passport renewal time?

[superduper123]

I found a previous thread discussing sailing with a passport expiring within six months. Many report that this is not an issue.

 

So.... 

 

Would you sail with a passport that will expire in three months, or apply for renewal when you need it in 7 weeks? The gov website says expedited renewal processing is 3-5 weeks, not including mailing time. Itinerary is Southern Caribbean.

 

Which option is least risky?

[Longford]

My passport expired in December.  Back in early-Spring I applied for a new one.  I paid for expediting and sending/receiving  by Express Mail.  I received it back in less than 10 days.

[Illbcruzn4life]

21 minutes ago, superduper123 said:

I found a previous thread discussing sailing with a passport expiring within six months. Many report that this is not an issue.

 

So.... 

 

Would you sail with a passport that will expire in three months, or apply for renewal when you need it in 7 weeks? The gov website says expedited renewal processing is 3-5 weeks, not including mailing time. Itinerary is Southern Caribbean.

 

Which option is least risky?

depends where you are cruising to. 

[Biker19]

37 minutes ago, superduper123 said:

Which option is least risky?

The former.

[BirdTravels]

 

Q

Can I cruise with a Passport if I am a U.S. Citizen?

 

 

We highly recommend that all U.S. Citizen’s cruise with their U.S. Passport book that is valid at least 6 months after your cruise. Guests may also sail with their official Birth Certificate* and a supporting Government Issued Photo ID, like a driver’s license or an identity card.

For all sailings that visit Colombia, all guests will be required to present a passport book valid for at least 6 months after the sailing’s return date in order to board. Colombian Customs and Immigration requires all visitors to have a valid passport book and will not accept any other travel documents for entry. Unfortunately, any guests without a valid passport book will be denied boarding.

[samiam0403]

I would renew and pay for expedited processing. Mine was back in 10 days when I did that in September. 

[Mum2Mercury]

2 hours ago, superduper123 said:

I found a previous thread discussing sailing with a passport expiring within six months. Many report that this is not an issue.

 

So.... 

 

Would you sail with a passport that will expire in three months, or apply for renewal when you need it in 7 weeks? The gov website says expedited renewal processing is 3-5 weeks, not including mailing time. Itinerary is Southern Caribbean.

 

Which option is least risky?

I would not apply for the passport now.  Why?  Because you'd have to send in your old passport.  

 

I would bring the old passport (which may or may not be accepted) AND ALSO my birth certificate and government ID.  This feels safer to me than trusting the expedited service -- remember, the holidays are coming up and a lot of employees will be taking off, so you're likely to get the longer time frame.  

 

Immediately after the cruise (assuming no more travel in the next couple months), I'd apply for a new passport.  

Edited December 2, 2022 by Mum2Mercury

[Illbcruzn4life]

1 hour ago, Mum2Mercury said:

I would not apply for the passport now.  Why?  Because you'd have to send in your old passport.  

 

I would bring the old passport (which may or may not be accepted) AND ALSO my birth certificate and government ID.  This feels safer to me than trusting the expedited service -- remember, the holidays are coming up and a lot of employees will be taking off, so you're likely to get the longer time frame.  

 

Immediately after the cruise (assuming no more travel in the next couple months), I'd apply for a new passport.  

This is what I never understand. If you can cruise with a birth certificate and govt id why would your passport be denied if it wasn't expired? 

[Engineroom Snipe]

4 minutes ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

This is what I never understand. If you can cruise with a birth certificate and govt id why would your passport be denied if it wasn't expired? 

 

I might be reaching a bit but look at a possible scenario:

 

Passport expires in 90 days (approximately 3 months).

 

Trip requiring passport is in 7 weeks (allowing about 5 weeks of grace before expiration).

 

A trip is taken on week 7 and an injury happens. You have superior travel insurance, no problem, they fly you home before expiration of passport via an extremely expensive private ambulance aircraft.

 

What happens if for some reason you cannot leave by week 12?

 

The visiting countries normally have a period of grace for tourism that allows up to four weeks before the need to address any special visa requirement.

 

That is the problem for the visiting country, they do not want your passport to expire in their country. It is one huge mess for them. You cannot fly home without a valid passport and you are not a citizen of their country.

 

That six months beyond the passport is their buffer zone to insure that they can get you out of their country without drama.

[Mum2Mercury]

21 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

 

I might be reaching a bit but look at a possible scenario:

 

Passport expires in 90 days (approximately 3 months).

 

Trip requiring passport is in 7 weeks (allowing about 5 weeks of grace before expiration).

 

A trip is taken on week 7 and an injury happens. You have superior travel insurance, no problem, they fly you home before expiration of passport via an extremely expensive private ambulance aircraft.

 

What happens if for some reason you cannot leave by week 12?

 

The visiting countries normally have a period of grace for tourism that allows up to four weeks before the need to address any special visa requirement.

 

That is the problem for the visiting country, they do not want your passport to expire in their country. It is one huge mess for them. You cannot fly home without a valid passport and you are not a citizen of their country.

 

That six months beyond the passport is their buffer zone to insure that they can get you out of their country without drama.

