Authorization to travel without a passport

[sparks1093]

Of course they will! But if they have been lost or stolen, or damaged in the course of whatever happened to you to cause you to need consular services, additional verification may be needed. This is one of the great advantages of a passport-- you're in the system, so even if you get separated from your passport, they can still look you up and proceed from there. If your wallet gets swiped in port with your photo ID in it, then sure, you still have a birth certificate, but no photo ID-- and you have an additional problem.

 

Hundreds of Americans go to embassies and consulates every day with emergency situations and to report lost and stolen passports. I know there's this sense that it doesn't happen that often, but that's inaccurate. It's routine, and therefore also avoidable.

 

I do appreciate you sharing your experience with us. On our upcoming cruise this is what the analysis looks like: we have three port stops- Port Canaveral, GSC and Nassau and three sea days. If we miss the ship at Port Canaveral there is no need for a Consulate, we could just head for home (yes, if we had passports we could fly to Nassau but the risk of missing the ship in Port Canaveral is low). I have never heard of anyone being left behind on GSC, so missing the ship there doesn't appear to be a realistic possibility. We are in port in Nassau for about 10 hours and do not plan to stray far from the ship or to do anything risky, so the risk of missing the ship again is low. (And as I have said before missing the ship is largely in the passenger's control.)

 

If a medical issue arises it would 1) need to be serious enough to cause us to leave the ship for treatment and 2) happen in Nassau. Of course it is a possibility, but the risk of this happening is quite low.

 

As for something happening at home that would require us to interrupt our trip, well, I can think of nothing that would cause that.

[darrengs]

...You aren't required to have one, but it is a very, very good idea to do so.

 

I agree with this statement.

What I do not agree with are the posters that state, that you are stupid, cheap, shouldn't be allowed to cruise if you don't have a Passport. I also disagree with made up stories and falsehoods like I have read on CC.

[dwjoe]

So your friendly neighborhood former consular officer is back on board!

Thanks for adding first hand knowledge to the discussion. :)

 

Can I ask you a few specific questions?

 

1) Will you get an emergency passport faster if you have a passport card, vs never had any kind of passport?

 

2) If you've never had a passport, Will you get an emergency passport faster if you have the "long form" birth cert that lists both parents' names as opposed to a "short form" BC? (Since the former is required for a regular passport)

 

3) If you have a passport but have been separated from it, and need an emergency passport, it better to have a passport photocopy vs a passport card in hand? Or no difference?

 

4) Suppose you are on St Maarten and the US consulate with jurisdiction is in Curaçao, and you've never had a passport. Can you have an emergency passport issued to you by courier or will you have to go in person to Curaçao?

 

Thanks

[Sea Monster 2]

Thanks for adding first hand knowledge to the discussion. :)

 

Can I ask you a few specific questions?

 

1) Will you get an emergency passport faster if you have a passport card, vs never had any kind of passport?

 

2) If you've never had a passport, Will you get an emergency passport faster if you have the "long form" birth cert that lists both parents' names as opposed to a "short form" BC? (Since the former is required for a regular passport)

 

3) If you have a passport but have been separated from it, and need an emergency passport, it better to have a passport photocopy vs a passport card in hand? Or no difference?

 

4) Suppose you are on St Maarten and the US consulate with jurisdiction is in Curaçao, and you've never had a passport. Can you have an emergency passport issued to you by courier or will you have to go in person to Curaçao?

 

Thanks

 

Glad to help! I should start by saying that every situation is unique, so while there are laws and regulations, no two emergencies are exactly the same. That said:

 

1) Yes, because you will already be in the system, so they can confirm your ID and citizenship even if you don't have a single document with you.

 

2) BCs are always tricky abroad, because there are hundreds of versions floating around out there. Keep in mind that every state has had multiple types of BCs in living memory. I would hate to have to rely on mine, which has been wandering the world with me for 42 years and looks like it... :rolleyes: It would depend largely on what other ID and documents you have, both quantity and quality. They will work with whatever you have in hand and whatever you could have sent from home, if necessary. If you are able to get a long form, it would be better.

 

3) Generally speaking, they would carry the same weight-- the card is an actual document, although not good for travel in most places, and the photocopy will allow them to look you up in the system to establish your citizenship and ID. From there you will be issued an actual passport. I carry a photocopy, myself.

 

4) You will have to apply in person-- I believe you always have to apply in person when abroad now. This is another complicating factor when you are in a place that doesn't have an embassy or where the nearest embassy or consulate is far away.

[delily]

I wouldn't so much be worried about things on the ship going amiss but more about the personal disasters that can befall someone. Like, for example, a major traffic accident that blocks your private touring van from getting to the port. Or maybe I'm climbing around some rocks on a beach somewhere and I fall and break my leg, and by the time the hospital sets it and sends me on my way, I've missed the ship and have to fly to the next port. No one plans on missing a ship. But life happens. And when it does, I want a passport in my pocket.

[dwjoe]

Glad to help! I should start by saying that every situation is unique, so while there are laws and regulations, no two emergencies are exactly the same. That said:

 

1) Yes, because you will already be in the system, so they can confirm your ID and citizenship even if you don't have a single document with you.

 

2) BCs are always tricky abroad, because there are hundreds of versions floating around out there. Keep in mind that every state has had multiple types of BCs in living memory. I would hate to have to rely on mine, which has been wandering the world with me for 42 years and looks like it... :rolleyes: It would depend largely on what other ID and documents you have, both quantity and quality. They will work with whatever you have in hand and whatever you could have sent from home, if necessary. If you are able to get a long form, it would be better.

 

3) Generally speaking, they would carry the same weight-- the card is an actual document, although not good for travel in most places, and the photocopy will allow them to look you up in the system to establish your citizenship and ID. From there you will be issued an actual passport. I carry a photocopy, myself.

 

4) You will have to apply in person-- I believe you always have to apply in person when abroad now. This is another complicating factor when you are in a place that doesn't have an embassy or where the nearest embassy or consulate is far away.

Thanks for this.

 

Point #4 is definitely worth noting. If cruising in the Caribbean without a passport, one should consider whether there is a US consulate on-island or not.

 

Here is a list of common Caribbean destinations with US consulates/embassies:

 

Bahamas

Barbados

Belize

Bermuda

Costa Rica

Dominican Republic

Honduras

Jamaica

Mexico (multiple consulates)

Curacao

Panama

Trinidad

 

Some common caribbean destinations that do not have a US consular presence include Aruba, St Maarten / St Martin, British Virgin Islands, St Lucia

and the Cayman Islands.

 

Details can be found at travel.state.gov.