Passport requirement?

[sanger727]

1 hour ago, Teamv said:

 

Sounds stressful, complicated and expensive.  How much is a passport again?

 

To be fair... The OP did order a passport and it didn't come in time for the trip. So it's not a question of whether or not they should get a passport and whether or not it's worth the money. It's just a question of since the passport is not an option for this trip; is the risk of missing the ship worth not getting off in port and enjoying their cruise. Any time you get left behind in port it's going to be expensive and stressful...  The OP is already spending time, money, and vacation time at work to take this trip. The lack of the passport isn't worth not enjoying it...

Edited January 1, 2020 by sanger727

[Teamv]

Absolutely!  I was answering the question above about what the process would be and got a bit carried away. It is true that the OP doesn’t need a passport and I wish them a wonderful cruise. 😀

[mexicobob]

13 hours ago, sanger727 said:

 

May I ask what process it did take for her to get home? Did she have to travel to a US embassy to get an emergency replacement or was there a process at the airport with additional screenings?

I think the best way would be to go to a US Embassy if possible, for emergency papers. Sister in law did not do this. The problem was being allowed on the airplane without papers to get into the US. Bribes may have been involved. After arriving in the US there was  a lengthy process (4-5 hours) to prove she was an American.

The main problem for her was being allowed on the plane without a passport. 

[sparks1093]

19 hours ago, ParrotRob said:

 

Millions of people cross the street every day without getting hit.  But I still look both ways.  Millions of people drive every day without getting in a wreck.  But I still wear my seat belt.  

Having (and carrying) a passport out of the country is still a good idea - no matter how many people DON'T do it.

I was simply pointing out that the risk is low for the vast majority of people. Yes, you still look both ways when you cross the street, but you still cross the street don't you? All international travel is not created equally and the only time a passport is a requirement is when you are traveling via air. For other travel there are alternatives and it's up to each traveler to decide which alternative works best for them. The passport is the undisputed king of travel documentation, but sometimes a queen or jack will do the trick.

[sparks1093]

19 hours ago, Teamv said:

There is some incorrect information being posted here.  The process is not as easy as some are saying. The cruise line is not responsible for anything re: getting you home. The airlines have to do due diligence about your travel documents and they won’t just let you on a flight at the airport. Otherwise they can be fined and are they not going to risk that. I don’t want to share details but  my family had a frightening experience with a similar situation  a couple years ago. In answer to the question about what the process is, you would need to get yourself to a consulate and make an appointment within their working hours. See the earlier post about this. This websites offer lots of information and includes info re: appointment times for some of the offices. A great resource unless you are in a foreign country without data. 
 

The consulate would definitely help but you would need to prove citizenship / residency so you need proper ID or would require getting documentation sent to you. You also would need passport type photos. The process might be quick or might take a few days. You would need to cover hotels and meals. And if you missed your ship you likely only have one day worth of clothing so you would need to do some shopping. Have to book and pay for a short notice flight home. That might not happen immediately and sounds expensive.  Have a stranger pack up your things on the ship and make arrangements later to get your things from Carnival.  Use up some more vacation days from work. Pay the pet sitter for a few more days. Pay for a few more days of airport parking.
 

Sounds stressful, complicated and expensive.  How much is a passport again?

