Help! Passports, birth certificates, affidavits?

[wa.mama]

Has anyone boarded without passports or birth certificates? My in-laws are going on a cruise to Alaska in a few days and have already left their home in Michigan. They did not bring passports or birth certificates, as they thought these documents were not necessary until Dec 2006. Celebrity has told them that they cannot board without proof of citizenship, and driver's license does not count. They never received their travel docs from Celebrity and are not internet savvy, so did not read the document requirements before leaving home.

 

Has anyone boarded using an affidavit of citizenship? They are available at any passport office and many airports, and are just a notarized statement of citizenship.

 

Any info appreciated, MIL is in tears.

[Texed]

Yes, I have seen the affidavit used to let some folks board.

[ocngypz]

Well... how are they to prove citizenship to get the affidavits if they don't have their birth certificates?

 

Minimum requirements are certified copies of birth certificate and government issued photo id. eg. driver's license. For those seniors who no longer drive, a state issued photo id will do along with their certified bc's.

[dkjretired]

Has anyone boarded without passports or birth certificates? My in-laws are going on a cruise to Alaska in a few days and have already left their home in Michigan. They did not bring passports or birth certificates, as they thought these documents were not necessary until Dec 2006. Celebrity has told them that they cannot board without proof of citizenship, and driver's license does not count. They never received their travel docs from Celebrity and are not internet savvy, so did not read the document requirements before leaving home.

 

Has anyone boarded using an affidavit of citizenship? They are available at any passport office and many airports, and are just a notarized statement of citizenship.

 

Any info appreciated, MIL is in tears.

 

You said their cruise is in a few days so obviously they will be staying somewhere. Why not get the things together and send them ahead. Most of the delivery services have one day guaranteed delivery. I would guess they will not be able to board the ship without any documents.

[kitty9]

Where was their travel agent in all of this? Why didn't they have their documents before they left? The December 31, 2006 date that they referenced is when passports are going to be "required". But some proof of citizenship has always been required for a cruise.

 

If you know someone who lives near their house, have them go there and Fed Ex their passports overnight to where they are staying pre-cruise.

 

BTW, I have personally seen a couple refused boarding because all they had was their driver's license. In order to get the affidavit you're talking about, they have to have official proof of their birth. Since they don't have that, they can't get an affidavit.

[wrp96]

Can you go to their house and grab their birth certificates and overnight them to them?

[wa.mama]

Unfortunately, they are at my house in Seattle. They assumed that since current border requirements between Canada and US are only goverment issued picture ID that they wouldn't need anything else.

 

Thanks for all your ideas - we're trying to get a neighbor to break into their house and fexex the passports.

 

BTW, we have obtained affidavits at the airport with only driver's license and "swearing" in front of a notary. Pretty scary when you think about it - I'm glad the restrictions are changing.

[sacway]

Certainly they are not the first and won't be the last to have this problem.

 

Your inlaws should be able to call the vital statistics office for the state they were born in and get a certified copy overnighted (think of it as the first charges for the cruise on the credit card.)

 

For instance, if their birth state is Michigan, the info is at this site:

http://www.michigan.gov/mdch/0,1607,%207-132-4645---,00.html and they can call the state office at 517-335-8666 if they don't want to do it through the online link.

 

I've done this before (not for a cruise and not for myself) and it really works.

 

Have a great cruise.

[usha]

wa.mama, I really wish you & your parents the best of luck getting the documentation they need in time! I'll keep my fingers and toes crossed!:)

[Lsimon]

If you do an internet search for "Birth certificates" you'll find some services which will get them quickly. I'd CALL one of these services (not rely on online application) and/or call the records department for your parents and see if you can get these overnighted.

 

BTW - It's been my understanding for years, even preceding 9/11, that a birth certificate or passport was required for US Canada border crossing - although at times past they haven't always been requested by customs/immigration.

[usha]

We've gone back & forth over the Ambassador bridge to Windsor several times with only drivers licenses. Oddly enough, the only time we've had any delays at the Canadian border was when we brought our passports! Go figure...:rolleyes: