying as a lap child or on a child's fare. If you fly Southwest, they will eventually ask for proof of age at some point unless the child is on an adult fare.

[meripour]

Is this even an option for any passenger to not have one regardless of age?

[parrotthead]

Is this even an option for any passenger to not have one regardless of age?

Depends on the itinarary on if its "Required" or just "Recommended" when Traveling by Sea...

However to FLY (as in IF something happened and you Had to get Home) ..its Required.... (So) to me, that means 'required' for me and mine....("just in case")

;)

[goldne]

Passport, absolutely!

[youngestof9]

We are using a copy of their Birth Certtificates. You do not have to have the original, and that way it can't get lost/damaged.

 

you must have one with a raised seal. You can't just take your copy and make a photocopy. If you don't you can (and probably will) be denied boarding.

[blondestickchick]

We are getting a passport for our son's first cruise; however, he is adopted AND mexican (we are not) so his name is different on his birth certificate than how he's booked. It's easier to take a passport than keep track of a birth certificate AND court adoption paperwork....

[mikesteg]

you must have one with a raised seal. You can't just take your copy and make a photocopy. If you don't you can (and probably will) be denied boarding.

 

I have heard that some official/certified copies now are just stamped, not a raised seal. So, it's possible someone could get by with a very good photocopy. Especially if they had someone as clueless as our last check in agent, who was getting my wife and my toddler daughter's passports confused. :eek:

 

But... I'd never risk it, of course.

I'm one of those crazy folks who has PPs but brings BCs as well. :D

 

 

We are getting a passport for our son's first cruise; however, he is adopted AND mexican (we are not) so his name is different on his birth certificate than how he's booked. It's easier to take a passport than keep track of a birth certificate AND court adoption paperwork....

 

You should bring the adoption paperwork as well. A passport has no information about parentage, so if you look substantially different (which I think is implied in the post) you could very well be asked for proof.

 

And kudos for adopting. ;)

[Mom2B&Z]

Are there localities that issue an "original" any longer? We had to go order ours, as they were not issued by default. The original was like $20, but most of that was the "search" fee. Additional copies were just a few bucks, so we have several. Each of the copies are official/legal/certified copies and are identical and equivalent.

 

I'm curious if there is any place that issues an original these days (or even sends a free copy by default). That would not including a decorative certificate issued by the hospital which is not certified and the child could not travel on.

I have original BCs for both my boys, but this is Ontario, Canada. FWIW we're not allowed to laminate BC's anymore, so I carry them in a small plastic case, separate from the passports so we have two forms of identification for the boys.

The original question is a moot point for us Canadians as we have to have passports to get into the US by air ;)

[Warm Breezes]

My children are now 15 and 17 and have been on 9 cruises since they were 4 and 7. We have always used Birth Certificates for all of us (in addition to Drivers License for DH and myself...DS now too). We have NEVER had any problems. Our BC's were issued by the Departments of Vital Statistics from the states of our birth. We choose not to get passports until they are required for the type of travel we are choosing to do. To me it is a waste of money and passport years to get them before they are actually needed. Yes there is a less than 1% chance that something will happen I will need to get emergency ones. That is a risk I am willing to take. Some are not willing to take that risk. This is an individual decision that only you and your family can make based on your willingness to accept the minimal risk involved.

 

As for the San Juan incident....If we had been sailing on the ship we wouldn't have missed it to begin with so passports would not have been needed. We always extend our vacations the day before/after a cruise to ensure a stress free vacation without the hassle of trying to get somewhere on a tight schedule. We would have been on the island, known a hurricane was coming and have gotten on the ship as soon as we possibly could. That's how we minimize our risk of needing a passport.

[parrotthead]

Here I am telling my story again. Last year we did a family cruise to Bermuda and my always healthy son had a medical situation on Friday night when the ship had to leave. Thankfully we had our passports because it would have been Monday before we could have even started the process, losing more than the cost of the passports, even with insurance, in lost wages and stuff

 

Sent from my DROID Pro using Tapatalk

Quoted from the "To PassProt or not to PassPort" thread...