Every circumstance will be treated differently but I have read of two instances where someone had to leave the cruise in Mexico and in both instances neither had to go to a consulate, they were cleared to board an airplane from the port back to the US (the authorities do have the ability to waive the passport requirement for emergencies). The process may be different if you were in a port that does have a consulate presence, but even then the one case I'm familiar with the passenger left the consulate in one and a half hours with a passport in order to meet the ship at the next port (whether or not the passenger would have needed it for a flight to the US wasn't considered or answered, the passenger's family was still on the ship). The cruise line will be making the arrangements with the authorities to help you get home, likely through their port agent. As for the passport cost that also depends. For my family it would have been around $850. We were taking a 4 day cruise and after considering our future travel plans (we had no firm plans) and the risks we decided that we would forego getting passports. Other people in a similar situation would decide to get the passports. Yes, it is possible that the process to get home will be a drawn out affair, but it is also possible that it is not. The circumstances are going to dictate. All I know is that the closed loop exception has been in place for a decade and I haven't been reading a lot of stories of passengers being trapped in a port (I have read a couple of stories where passengers couldn't pay a medical bill and were trapped because of that), nor have I read a lot of horror stories of people being delayed a long time for getting a passport. Having a passport would certainly make it easier to get home if needed (presuming it's not lost or stolen) but that doesn't mean that one can expect no delay at all, I have read stories about people with a passport still needing a couple of days to get home because of air scheduling, etc.

[ParrotRob]

1 hour ago, sparks1093 said:

 All international travel is not created equally and the only time a passport is a requirement is when you are traveling via air.

 

Your still not getting my point.  I never said it was a requirement.  But it IS  the smart thing to do.  And a very inexpensive insurance policy.

[sparks1093]

25 minutes ago, ParrotRob said:

 

Your still not getting my point.  I never said it was a requirement.  But it IS  the smart thing to do.  And a very inexpensive insurance policy.

I got your point, and I didn't say that you said that, I was simply pointing out that there is only one instance where it is an actual requirement. Whether or not it's advisable in any given situation is what is under discussion the answer to that question varies by individual. 

[LadyMac72]

And just to further muddy the waters a bit, starting in October 2020, you will not be able to fly domestically unless your drivers license is REAL ID compliant.  I think different states have different requirements for this, but if you don't have a REAL ID, you can still board with a passport for identification.  All the more reason to have a passport!

[coevan]

This is true it was posted at TSA in Denver. Currently 26 states are compliant. This could be a nightmare for newbie travelers.

[sanger727]

3 hours ago, LadyMac72 said:

And just to further muddy the waters a bit, starting in October 2020, you will not be able to fly domestically unless your drivers license is REAL ID compliant.  I think different states have different requirements for this, but if you don't have a REAL ID, you can still board with a passport for identification.  All the more reason to have a passport!

 

It will be quite interesting when this goes into effect. Since infrequent travelers are both the most likely to not have a passport and not be aware of this requirement. I wonder if the airlines will add a line in when you purchase a ticket past October 2020 giving an additional warning about this. I could see many people showing up at the airport without being able to fly next holiday season.

[coevan]

I would hope to think the airlines and travel agents will apprise the traveler of the new rules. The bottom line is if you are leaving U.S. soil, get a passport.

[Joe817]

4 hours ago, LadyMac72 said:

And just to further muddy the waters a bit, starting in October 2020, you will not be able to fly domestically unless your drivers license is REAL ID compliant.  I think different states have different requirements for this, but if you don't have a REAL ID, you can still board with a passport for identification.  All the more reason to have a passport!

I think this is almost a moot point, as all States are Real ID compliant EXCEPT for:

Oklahoma

Oregon

However they have applied for an extension

 

Under review are:

New Jersey

American Samoa

 

All other States are compliant except those mentioned above.

 

https://www.dhs.gov/real-id

 

[aknguyen]

1 minute ago, Joe817 said:

I think this is almost a moot point, as all States are Real ID compliant EXCEPT for:

Oklahoma

Oregon

However they have applied for an extension

 

Under review are:

New Jersey

American Samoa

 

All other States are compliant except those mentioned above.

 

https://www.dhs.gov/real-id

 

Not necessarily. I live in Texas and it is not on the list above. However, my current DL is not compliant. It will expire AFTER the requirement goes into effect. So my ID is very much valid right now but unless I go and renew before October, I won't be able to fly in October and beyond.

[ParrotRob]

14 minutes ago, coevan said:

I would hope to think the airlines and travel agents will apprise the traveler of the new rules. The bottom line is if you are leaving U.S. soil, get a passport.

