Infant documentation

[mrspeaks]

For my 21 month old dd, what type of documentation do I need for her to sail? If birth certificate, does it have to be an original?

[SadieN]

I've never had the original BC in our posession. We do have Official Copies from our county.

The BC has to be the one you receive from your state/county agency that handles BCs. It cannot be a Xerox nor the cute hospital one. (Though, at times, we have heard of a few instances where a BC was faxed to port on an emergency basis.)

 

If any doubt get a passport, for kids they are valid for 5 years.

Edited April 1, 2014 by SadieN

[cb at sea]

Original??? No...just has to be the one the Department of Vital Records sends you...it can't be a xerox copy of that....so take the one they sent in the mail to you.

[092306]

We got a passport for our son at 6 months old and that's all the documentation needed.

[YubaSutter]

I've never had the original BC in our posession. We do have Official Copies from our county.

The BC has to be the one you receive from your state/county agency that handles BCs. It cannot be a Xerox nor the cute hospital one. (Though, at times, we have heard of a few instances where a BC was faxed to port on an emergency basis.)

 

If any doubt get a passport, for kids they are valid for 5 years.

 

Not correct. Xerox copies are acceptable.

 

The following are acceptable:

 

An original Birth Certificate issued by a Government Agency (State/County/City) or the Department of Health and Vital Statistics

A copy of a birth certificate issued by a Government Agency (State/County/City) or the Department of Health and Vital Statistics)

A clear, legible, quality Xerox copy of a birth certificate that was originally issued by a Government Agency (State/County/City) or the Department of Health and Vital Statistics). The Xerox copy does not need to be notarized or certified.

Birth Certificate Card

A Consular report of Birth Abroad

In Regards to Birth Certificates: Guests may obtain a copy of a birth certificate by contacting: The Department of Health and Vital Statistics at: http://www.vitalchek.com. If the guest has laminated their birth certificate, it is acceptable.

[SadieN]

Not correct. Xerox copies are acceptable.

 

The following are acceptable:

 

An original Birth Certificate issued by a Government Agency (State/County/City) or the Department of Health and Vital Statistics

A copy of a birth certificate issued by a Government Agency (State/County/City) or the Department of Health and Vital Statistics)

A clear, legible, quality Xerox copy of a birth certificate that was originally issued by a Government Agency (State/County/City) or the Department of Health and Vital Statistics). The Xerox copy does not need to be notarized or certified.

Birth Certificate Card

A Consular report of Birth Abroad

In Regards to Birth Certificates: Guests may obtain a copy of a birth certificate by contacting: The Department of Health and Vital Statistics at: www.vitalchek.com. If the guest has laminated their birth certificate, it is acceptable.

 

I'm surprised about the Xerox copy. Even I can make a fake BC with a copy machine.

[webzila]

We got a passport for our baby when he was 3 months old so that we would not have to worry about documentation down the line. He has been on 2 cruises now.

 

Funny thing is that he is now 2 and obviously doesn't really look like the picture in the passport anymore :)

[Out to sea!]

Passport is the best option. My kids have had them from the day they were born (okay, for those who want to make a crack, applied for the day they were born). Being a military member stationed overseas, there was no option for this.

[jamesr3939]

Traveling in November with our grandchild (sex ?) whose ETA is 10/4/14. We already have plans to get a passport. Get a passport it makes great memories down the road.

[Muumuu]

Traveling in November with our grandchild (sex ?) whose ETA is 10/4/14. We already have plans to get a passport. Get a passport it makes great memories down the road.

 

Check the age requirements for the type of cruise you are planning. For a regular cruise they must be 6 months old by the sail date. For a transatlantic or transpacific or south American they need to be 1 year by sail date.

Our grandaughters first cruise was at age 6 months and 2 days old. Was unable to do a transatlantic as she was not going to be a year yet.

The rational is the cruise lines are not able to handle care for such a young child. Also the immune system is so immature in an infant . They said to us would we want our grandchild treated for an illness in a foreign country. And quite possibly underdeveloped country.

So we will book the transalantic on the Vista in 2016 when she will be 4.

[Out to sea!]