Yeah, I think the same thing:  Royal Caribbean doesn't really care whether you have a passport (or other documentation) -- they DO CARE that you can clear Customs, get out of their terminal and back to your life.  If your passport is close to expiring, you might not be able to get back into the country.  Your birth certificate, on the other hand, doesn't expire.  

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

What happens if for some reason you cannot leave by week 12?

I don't think RCI sails to any port/location where there's not a US Consular presence which can get you paperwork to extend your stay or return to the US within about two business days (even with an expired passport).

[Engineroom Snipe]

4 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

I don't think RCI sails to any port/location where there's not a US Consular presence which can get you paperwork to extend your stay or return to the US within about two business days (even with an expired passport).

 

So, this begets the question, why would RCI suggest in any way, shape, or form, the following?

 

[Engineroom Snipe]

10 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

I don't think RCI sails to any port/location where there's not a US Consular presence which can get you paperwork to extend your stay or return to the US within about two business days (even with an expired passport).

You are a very knowledgeable cruiser and I respect your postings. I cannot argue your answer, it is logical and diplomatically correct. Why does RCI want a six month grace period?

[Biker19]

Just now, Engineroom Snipe said:

So, this begets the question, why would RCI suggest in any way, shape, or form, the following?

They are very risk averse and want to eliminate even the .00001% chance of some circumstance in which someone gets stuck and tries to hold RCI responsible.

[Engineroom Snipe]

Just now, Biker19 said:

They are very risk averse and want to eliminate even the .00001% chance of some circumstance in which someone gets stuck and tries to hold RCI responsible.

 

Just now, Biker19 said:

They are very risk averse and want to eliminate even the .00001% chance of some circumstance in which someone gets stuck and tries to hold RCI responsible.

Agreed, no argument to your point, and have a great evening.

[Biker19]

2 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

Why does RCI want a six month grace period?

Because they want to cover all potential circumstances with the same FAQ/document and some locations do have that requirement (like Columbia).

Edited December 3, 2022 by Biker19

[artvlay]

So what is the current wait time to get a passport back?

[Engineroom Snipe]

1 minute ago, artvlay said:

So what is the current wait time to get a passport back?

 

Please go to :

https://www.usa.gov/passport

 

This is the only official answer that is valid.

 

[Illbcruzn4life]

3 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Yeah, I think the same thing:  Royal Caribbean doesn't really care whether you have a passport (or other documentation) -- they DO CARE that you can clear Customs, get out of their terminal and back to your life.  If your passport is close to expiring, you might not be able to get back into the country.  Your birth certificate, on the other hand, doesn't expire.  

If you have any time at all left on your passport and your own country won't let you back in something isn't right.

[Longford]

3 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Yeah, I think the same thing:  Royal Caribbean doesn't really care whether you have a passport (or other documentation) -- they DO CARE that you can clear Customs, get out of their terminal and back to your life.  If your passport is close to expiring, you might not be able to get back into the country.  Your birth certificate, on the other hand, doesn't expire.  

Clearing Immigration is the challenge, not Customs.  

[lcpagejr]

9 hours ago, superduper123 said:

I found a previous thread discussing sailing with a passport expiring within six months. Many report that this is not an issue.

 

So.... 

 

Would you sail with a passport that will expire in three months, or apply for renewal when you need it in 7 weeks? The gov website says expedited renewal processing is 3-5 weeks, not including mailing time. Itinerary is Southern Caribbean.

 

Which option is least risky?

Travel with your Passport and bring your BC with you just in case. I assume your taking a close looped cruise to S carribean from a FL port.  I just returned from a S Carribean cruise and used my BC....Got thru immigration in 5".... Threy have seperate lines for Passport holders and BC holders....

[alfaeric]

Reviving this thread, so we can add our recent data.

 

Submitted the forms to the Post Office on 3/10, they were issued 3/18, and we got them today 3/21.  We did pay the extra for expedited service, as there is upcoming travel.  But it was considerably faster than we anticipated.

[island lady]

Sent passport book and card for renewal via priority mail on the 12th, paying for expedited service.   

 

USPS failed to show delivery (they are still searching for it...typical)...but the check was cashed on the 19th.   Expecting delivery soon...will advise when I do.  

[home-mom]

Sent three passports for renewal February 1st and two came back March 4th. Non expedited. The third said delivered, but I never got it so it went to the wrong place apparently. Had to go through waiting period with post office to try to locate it and then passport office to declare it missing. Now I’ve submitted more paperwork to apply for a reprint of the lost one. We’ll see how long it takes. Thankfully travel isn’t until June. 

[island lady]

38 minutes ago, home-mom said:

Sent three passports for renewal February 1st and two came back March 4th. Non expedited. The third said delivered, but I never got it so it went to the wrong place apparently. Had to go through waiting period with post office to try to locate it and then passport office to declare it missing. Now I’ve submitted more paperwork to apply for a reprint of the lost one. We’ll see how long it takes. Thankfully travel isn’t until June. 

 

That is the scary thing.  Passports are sensitive documents.  Not cool USPS.  😠

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 21 by island lady