THIS.  But it will never happen because people will continue to do whatever is the absolute minimum they can get away with.  It's mind-boggling to me, but I guess it's a totally different mentality.

[sanger727]

41 minutes ago, Joe817 said:

I think this is almost a moot point, as all States are Real ID compliant EXCEPT for:

Oklahoma

Oregon

However they have applied for an extension

 

Under review are:

New Jersey

American Samoa

 

All other States are compliant except those mentioned above.

 

https://www.dhs.gov/real-id

 

 

In a couple years it will be but not immediately. My driver's license was issued prior to all this REAL ID stuff and isn't compliant and isn't due to be renewed until 2022. My state also still allows you to get a non-compliant ID if you want one. 

Edited January 2, 2020 by sanger727

[rukkian]

6 minutes ago, sanger727 said:

 

In a couple years it will be but not immediately. My driver's license was issued prior to all this REAL ID stuff and isn't compliant and isn't due to be renewed until 2022. My state also still allows you to get a non-compliant ID if you want one. 

Same here, mine is up in 21, my wife's in 24, and neither are real ID at this point.  We could go get it changed out for a small fee, but that also includes having to deal with the DMV, which I try to avoid.  My wife might do it, just so she doesn't need her passport to fly.

[jbethel11]

I see you are from NY. NY is one of the few states that offers an Enhanced Drivers License (EDL). An EDL is an alternative to a passport, but as always, a passport is recommended.

 

"They provide travelers with a low-cost, convenient alternative to a passport for entering the United States from Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean through a land or sea port of entry, in addition to serving as a permit to drive."

 

Please read more using the link provided: https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/articles/john-defrancisco/summer-travel-may-require-enhanced-driver-license-or-us-passport

 

 

[Joe817]

1 hour ago, aknguyen said:

Not necessarily. I live in Texas and it is not on the list above. However, my current DL is not compliant. It will expire AFTER the requirement goes into effect. So my ID is very much valid right now but unless I go and renew before October, I won't be able to fly in October and beyond.

Well, waidaminit. If you click on the link and scroll down to where you can choose your state, and click on it, it does pop up saying Texas IS compliant in adhering to the Real ID Act. I understand that because your license expires prior to the enactment date that you would not be. All it takes is for you to renew your license prior to that date. I renewed my license on July 03,2017 and I do have that little star in the upper left hand corner, which defines if I'm compliant or not.And I am. Just renew before your expiration date, and you're good to go. 👍

[coevan]

2 hours ago, sanger727 said:

 

In a couple years it will be but not immediately. My driver's license was issued prior to all this REAL ID stuff and isn't compliant and isn't due to be renewed until 2022. My state also still allows you to get a non-compliant ID if you want one. 

 

 

just because it is not do for renewal until 2022, doesn't mean the DMV won't upgrade your current license

[BelowDeck4us]

3 hours ago, Joe817 said:

I think this is almost a moot point, as all States are Real ID compliant EXCEPT for:

Oklahoma

Oregon

However they have applied for an extension

 

Under review are:

New Jersey

American Samoa

 

All other States are compliant except those mentioned above.

 

https://www.dhs.gov/real-id

 

 

Not exactly, at least not here in Washington State.  The link shows us as compliant, but only because our state issues enhanced driver's licenses.  However, a vast majority of WA drivers want to save money and time (it takes to initially get an EDL) so they only have regular driver's licenses, which are not REAL ID compliant.  I've heard numerous tv and radio ads over the past 4-5 months that remind people of what they'll need to fly in October, but I'd bet the farm there will be a lot of upset fliers (the people who go through life oblivious) starting 10/2020.  It's not a matter of if, but rather how much of a delay it will create at some airports to deal with these ill-prepared travelers.

[Host Carolyn]

This has gone way off topic. Leaving but locking. Plenty of talk re passport pros and cons on this and other threads