Help ! Potential Passport Problem !

[Charlie2na]

Some friends of ours, booked to sail in less than two weeks is still waiting on a passport and doesn't have a correct birth cert..

What are the options....... can one of the booked names be changed AND TAKE SOMEONE ELSE...YIKES !

Go alone!

HELP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cusyl]

You can still sail the Carribbean with a birth certificate and photo ID. Where was she born? Can she call and have a certified copy fedexed to her overnight?

[cruisinfanatic]

Some friends of ours, booked to sail in less than two weeks is still waiting on a passport and doesn't have a correct birth cert..

What are the options....... can one of the booked names be changed AND TAKE SOMEONE ELSE...YIKES !

Go alone!

HELP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

just replace the birth certificate and use that with photo ID. No big deal.

[rprete]

should be able to go to the city health dept. and get a certified copy of the birth cert. for a small fee.

[Mach1]

I went to my courthouse (as long as it is in the same state you were born) and in 5 minutes and $5 later I had a certified birth cert. no problem, didn't even ask me for my ID.

 

should be pretty easy to get one. Best of luck and have a great trip!! ;)

 

Anna

[leslierx]

I heard that the law requiring a passport to travel to the Caribbean was pushed back to 2007. Does this also apply if your cruise stops in Belize? I have read several places that a passport is required to travel to Belize, but not sure if that is so on a cruise ship as well?

[conrad75070]

I believe the passport law is for entry back into the U.S.

The Caribbean countries, Mexico and Canada are the ones that begged the U.S. to not require passports. They are worried about reduced tourism from the U.S.

Here is a statement from the U.S. Department of State website

"The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 requires that by January 1, 2008, travelers to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico and Canada have a passport or other secure, accepted document to enter or re-enter the United States".

[springtxbill]

Travel to Belize by air requires a passport as does a lot of other islands that a passport is not required for ship pax.

[Fury1995]

I went to my courthouse (as long as it is in the same state you were born) and in 5 minutes and $5 later I had a certified birth cert. no problem, didn't even ask me for my ID.

 

should be pretty easy to get one. Best of luck and have a great trip!! ;)

 

Anna

 

Wow, what state is that? Sounds like it should be pretty easy for me to get a copy of anyones birth certificte there!! :p

[Don Pedro]

The poster who quoted "The Intellegence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004" is correct in that it must be fully enacted by December 31, 2007. However, it is important to note that this act is being phased in and as of December 31, 2006, the end of this year, passports will be required for entry or reentry into the US from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and Caribbean Nations. It is also important for vacationers planning a cruise to Alaska after December 31, 2006 to understand that passports will be required because Canada will be involved in the cruise.

 

Border crossing to Canada and Mexico will fold into the act as of December 31, 2007.

 

Current information can be obtained at www.travel.state.gov.

[cruz1234]

The poster who quoted "The Intellegence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004" is correct in that it must be fully enacted by December 31, 2007. However, it is important to note that this act is being phased in and as of December 31, 2006, the end of this year, passports will be required for entry or reentry into the US from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and Caribbean Nations. It is also important for vacationers planning a cruise to Alaska after December 31, 2006 to understand that passports will be required because Canada will be involved in the cruise.

 

Border crossing to Canada and Mexico will fold into the act as of December 31, 2007.

 

Current information can be obtained at www.travel.state.gov.

 

Sorry still confused with the passport issue: Will I need a passport when I CRUISE to Belize in July 2006?

[Charlie2na]

Well..... thanks for all the replies...but I guess I didn't explain the problem well enough. He has a birth cert..... but it is incorrect....not his correct name on the bc. He sent for the correct one , but hospital has no record of him.... just the incorrect name ! Potentially 6 months in probate court to get it all straightened out....ANYWAY.... They ( records dept Ohio) supplied him with a noterized correction of BC application along with his drivers license, ss card, baptism cert and some other ID AND BROUGHT IT ALL TO THE TOWN HALL (Where the application process begins) and the clerk thought it would all pass! Now the passport website status states " should recieve passport on or about the 9th of Jan" A week ago. Nobody there to do some footwork to see if it was denied , delayed or in process. you would think someone could help!

This whole mess started 2.5 months ago and everyone thought for sure they would know if it was all going to work long before now......still no news with a week and a half to go !

