Passport for a Toddler

[GerryjG]

We want to take our 2 year old grandson on a two nighter to CoCo cay will He need a passport? From Florida

[BirdTravels]

Can sail with a birth certificate. But since your grand kid is not yours, you need to have the paperwork showing that you are allowed to take him out of the country n

[GerryjG]

Thanks

[LeeW]

While you can get a passport it is expensive and only good for five years.  Unless family plans on doing several air trips out of country it really isn't worth the hassle.  Not needed for cruise trips.

[MississippiMom]

We never cruise without a passport.  We like the comfort of knowing that if something were to happen and we needed to disembark in a different country, the passport makes it easier to navigate the situation.

 

It really is just us USA folks who seem to have an aversion to getting a passport.  It’s common in other countries.  (We have relatives in several other countries.)

[FPP777]

My kids have had a passport since their first cruise at the age of 4. We got it for them for the exact reason Mississippi Mom states. Plus it allows the freedom of last minute trips that may be out of the country.

[Joseph2017China]

On 6/3/2022 at 4:52 PM, GerryjG said:

We want to take our 2 year old grandson on a two nighter to CoCo cay will He need a passport? From Florida

Age of person is irrelevant or needing a passport on a closed loop cruise to the Bahamas. You need a birth certificate (for adults also) and a letter from parents if under 18.  From Florida, if something were to happen, you can charter a boat to the USA, for cheaper than flying.  So all the people that say, you risk being "stuck" is just pushing the fear factor into people.  

[Ashland]

Our extended family including grandchildren have all had passports since their first cruise starting around age 12 months old and they are renewed just prior to expiration. 

[lovescats5]

We used the passport card for granddaughter for the first 5 years.  Worked fine and not as expensive as the passport.

 

[mjkacmom]

3 hours ago, MississippiMom said:

We never cruise without a passport.  We like the comfort of knowing that if something were to happen and we needed to disembark in a different country, the passport makes it easier to navigate the situation.

 

It really is just us USA folks who seem to have an aversion to getting a passport.  It’s common in other countries.  (We have relatives in several other countries.)

Because traveling to other countries in many areas is like traveling to different states in the US.

[LGW59]

4 hours ago, Joseph2017China said:

Age of person is irrelevant or needing a passport on a closed loop cruise to the Bahamas. You need a birth certificate (for adults also) and a letter from parents if under 18.  From Florida, if something were to happen, you can charter a boat to the USA, for cheaper than flying.  So all the people that say, you risk being "stuck" is just pushing the fear factor into people.  

Utter nonsense 

[BND]

1 hour ago, mjkacmom said:

Because traveling to other countries in many areas is like traveling to different states in the US.

You mean the EU?  That's the only situation that I can think of that your post applies to.  And, then only to citizens of the EU.

 

Edited June 5, 2022 by BND

[c-leg5]

7 hours ago, Joseph2017China said:

Age of person is irrelevant or needing a passport on a closed loop cruise to the Bahamas. You need a birth certificate (for adults also) and a letter from parents if under 18.  From Florida, if something were to happen, you can charter a boat to the USA, for cheaper than flying.  So all the people that say, you risk being "stuck" is just pushing the fear factor into people.  

How is that relevant?

[Coralc]

It is only two nights. And no one will be flying home from Coco Cay anyway. I would just use their certified birth certificate and letter from parents. 

[GerryjG]

Wow I was not expecting so many informative responses , For this short trip I will use his birth certificate plus the letter from parents. If we go on any longer journeys in the future, we will look into a passport card for him. 

[puppycanducruise]

56 minutes ago, GerryjG said:

Wow I was not expecting so many informative responses , For this short trip I will use his birth certificate plus the letter from parents. If we go on any longer journeys in the future, we will look into a passport card for him. 

Just make sure you understand the limitations of a passport card versus the book.  Please check into it before you make the decision.

[njkruzer]

Our granddaughter, age 9, has had a passport and global entry since I think age 2. Had to renew during pandemic.  Done.  Since her parents have global entry she needed it enter with them.  

[mjkacmom]

12 hours ago, BND said:

You mean the EU?  That's the only situation that I can think of that your post applies to.  And, then only to citizens of the EU.

 

Don’t residents of countries on other continents need passports to enter other countries? 

[matj2000]

I would not get a Passport for a 2 year old who might not never need it again for a long time.

 

Just use the BC.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

On 6/4/2022 at 4:56 PM, MississippiMom said:

We never cruise without a passport.

same. Ever since DS started cruising with us at 3 yo, he's had a passport. Peace of mind. We cruise about twice a year and don't go on any other trips outside the US.

We have our US passports as well, since we are naturalized citizens and cannot cruise with a foreign birth certificate.

[brillohead]

12 hours ago, GerryjG said:

Wow I was not expecting so many informative responses , For this short trip I will use his birth certificate plus the letter from parents. If we go on any longer journeys in the future, we will look into a passport card for him. 

The passport card is pointless for what you would be using it for.  

The main point of having a passport when cruising on a sailing that doesn't require a passport (closed loop from the USA) is to be able to fly back to the USA if needed.  You cannot fly internationally with a passport card -- you have to have a passport book to fly internationally.

There is literally no reason for having the passport card to cruise for a child that has a birth certificate.  

[matj2000]

1 hour ago, brillohead said:

The main point of having a passport when cruising on a sailing that doesn't require a passport (closed loop from the USA) is to be able to fly back to the USA if needed.  You cannot fly internationally with a passport card -- you have to have a passport book to fly internationally.

 

Trust Me.

 

They are not going to need to fly back to the USA during the cruise.

[brillohead]

14 minutes ago, matj2000 said:

Trust Me.

 

They are not going to need to fly back to the USA during the cruise.

Not during the 2-day cruise they are talking about. 

But if you would actually read instead of just knee-jerk blathering everywhere, you'd see that my comment was in response to their comment about getting a passport card for FUTURE cruises.... and my comment was about the fact that a passport card would provide NOTHING for them that the (ALREADY OWNED) birth certificate doesn't already provide.

[Joseph2017China]

On 6/4/2022 at 9:30 PM, LGW59 said:

Utter nonsense 

No it is not.  I have a friend that takes a boat back and forth all the time.  Great fishing, and they stay on one of the Bahamas Islands. The closet ports are 50 miles, and can be reached within 2 hours.  The Bahamas have great fishing areas.  

[Joseph2017China]

On 6/5/2022 at 12:58 AM, c-leg5 said:

How is that relevant?

Because if you were "stuck" in the Bahamas without a passport, you can take a boat back to the USA. Meaning, and simple terms, a passport is not needed and if you are stuck you are not.  There is no 100% reason why you need a passport.