Check the age requirements for the type of cruise you are planning. For a regular cruise they must be 6 months old by the sail date. For a transatlantic or transpacific or south American they need to be 1 year by sail date.

Our grandaughters first cruise was at age 6 months and 2 days old. Was unable to do a transatlantic as she was not going to be a year yet.

The rational is the cruise lines are not able to handle care for such a young child. Also the immune system is so immature in an infant . They said to us would we want our grandchild treated for an illness in a foreign country. And quite possibly underdeveloped country.

So we will book the transalantic on the Vista in 2016 when she will be 4.

 

Would yo like a 52 year old grandson that not only knows how to get a beer from the fridge but open it as well? :D

[jamesr3939]

Well aware of the age requirements and have it taken care of, thanks.

[MIZZ_K]

Traveling in November with our grandchild (sex ?) whose ETA is 10/4/14. We already have plans to get a passport. Get a passport it makes great memories down the road.

 

I think the age has to be at least 6 months.

[MIZZ_K]

Oops, should have read further before I commented, I see someone already said it,sorry.

[sparks1093]

I'm surprised about the Xerox copy. Even I can make a fake BC with a copy machine.

 

That's why you have to also present a government issued photo ID.

[sparks1093]

Passport is the best option. My kids have had them from the day they were born (okay, for those who want to make a crack, applied for the day they were born). Being a military member stationed overseas, there was no option for this.

 

Being a (now) civilian living in the US there are options for this.:)

[SadieN]

That's why you have to also present a government issued photo ID.

 

 

Infants don't have nor need picture ID's.

[sparks1093]

Infants don't have nor need picture ID's.

 

Nope, but their parents do. Why would anyone fake a birth certificate for an infant? I am sure that DHS considered the possibilities when the wrote the regulations and determined that the risk of this is very low to non-existent.

[Out to sea!]

Being a (now) civilian living in the US there are options for this.:)

 

I understand civilians living in the US have an option on a closed loop cruise. I would have still done the same for my kids even if it wasn't required. I prefer to take as few risks as possible. Others may decided taking the extra risk that you get a port agent or supervisor who doesn't fully understand the regs is worth the savings of buying a passport. I don't.

Edited April 2, 2014 by Out to sea!

[sparks1093]

I understand civilians living in the US have an option on a closed loop cruise. I would have still done the same for my kids even if it wasn't required. I prefer to take as few risks as possible. Others may decided taking the extra risk that you get a port agent or supervisor who doesn't fully understand the regs is worth the savings of buying a passport. I don't.

 

Maybe there was a risk of that when the regs were first issued as there was much confusion but now that everyone is aware of the requirements the risk is virtually non-existent (there might be one that isn't aware out of the hundreds of agents so I won't go so far as to say "non-existent":)).

[SadieN]

Nope, but their parents do. Why would anyone fake a birth certificate for an infant? I am sure that DHS considered the possibilities when the wrote the regulations and determined that the risk of this is very low to non-existent.

 

 

 

 

Who knows why? Maybe to get around the age requirement.

A previous poster said that a photocopy was sufficient. I was just bringing up a negative point to that statement.

 

***

As we know sometimes the agents do not go by what is on the website. I'd hate to be denied boarding because all I had was a photocopy of my BC.

Also things change quickly when dealing with these documents. Best to have the official ones in the first place.

Edited April 2, 2014 by SadieN

[sparks1093]

Who knows why? Maybe to get around the age requirement.

A previous poster said that a photocopy was sufficient. I was just bringing up a negative point to that statement.

 

***

As we know sometimes the agents do not go by what is on the website. I'd hate to be denied boarding because all I had was a photocopy of my BC.

Also things change quickly when dealing with these documents. Best to have the official ones in the first place.

 

Yes, it is best to have the orignal but I do know that CCL does accept copies because that is what I presented when I sailed on the Pride. I think as travelers that we need to keep in mind all of the options and alternatives available to us so we don't overlook an option when something goes wrong.

 

The age requirement is something that is established by CCL, not the government and altering the birth certificate does not change the fact that the infant is still a US citizen, which is the purpose for presenting the birth certificate in the first place.

 

Even people that present birth certificates are put through databases that verify the information on those documents. Someone altering a birth certificate for whatever reason could be in for a surprise upon return to the States.