Birth certificate in maiden name

[chengkp75]

While it is possible that a cruise line representative may be misinformed, I woul be more inclined to accept information from a representative of the line upon which I plan to sail than from some anonymous poster on a site like this.

 

In any event, arriving at "the collective experience of the folks on this board" can be problematic, given the fact that there are frequently diametrically opposed views on almost every question raised.

 

And while a cruise line representative may say you do not need it for boarding, as brcris75 posted, the problem comes at disembarkation, when you meet the CBP agent. And since the FAQ I posted comes from the CBP, they are the ones I personally would rely on. As I've stated, you MAY need to produce it, or you MAY not.

[sparks1093]

While it is possible that a cruise line representative may be misinformed, I woul be more inclined to accept information from a representative of the line upon which I plan to sail than from some anonymous poster on a site like this.

 

In any event, arriving at "the collective experience of the folks on this board" can be problematic, given the fact that there are frequently diametrically opposed views on almost every question raised.

 

Yes, there may be and quite often are diametrically opposed views but a view is not an experience (although a view may certainly be influenced by one's experience).

 

I agree with everyone that it's just as easy to bring one more document as not, I just don't think it's as big a deal as it is being made out to be.

[NurseDave]

Yes, there may be and quite often are diametrically opposed views but a view is not an experience (although a view may certainly be influenced by one's experience).

 

I agree with everyone that it's just as easy to bring one more document as not, I just don't think it's as big a deal as it is being made out to be.

 

I think maybe correctly it's not a prevalent problem as it may seem with the concern voiced. But to the 0.1% that may be asked for it and not have (insert whatever low percentage you like) it's a VERY big deal if whether you board or not is based on it. So just as the people that say they've been on x number of cruises and never asked for it, that's great until they are.

[sparks1093]

I think maybe correctly it's not a prevalent problem as it may seem with the concern voiced. But to the 0.1% that may be asked for it and not have (insert whatever low percentage you like) it's a VERY big deal if whether you board or not is based on it. So just as the people that say they've been on x number of cruises and never asked for it, that's great until they are.

 

I think that you mis-read my post.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

My mom's best friend just recently lost her boyfriend rather suddenly so we added her to our cruise & we sail in 2 weeks. She did get a copy of her birth certificate but was unable to get a passport in time. Her birth certificate is in her maiden name & her DL is in her name from her 1st marriage. Only the first & middle name matches DL. Is this okay? I'm sure there are plenty of women in the same boat. Thx so much for your help!!

 

 

As you can see from the previous posts, you'll get different answers. There are those who've cruised many times and never been asked and those who've cruised once and been asked for their marriage certificate to show the name change. I'm one of those who has been asked. Fortunately I had it with me! I asked what would have happened if I didn't have it and was told I wouldn't have been allowed to board the ship. I cruised only a few times before renewing my passport, so in about three or four cruises, I was asked only once. If your mom's friend has her marriage certificate or can get a copy, then by all means have her bring it. It's much better to have it and not need it than vice versa. Just because some people have never been asked for it and therefore swear no one ever needs it doesn't mean your mom's best friend won't be asked for hers.

[navybankerteacher]

A number of people have reported that they have never needed to show a connection between their bc and ID, so if one is not available, there may be no problem.

 

The bottom line, of course, is that if a bridging document IS available, carrying it: just one piece of paper which links bc to ID is an option which only an idiot would reject --- given the fact that there does seem to have been cases (possibly even as rare as one in five hundred million) where such link has been requested.

 

Changing one's name by marriage or divorce is the kind of thing that is normally documented - and that most people would keep the documentation -- or be able to get a copy if the original is lost.

[MrsPete]

OF COURSE a BIRTH certificate is in your maiden name....it's fine! No married woman's BC matches her married name!

 

They are looking at the birth date....that needs to match your photo ID.

 

 

Luckily, when I married, I now use my maiden name as my "middle" name....never have had an issue.

My great-grandmother married a man who shared her (rather uncommon) maiden name! So her name didn't change upon marriage. Same thing happened to a high school friend of mine, though she was a Smith, which I believe is the most common surname in America.

 

VERY unusual, yes, so I'm really just pointing out trivia.

 

Yes, we Southern ladies keep our maiden names as our last names after marriage. So Mary Susan Smith who married Mr. Jones would be called Mary Jones for everyday usage, but she would use Mary Smith Jones (dropping Susan) as her full, legal married name.

 

At least that's the traditional Southern style.

[born'4'cruisin]

In more than 60 cruises I've taken from a US port and using only a birth certificate, I've never, ever been asked for my marriage license or divorce decree.

 

 

 

Funny, I've only cruised a handful of times. But one time the port agent checking me in actually told me that if my last name wasn't hyphenated and show my maiden name that they wouldn't have allowed me to board. Since then I travel with my marriage certificate AND my passport. You just never know when you'll get that ONE agent in a bad mood.

[GUT2407]

Every married woman, who takes her husbavks surname, has the same issue, take the marriage certificate.

[sparks1093]

Funny' date=' I've only cruised a handful of times. But one time the port agent checking me in actually told me that if my last name wasn't hyphenated and show my maiden name that they wouldn't have allowed me to board. Since then I travel with my marriage certificate AND my passport. You just never know when you'll get that ONE agent in a bad mood.[/quote']

 

The mood of the agent should be irrelevant and if you do get one in a bad mood then it's good to remember that person has a supervisor. If your passport is in your married name than there is no reason to carry the marriage license since there is no need to bridge any documents (interestingly enough first time applicants for passports do not need to submit a bridging document to support the difference in name between birth certificate and ID). However in your case and in the case of someone using a birth certificate carrying the marriage license is not an onerous proposition so it certainly can't hurt.

[sparks1093]

Every married woman, who takes her husbavks surname, has the same issue, take the marriage certificate.

 

Not every woman as has been demonstrated previously. Eleanor Roosevelt wouldn't have had the problem since her maiden name was the same as her married name;).

[Quilting_Cruiser]

Funny' date=' I've only cruised a handful of times. But one time the port agent checking me in actually told me that if my last name wasn't hyphenated and show my maiden name that they wouldn't have allowed me to board. Since then I travel with my marriage certificate AND my passport. You just never know when you'll get that ONE agent in a bad mood.[/quote']

 

I don't understand why you'd need your marriage certificate if you have a passport. Do you book your cruise in a slightly different name than what's on your passport? Once I renewed my passport, I no longer took my marriage certificate with me as there was no longer a need since my birth certificate with maiden name was out of the picture...

[Quilting_Cruiser]

In more than 60 cruises I've taken from a US port and using only a birth certificate, I've never, ever been asked for my marriage license or divorce decree.

 

 

But, others have. I was asked on my first cruise. Thankfully, my TA had told me to bring my marriage certificate (it's the certificate you need, not the license).

[sleepless]

I travel with my passport and state issued drivers license. When I applied for my passport before my first cruise, I supplied my state issued birth certificate, which of course had my maiden name. I applied for the passport in my married name. I did not supply my marriage license as a bridging document to show a connection between my maiden name and married name. Passport was received in my married name.