[goofygal531]

My children are now 15 and 17 and have been on 9 cruises since they were 4 and 7. We have always used Birth Certificates for all of us (in addition to Drivers License for DH and myself...DS now too). We have NEVER had any problems. Our BC's were issued by the Departments of Vital Statistics from the states of our birth. We choose not to get passports until they are required for the type of travel we are choosing to do. To me it is a waste of money and passport years to get them before they are actually needed. Yes there is a less than 1% chance that something will happen I will need to get emergency ones. That is a risk I am willing to take. Some are not willing to take that risk. This is an individual decision that only you and your family can make based on your willingness to accept the minimal risk involved.

 

As for the San Juan incident....If we had been sailing on the ship we wouldn't have missed it to begin with so passports would not have been needed. We always extend our vacations the day before/after a cruise to ensure a stress free vacation without the hassle of trying to get somewhere on a tight schedule. We would have been on the island, known a hurricane was coming and have gotten on the ship as soon as we possibly could. That's how we minimize our risk of needing a passport.

 

Totally agree with you!

 

We use our Enchanced Driver's Licenses for DH and I and my two boys (8 and 5) have passport cards. I didn't want to travel with their original birth certificates, nor do I like the idea of carrying around their birth certificates at each port. Original documents in my beach bag! No way! Passport cards are easy to carry, same size as their ship cards!

[mikesteg]

I have original BCs for both my boys' date=' but this is Ontario, Canada. FWIW we're not allowed to laminate BC's anymore, so I carry them in a small plastic case, separate from the passports so we have two forms of identification for the boys.

The original question is a moot point for us Canadians as we have to have passports to get into the US by air ;)[/quote']

 

Are Canadian BCs smaller? U.S. BCs are similar to a 8.5x11 page, so I can't see laminating them, unless it's really thin stuff.

 

There are some 'pocket' sized BCs in the U.S., but AFAIK none of them are legal as proof of citizenship.

 

 

Totally agree with you!

 

We use our Enchanced Driver's Licenses for DH and I and my two boys (8 and 5) have passport cards. I didn't want to travel with their original birth certificates, nor do I like the idea of carrying around their birth certificates at each port. Original documents in my beach bag! No way! Passport cards are easy to carry, same size as their ship cards!

 

Just so nobody is confused: passport cards are NOT the same thing as a passport. In fact, they are pretty much worthless except as ID... more or less equivalent to a BC in this context. A passport card will not get you out of or into a country in a case where a passport is required.

[chipmaster]

Work for passport too?

We are using a copy of their Birth Certtificates. You do not have to have the original, and that way it can't get lost/damaged.

[chipmaster]

When was the last time your house burned down, car accident that was your fault? Do you carry insurnance, would you have more money if you just dumped the insurance, just asking.

 

Murphy is always around and because you have never had an incident you can gurantee to the reader here that your experience will mirror their situation when they travel?

 

My children are now 15 and 17 and have been on 9 cruises since they were 4 and 7. We have always used Birth Certificates for all of us (in addition to Drivers License for DH and myself...DS now too). We have NEVER had any problems. Our BC's were issued by the Departments of Vital Statistics from the states of our birth. We choose not to get passports until they are required for the type of travel we are choosing to do. To me it is a waste of money and passport years to get them before they are actually needed. Yes there is a less than 1% chance that something will happen I will need to get emergency ones. That is a risk I am willing to take. Some are not willing to take that risk. This is an individual decision that only you and your family can make based on your willingness to accept the minimal risk involved.

 

As for the San Juan incident....If we had been sailing on the ship we wouldn't have missed it to begin with so passports would not have been needed. We always extend our vacations the day before/after a cruise to ensure a stress free vacation without the hassle of trying to get somewhere on a tight schedule. We would have been on the island, known a hurricane was coming and have gotten on the ship as soon as we possibly could. That's how we minimize our risk of needing a passport.

[kimmimom]

Passport.

I'd hate to lose or damage the BC.

I'd hate to have to figure out how to get home in an emergency without a Passport. (The ship may not port near where the Consulate office is located, you can't get one quickly, etc.)

I added the cost of the passport into the cruise - just like pet boarding & port parking.

 

You can get a new certified copy easily from place of birth. I would rather lose a birth certificate than a passport. But maybe it is because we still live where my kids were born so it just takes a visit to the register of deeds.

[kimmimom]

they were 2, 6, 11 the first time, 5, 9, and 14 the second time, and 8, 12, and 17 just last week using their birth certificates with no problems. We likely will get my 17 YO a passport soon since hers will be good for 10 yrs. we will also space hers and my dh out so we don't have to renew 2 at the same time (easier to pay for one at a time than 5). Once you are older/kids are older, 5 yrs FLIES by and if we aren't planning a trip that we need a passport, I can easily see us not being required to use the passport before it expires. It is a choice we make.

[parrotthead]

You can get a new certified copy easily from place of birth. I would rather lose a birth certificate than a passport. But maybe it is because we still live where my kids were born so it just takes a visit to the register of deeds.

you can also order birthcirts online now..

(they are not too expensive, IMO)

[oreoandboots]

I just got my son & I the passport card. He'll be 12.

[cruzinlisa]

We are getting a passport for our daughter who is 12 months. DH and I have been to Mexico twice in the past 4 years and intend to go back soon. I want to the flexibility to take her (or not) with us. So I figure we might as well get one for her.

[Mom2B&Z]

Are Canadian BCs smaller? U.S. BCs are similar to a 8.5x11 page, so I can't see laminating them, unless it's really thin stuff.

Ontario BCs are a bit larger than a credit card, printed on heavy stock paper, so it's not hard to carry them around. This is what you get back from the government when you register the child's birth with the hospital form and then fill out the on-line application. The only other official cards my boys have are their social insurance cards (which are useless when travelling) and our provincial health cards. Even though the health cards have their name, DOB and address, they don't have a photo as they boys are too young.

[Warm Breezes]

When was the last time your house burned down, car accident that was your fault? Do you carry insurnance, would you have more money if you just dumped the insurance, just asking.

 

Murphy is always around and because you have never had an incident you can gurantee to the reader here that your experience will mirror their situation when they travel?

 

Getting passports, like getting insurance, is a matter of risk managment, if it is not required for the type of travel you are doing. I can not guarantee to anyone that they will not find themselves in a situation where they will need a passport. I can tell them that the chances of getting into that situation is much less than 1%. If they are like me then they are willing to take the odds that they will not need one. Especially since, even if you do end up in a situation where you need one, you will not be stranded without one. You can get emergency passports. Will it be a hassle? Probably. But I am willing to take that slim risk, as are many others who sail without passports.

 

FYI....I do have insurance. I even get trip insurance and have used it. But trip insurance covers things that happen much more frequently than situations that occur where passports are needed and it is much less expensive for my family to purchase. To me that is an investment worth spending my money on. To others it is not....

 

Again risk management is an individual decision based on how much risk you are willing to comfortably take. I do think that cruisers should be aware that the risk is there...but they should also be aware that the risk is extremely small and not insurmountable. The choice is theirs.

[nessz79]

We got passports for our kids on our first cruise with them. They were 5 and 7 at the time and are now 7 and 9. I think it's definitely worth it. It's easier to just grab passports and not worry about birth certificates, etc.

[JennLuvs2Cruise]

DS got his first passport when he was 6 months old. I'd never leave the country, even on a cruise, without a passport.

[tkportersat]

For my son's first cruise (age 10 months) we bought the passport. I don't want to be stuck in a foreign country if I need to get him home for any reason.

[Onessa]

DD (now 16YO) got her first passport at 6MO.