So what are the options at this point?

[wrp96]

Have you called the passport agency and see what can be done to expedite the passport? I don't know if it is possible but you may be able to pay extra to expedite it even at this point.

[Charlie2na]

Yes....... they even took her $14.95 today, to overnight it......but nobody knows if everything is on schedule.(ALREADY A WEEK LATE)....RIDICULOUS !......SHE'S FREAKING !

[camreesmom]

another question along the same lines.........a friend of mine is going on a cruise soon and we just figured out that her drivers license is expired! :eek: As long as she has her birth certificate with her, is it going to matter that her drivers license is not current? HELP!!!

[cruisingnewyorkers]

Did he call the National Passport Information Center to see what the problem is? There is a toll free number to call for questions, he will need last name, date of birth and maybe the date he applied and where. Hopefully they should be able to help him

 

The number is 1-877-487-2778

 

If it was mailed on the 9th it should just take a couple days to reach you depending on where it was processed.

 

Good Luck

[Charlie2na]

Yes.... they keep calling and passport association keeps refering him to the satus website which states he should recieve it on or about the 9th. Doesn't say it has been mailed , as hers did two weeks ago. It sounds like a completely automated system....unless you want to give them money, then you can speak to someone !

[wrp96]

another question along the same lines.........a friend of mine is going on a cruise soon and we just figured out that her drivers license is expired! :eek: As long as she has her birth certificate with her, is it going to matter that her drivers license is not current? HELP!!!

 

I wouldn't risk it. Tell her to go get a new driver's license.

[Knolmom]

Had a similiar problem today. DH and I applied for an expedited passport 2 weeks ago. Mine came back OK within 5 days, even though I had an out of state birth certificate that was handwritten. DH had a certified copy of his NY birth certificate, which we have used to travel and cruise over 50 times, and which was checked by the court clerk before we forwarded it to the passport office, Today DH recieved a letter from the passport office reqtesting a new certified birth certificate as the one we sent was not sufficient. First name middle and last names are the same as his DL, watermark on paper is fine DOB is correct---Go figure. They did not send the unacceptable one back--so now he has no BC and no passport and we leave 2 weeks from today.Of course you cannot talk to a real person about the problem with your application in particular.

We will be at the Dept of Health in NYC tomorrow to get 2 more certified copies of his BC--one to send back to the passport folks in Boston and one to use for the cruise in the event his $160 plus expedited application is not processed in time.

Dont know how this could be but we dont have time to argue with the passport folks--we'll just send another one out and keep our fingers crossed.

[Sheffie]

Sorry still confused with the passport issue: Will I need a passport when I CRUISE to Belize in July 2006?

 

No, you will not need one for this coming July. The passport is only needed for people flying in and out of Belize.

 

If you plan on cruising or flying anywhere later, why don't you just go ahead and get your passport now?

[w&k]

Here's a little trick to get a real person... On most systems, pushing 0 will take you to an attendant.

 

Good luck & enjoy your trip!

 

Wendy

[Iamthesea]

This whole mess started 2.5 months ago and everyone thought for sure they would know if it was all going to work long before now......still no news with a week and a half to go !

So what are the options at this point?

Call your local congressman. It's especially helpful when you know one personally.;)

[Charlie2na]

Thanks.... I will let them know about the idea to "phone a friend" or congressman !

[ksuds]

Don't worry. After 911 I the cruise lines were no longer happy with my birth cert and I never got a passport. I was born in Michigan and now live in Florida which doen't make it convenient to go to the county building. There is a website: vitalcheck.com. The can get birth certificates for any state and will have it to you in just days. I have used them and family and friends have as well. No complaints.

 

Karen

ksuds:)

[Guest cruzr44]

another question along the same lines.........a friend of mine is going on a cruise soon and we just figured out that her drivers license is expired! :eek: As long as she has her birth certificate with her, is it going to matter that her drivers license is not current? HELP!!!

 

If this person doesn't drive anymore I would have them go to the registry and get a photo ID. If this person still drives I would have them get their drivers license renewed.:rolleyes: Recently my DH (50ish) could not get into a local club because the renewal date was printed wrong by the registry and essentially was expired. They considered it an invalid form of identification.