Travel Documents - New Last Name

[RobinKY]

I am taking my GF on her first cruise.  She divorced about 2 years ago but still uses her married name.  Her state driver's license will not match her birth certificate.  She can print her marriage certificate from the government website.  Will this be an issue?  Would she need the marriage certificate showing married name on official government document with seal or is printed version acceptable?  

[RobinKY]

Our cruise is to Alaska and I just read this.  Is she SOL?

 

For U.S. and Canadian Citizens Travel by Land or Sea:

 

Travel document requirements vary based on cruise itinerary and whether international flights are required. For voyages that are scheduled to end outside the U.S., a passport that is valid for six months beyond the completion date of your travel is required.

Passports or Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) compliant documents are required for cruises to Alaska, Bermuda, Canada, Caribbean, Hawaii, and Mexico. U.S. and Canadian citizens ages 16 and above may present one of the following valid WHTI-compliant documents:

• Passport (recommended travel document) (valid for travel by air, land and sea)
• Passport Card (valid for land and sea border crossings only)
• State Issued Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL) – (valid for land and sea border crossings only, not valid on Yukon Cruisetours due to air travel included in the Journey)
• Other documents approved by the Department of Homeland Security

 

I am checking to see if she has a state issued EDL

[RobinKY]

I am taking my GF on her first cruise in 3 days and she does not have a passport. It is an Alaskan cruise - Seattle to Seattle.  She is divorced and still uses her married name.  She printed off a copy of her marriage certificate from the county website.  I am freaking out because not sure she will have the correct documentation based on HAL's website.  Can anyone please help?  See bolded items.  My state does not issue EDL's.  The info seems to contradictory.  It's a closed loop cruise and years ago for Caribbean cruises just a DL and birth certificate were sufficient.

 

For U.S. and Canadian Citizens Travel by Land or Sea:

 

Travel document requirements vary based on cruise itinerary and whether international flights are required. For voyages that are scheduled to end outside the U.S., a passport that is valid for six months beyond the completion date of your travel is required.

Passports or Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) compliant documents are required for cruises to Alaska, Bermuda, Canada, Caribbean, Hawaii, and Mexico. U.S. and Canadian citizens ages 16 and above may present one of the following valid WHTI-compliant documents:

• Passport (recommended travel document) (valid for travel by air, land and sea)
• Passport Card (valid for land and sea border crossings only)
• State Issued Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL) – (valid for land and sea border crossings only, not valid on Yukon Cruisetours due to air travel included in the Journey)
• Other documents approved by the Department of Homeland Security

For a list of approved documents visit:

 

travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/go/checklist.html

 

The EDL driver’s license, or non-driver photo identification, is offered in the U.S. states of Michigan, New York, Vermont and Washington and in the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec, to applicants that can prove identity and citizenship. Please note the EDL is not the same as an Enhanced (or Endorsed) Commercial Driver’s License.

 

U.S. citizens on closed-loop cruises: U.S. citizens on cruises in the Western Hemisphere that originate and terminate in the same U.S. port are required to have proof of citizenship such as a valid U.S. passport or a government issued birth certificate combined with a government issued photo I.D. Other approved proof of citizenship documents such as a passport card, an enhanced driver’s license (EDL) or certificate of naturalization along with a government-issued photo ID are also acceptable. A passport is still the preferred document. PLEASE NOTE –WHTI-compliant documents are acceptable for entry or re-entry into the United States. You may be required to present additional or different travel documents when entering foreign countries, including some countries in the Western Hemisphere.

[1025cruise]

Where are you cruising? Normally as long as she has a bridge document, she should be fine. However some itineraries will require a passport. Is your Alaska cruise round trip from Seattle, or one way to/from Vancouver? 

[newcruzer2]

Not sure , but I thought if you didn't Have a passport, you needed a Certified  copy of birth certificate (i.e.with the raised seal) , regular  driver's license and marriage certificate 

[RobinKY]

16 minutes ago, newcruzer2 said:

Not sure , but I thought if you didn't Have a passport, you needed a Certified  copy of birth certificate (i.e.with the raised seal) , regular  driver's license and marriage certificate 

She does have an official birth certificate with seal but just a print out of marriage certificate.

[Fouremco]

25 minutes ago, RobinKY said:

It's a closed loop cruise and years ago for Caribbean cruises just a DL and birth certificate were sufficient.

The bad news is that your Alaskan cruise will include entry into Canada, and what might have been adequate for a Caribbean cruise in the past really doesn't matter. The good news is that her official birth certificate plus government issued photo ID will suffice to allow entry to Canada. I'm not aware of any current requirement regarding a marriage certificate.

[FOPMan]

There may be still sufficient time to secure an emergency passport. A certified copy of the name change document (marriage certificate) or the original would be helpful.

[FOPMan]

6 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

The bad news is that your Alaskan cruise will include entry into Canada, and what might have been adequate for a Caribbean cruise in the past really doesn't matter. The good news is that her official birth certificate plus government issued photo ID will suffice to allow entry to Canada. I'm not aware of any current requirement regarding a marriage certificate.

The OP’s concern is likely that the name on the driver license is not a perfect match to the name on the birth certificate. It may be a bit less of an issue if the driver license contains the full birth name as included in the birth certificate.

[RobinKY]

28 minutes ago, FOPMan said:

The OP’s concern is likely that the name on the driver license is not a perfect match to the name on the birth certificate. It may be a bit less of an issue if the driver license contains the full birth name as included in the birth certificate.

Really 2 concerns

• Names not matching - I called HAL and they said she will need official marriage certificate.
• Confusion on HAL's website that states Passports or Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) compliant documents are required for cruises to Alaska, Bermuda, Canada, Caribbean, Hawaii, and Mexico. U.S. and Canadian citizens ages 16 and above may present one of the following valid WHTI-compliant document

 

I called HAL and they confirmed only a DL and birth certificate along with marriage certificate is needed.  Not WHTI compliant docs

[BlueRiband]

You indicate that you are in Indiana.  Are you flying to Vancouver or Victoria to board the ship?  She cannot fly into Canada without a passport.  This stings a lot of first time cruisers because they forget that traveling from the continental US to Alaska - via Canada -  is International travel.

 

You don't want to make any assumptions.  Without proper documentation she would be denied boarding.  Then you're stuck with leaving her at the airport or pier or losing your entire cruise fare.  Travel insurance does not cover failure to have proper travel documentation because that is considered within the passenger's control. 

[sparks1093]

3 hours ago, RobinKY said:

Our cruise is to Alaska and I just read this.  Is she SOL?

 

For U.S. and Canadian Citizens Travel by Land or Sea:

 

Travel document requirements vary based on cruise itinerary and whether international flights are required. For voyages that are scheduled to end outside the U.S., a passport that is valid for six months beyond the completion date of your travel is required.

Passports or Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) compliant documents are required for cruises to Alaska, Bermuda, Canada, Caribbean, Hawaii, and Mexico. U.S. and Canadian citizens ages 16 and above may present one of the following valid WHTI-compliant documents:

• Passport (recommended travel document) (valid for travel by air, land and sea)
• Passport Card (valid for land and sea border crossings only)
• State Issued Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL) – (valid for land and sea border crossings only, not valid on Yukon Cruisetours due to air travel included in the Journey)
• Other documents approved by the Department of Homeland Security

 

I am checking to see if she has a state issued EDL

If she is from Indiana then no, she doesn't have an EDL which are only issued by 5 states. Your itinerary matters- if it is round trip from Seattle then she only needs a government issued ID and birth certificate. If it is a one way trip then she would need a passport or passport card. 

[RobinKY]

2 hours ago, 1025cruise said:

Where are you cruising? Normally as long as she has a bridge document, she should be fine. However some itineraries will require a passport. Is your Alaska cruise round trip from Seattle, or one way to/from Vancouver? 

It is round trip Seattle to Seattle.  I think she will be fine with DL, birth certificate and marriage certificate

[RobinKY]

39 minutes ago, BlueRiband said:

You indicate that you are in Indiana.  Are you flying to Vancouver or Victoria to board the ship?  She cannot fly into Canada without a passport.  This stings a lot of first time cruisers because they forget that traveling from the continental US to Alaska - via Canada -  is International travel.

 

You don't want to make any assumptions.  Without proper documentation she would be denied boarding.  Then you're stuck with leaving her at the airport or pier or losing your entire cruise fare.  Travel insurance does not cover failure to have proper travel documentation because that is considered within the passenger's control. 

I think we will be fine based on responses here and calling HAL.  We fly to Seattle. The cruise is a closed loop cruise (Seattle to Seattle)

[ontheweb]

If as you say the 2 of you will be boarding HAL in Seatle, your check in person may very we be @Ferry_Watcher. She can give you a definitive answer, which I'm pretty sure will be you have nothing to worry about.

[Kay S]

If this is a relationship you see going forward, ask the GF to get a passport when she can.

[RobinKY]

1 hour ago, Kay S said:

If this is a relationship you see going forward, ask the GF to get a passport when she can.

Yes she will. Hers is expired.  She has been taking care of her sick mother the last couple years and travel has not been on her mind.  She hasn't had a vacation in several years and Alaska is on her bucket list and she is infatuated with whales.  It would not have been fun to tell her she couldn't go on this cruise.

[Dave from Ont]

Bring the expired passport too.

[newcruzer2]

19 minutes ago, Dave from Ont said:

Bring the expired passport too.

Excellent suggestion, it will add to the proof even though it's expired.

[Host Kat]

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[Ferry_Watcher]

Your GF needs to book the cruise under her current legal name - which sounds like her name from her previous marriage.

 

So if her birth certificate has her maiden name & DOB

Susan Jane Rogers  10/16/1995

and her current name as shown on her Indiana Driver's License shows her married name:

Susan Jane Baldwin 10/16/1995

Then this is what the agent is looking for.

 

The check-in agent is going to be looking to see if the first, middle names and DOB on her driver's license matches with the same first, middle names and DOB on her birth certificate.

 

Having a printed copy of her old marriage certificate would be safe to take along, but I am guessing that the agent won't even ask to see it.

[Elaine5715]

4 hours ago, Dave from Ont said:

Bring the expired passport too.

 

4 hours ago, newcruzer2 said:

Excellent suggestion, it will add to the proof even though it's expired.

It is worthless once expired

[chengkp75]

From the CBP website regarding WHTI documents:

"What types of documents are accepted for entry into the United States via land and sea?"

• "U.S. citizens on closed-loop cruises (cruises that begin and end at the same U.S. port) are able to enter the United States with a birth certificate and government-issued photo ID. Please be aware that you may still be required to present a passport to enter the countries your cruise ship is visiting. Check with your cruise line to ensure you have the appropriate documents."

 

Therefore, for a closed loop cruise, a driver's license and birth certificate are WHTI approved documents.

 

As FerryWatcher states, she needs to book in with whatever her current legal name is.  Then, the booking will match the driver's license used as ID at check in, and that will be sufficient for the check in agent.  Any bridging documents, like a marriage license, or a final divorce decree, which show the progression of name changes from birth certificate to current driver's license will satisfy CBP at disembarkation (re-entry into US), if they wish to verify it.

[*Miss G*]

12 hours ago, Elaine5715 said:

 

It is worthless once expired

As a CBP Officer once told me: “An expired passport is better than no passport at all.”