Help Help Help!!

[angelia denise]

I cannot believe I did this!

 

I just tonight realized that my driver's license expired in April 2005. I had forgotten because I changed the address and thought it was done! I have my birth certificate and no passport. I just called RCCL and the guy I talked to there said that they told him no when he asked if it was okay, that it was not acceptable....but.....he said to take it anyway - that it was up to the immigration people, and that they might let me on. (He guesses yes)

 

The airline we are taking, Trans Meridian, says that as long as I have a SS card and Birth certificate that I will be okay for the airline flight.

 

I am just beside myself! Please send me any relief you can if you've had experience with this!

Thanks!

[tomc]

Do you have any other government-issued I.D. card with your photo on it and a serial number?

[dodieh]

Do you have another piece of ID with your picture on it? If so, take that as well as the birth certificate and Social Security card. That may be the reason they ask for a driver's license. There must be people out there traveling who do not have a driver's license. What do they use? Good Luck...and have a great cruise.

[SANDYJABS]

I accidentally showed immagration my expired license and they didn't even notice the date. I think they were focusing on the picture and birthday vs the exp date. I would just act like you had no clue if they ? it. I hope everything works out for you- :)

[captbill]

I'll spare you the lecture on the virtues of passport versus driver's license. I gather you don't have time to hightail it down to Department of Motor Vehicles in the morning. At this point (and I'm pretty sure you already realize this), all you can do is cross your fingers and hope for the best.

 

One thing I wouldn't do though ... Don't draw attention to yourself, pointing out to Inspectors that your Driver's License is expired. Let them be the ones that notice it, and you can be appropriately surprised when and if they point it out to you.

 

May the force be with you!

[angelia denise]

No....I have no other picture id except for my padi certification (diving card). I was going to try and do a rush passport but decided I didn't need to spend the extra money on rushing it when I had my DL and BCert.. You bet I will have a passport soon!

 

I sure do hope you are correct about the expired thing! I have been showing that to clerks in stores not realizing it was expired! They didn't say anything if they noticed, hopefully the immigration people won't either!

 

I appreciate your quick responses....it's so late and I feel so helpless...you are a beacon in the dark!

 

Thanks again!

[Bruin Steve]

The purpose of the DL is merely to have something "official" to confirm that you are who you are...The expiration date really shouldn't matter to the Immigration folks...they don't care whether you are allowed to drive in South Carolina, they just need to attach YOUR face to your birth certificate by means of something official...

 

As long as your DL looks un-tampered-with you should be okay...

 

Of course, in the near future, we'll all need Passports anyway...

 

If I was you, I'd just bring along every form of picture ID I have...

I'd also just show them the expired DL and not even say anything unless they bring it up...You'll most likely be okay...

[Wennfred]

Go to your local DMV and get a State ID card. They should be able to issue those on the same day, check online or call them.

[Wennfred]

.. I was going to try and do a rush passport but decided I didn't need to spend the extra money on rushing it when I had my DL and BCert.. You bet I will have a passport soon!

 

Passports are now taking over 35 days, good luck.

[Bruin Steve]

Go to your local DMV and get a State ID card. They should be able to issue those on the same day, check online or call them.

Considering it's now after midnight, Saturday EARLY AM in So Carolina...and her cruise leaves SUNDAY...I'm not sure how easy that would be...

 

OF 70 South Carolina DMV offices, only SIX have any Saturday hours at all...and those are only open from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm...imagine the lines...

 

They MIGHT be able to accept an extension and attach a temporary endorsement...So, I guess if she's REALLY worried, it's one way to spend a Saturday morning...

 

Those six offices are in...Aiken, North Charleston (Leeds Avenue), Florence, Greenville (Saluda Dam Road), Lexington and Rock Hill (Hands Mill Road)...I sure hope she's close to one of those if that's what she wants to do...

[mystery man]

I know in most airports you can't go through security without a current Driver's License and if you don't have a passport you will not make it through immigration. You can call immigration downtown ( Charleston) and poise this question to get a correct answer and you can also renew your license on line and have it back to you in 3 days. If you need the web address let me know. The site also says you can renew online with the license being expired for up to 9 months. The cost for the license is $12.50 for 5 years or 25 for 10 years.

[Tomm]

I think their more interested in your citizenship.

[TheWog]

Should we assume she made it on???

[tomc]

I hope her next post is from the onboard Internet cafe. It would make me feel a whole lot better. Funny how we get concerned about someone we've never met, never will meet, but is a fellow cruiser and board member.

[Cruzyungins]

I'd like to thank the OP (Angelia Denise) for her post! I just checked my driver's license and it expires in a few days, and I am boarding the Navigator in September! So I will make sure I get it renewed on time.

[Gabsabunch42]

The purpose of the DL is merely to have something "official" to confirm that you are who you are...The expiration date really shouldn't matter to the Immigration folks...they don't care whether you are allowed to drive in South Carolina, they just need to attach YOUR face to your birth certificate by means of something official...

 

As long as your DL looks un-tampered-with you should be okay...

 

Of course, in the near future, we'll all need Passports anyway...

 

If I was you, I'd just bring along every form of picture ID I have...

I'd also just show them the expired DL and not even say anything unless they bring it up...You'll most likely be okay...

 

I agree about DL being for identification, but I can only speak for Carnival.

 

Mine was a slightly different problem: I realized that my drivers license had my name in a nickname form, and I panicked when I realized it did not match my cruise documents/birth certificate. I looked on Carnival site and on my documents and it stated that Birth Certificate (or passport) had to match cruise documents, but it only said about Drivers License that you had to present it for identification. So I called Carnival just to be sure and she said that it was just for the picture identification, and that officials are aware of the fact that DLs sometimes use variations of your birth name. Good luck and happy cruising!

[angelia denise]

I am sooooo sorry I did not post sooner, but I just assumed no one would respond after the fact, and I haven't been on the site in a while......sorry.

 

Well if you are still wondering.... I did in fact make it to San Juan - the airport in Sanford (Orlando) was a piece of cake. I did sweat it out until I got on the ship. We had to leave home at 3:30 am that Saturday to get to Orlando. Once at the port, I had to show my ID at the front door, and at the check in terminal. There they issued my card for the ship, and took my picture. After that I had to wait in line to get on, and was really scared they were going to ask for it one more time, but they did not, and it was as they say "Smooth sailing" from that point on.

 

I had a really wonderful cruise - the best yet - and the first Monday back, I went straight to the DMV and got a 10 yr. liscence for $25, and no line to wait in!

 

Thanks so much for your comments and concerns, it was quite helpful!

[Cruisin' Chick]

that's great. We're about to renew our girl's passport as it expires a couple of weeks before our next cruise. Just need to take her photo and both parents have to go with her as she's a minor to our local post office. I talked to the woman who processes the passports there and she seemed really nice. She even said as long as we get in line before 3 pm, she'll wait on us.

[Love2cruisegirl]

My husband had a similar (expired license) situation. He had to fly due to business (w/in the US). He knew his license had expired but was in the middle of a major merger at work-"couldn't" take time off to go get his license renewed. Saturdays? Are you kidding!? When we moved (about a year ago), we waited over 2 hours just to get our license re-printed w/our new address. Georgia does NOT have a super DMV situation! So anyway, he got all the way from Atlanta to New Jersey just fine. Airport looked at ID-no big deal. Didn't even dawn on him that it was going to be a problem for his bus'n. trip until he was almost completely done completing all the paperwork for his rental car @ NJ airport and they had to get a copy of his ID. BAD!!! He ended up with no rental car and had to take a taxi to his hotel-OVER AN HOUR away from the airport...to the tune of $100+ taxi fare. It was a costly "I told you so!". I doubt he'll ever not go in advance now to get it renewed.