Recent passengers out of the port of Houston:Passport Help!

[BirmanCrazy]

Have you been required by the cruise line to provide a passport instead of a birth certificate? It's 40 days before our group sails and more than half have no passport and we're sailing to Honduras and Belize. In the Houston Chronicle it says that these ports require passports. Help!!!!

[MidtheNight]

If I remember correctly we needed passports for that itinerary a few years ago. Your t/a should be able to answer that question though for sure....I would have thought that you would have asked that question when you booked though.

[tawcat]

this is the latest ruling. as of december 31, 2006 anyone traveling out of the USA by air or sea will need a passport. last year we sailed out of houston on dec 29, at that time dec 31, 2005 was supposed to be the date for mandatory passports, but then they moved up a year. however, even back then the cruise line told me we would not need a passport to get on the ship because it was prior to dec 31, however, in order to get off the ship and back into the USA we would need one cuz our cruise ended mid january!!!!!!

 

40 days is plenty of time to get a passport, i think you can even pay an extra $10 or so to expedite it. do yourself a favor, get a passport, you're gonna need one eventually!!!!!

[ron46936]

Below is a quote from the NCL website:

 

"As of December 31, 2006, all U.S. citizens are required to have passports for travel within the Western Hemisphere, per the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission and the 2004 Intelligence Reform Bill. To implement the law, the Departments of State and Homeland Security proposed a phase-in program referred to as the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). As announced in April 2005, the WHTI program originally recommended three different deadlines for U.S. citizens to obtain a passport, depending on the region they were traveling to within the Western Hemisphere. The government has now modified their original timeline to the following requirements for U.S. citizens:

 

December 31, 2006 - Passport or other accepted document required for all air or sea travel within the Western Hemisphere.

 

December 31, 2007 - Passport or other accepted document required for all U.S. border crossings."

 

 

That said there have been reports that the implementation of the passport rules has been postponed until June 2009 for cruise passengers.

 

Below is a quote from the US State Dept web Site:

 

"In the proposed implementation plan, the requirement will be rolled out in the following phases:

 

* On January 8, 2007, U.S. citizens traveling by air between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present a valid U.S. passport, Air NEXUS card, or U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document.

* It is anticipated that on January 1, 2008, U.S. citizens traveling between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda by land or sea (including ferries), will be required to present a valid U.S. passport or other documents as determined by the Department of Homeland Security. While recent legislative changes may permit a later deadline, both the Departments of State and Homeland Security are working to put all requirements in place by the original deadline. Advance notice will be provided to enable the public meet the land/sea border requirement."

[ute_fan]

This isn't exactly recent, but you definitely did NOT need them in May, 2005. We took our college-aged kids with us, and while we have ours, they didn't, and had no problems at all.

 

As long as they haven't actually implemented the new rules yet -- which it doesn't sound like they have, you should be fine.

[Cassandra]

You still have time to get a passport, should take no more than 3 weeks.

 

1) Go to any photo place or AAA & get a photo taken.

 

2) Go down to your Post office & get the Passport form & fill it out, attach the photo & give them the check for the fee. Do it all right there.

 

I'd feel safer with a passport than a birth certificate.

[texascruiser4]

We have the same problem and read the article in yesterday's Travel section. Another poster recommended checking the Department of State website to see requirements of these two countries. I did check and passports are required. I am so glad we found out now rather than the people without passports being denied boarding in December.

[texas boop]

Texascruiser--We did this cruise two years ago on the Norwegian Sea out of Houston and passports were not required. Am repeating on the Dream leaving on November 11.

 

I have tried to locate info on the Department of State website, and I have had no luck. Can you post the link where you found this info? I need to get into gear if passports are going to be required--thought we were good until January 07.

 

:eek:

[Host Kat]

U.S. Dept. of State regarding new Passport requirements: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html

 

Passport fees: http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/fees/fees_837.html

 

Passport Application: https://pptform.state.gov/DS11/MainDS11.aspx

 

Article in Cruise Critic News: http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=1815

 

Kat

[texas boop]

So based on all of Kat's info (Thanks!), no passport requirement for Belize-yet!

 

Did I interpret that correctly? :p

[Host Kat]

Yep, that's the way I understand it. That's also why I included the article link since it mentions the countries & their exemptions for cruise passengers.

 

Kat

[jcanino]

So based on all of Kat's info (Thanks!), no passport requirement for Belize-yet!

 

Did I interpret that correctly? :p

 

This is a cut and past from the Department of State web site at http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/brochures/brochures_1229.html

 

BELIZE - *Passport, return/onward ticket and sufficient funds (at least $60 per night) required. Visa not required for stay of up to 30 days. If visit exceeds 1 month, obtain a stay permit from the Immigration Authorities in Belize. Single-entry visa, valid up to 90 days, requires $50 (include $10 for shipping payable by money order or bank draft). Visa requires 1 application form and 1 passport sized photo. HIV test required for those seeking residency; U.S. test accepted if within 3 months of visit. For more information, contact the Embassy of Belize, 2535 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20008 (202/332-9636) or the Belize Mission in New York at (212/599-233).

[Cptnkirky]

This is a cut and past from the Department of State web site at http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/brochures/brochures_1229.html

 

BELIZE - *Passport, return/onward ticket and sufficient funds (at least $60 per night) required. Visa not required for stay of up to 30 days. If visit exceeds 1 month, obtain a stay permit from the Immigration Authorities in Belize. Single-entry visa, valid up to 90 days, requires $50 (include $10 for shipping payable by money order or bank draft). Visa requires 1 application form and 1 passport sized photo. HIV test required for those seeking residency; U.S. test accepted if within 3 months of visit. For more information, contact the Embassy of Belize, 2535 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20008 (202/332-9636) or the Belize Mission in New York at (212/599-233).

So, it still looks like no passport needed??...at least for those cruising to this port. This quote has to do with those flying and staying in this area, not for those visiting by a cruise.

[karen2cruz]

From the US Consular Information Sheets

Belize (7/18/06):

ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: All U.S. citizens must have a U.S. passport valid for the duration of their visit to Belize. U.S. citizens do not need visas for tourist visits of up to 30 days.

 

Honduras (10/11/06):

ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: A U.S. passport valid for at least three months from the date of entry is required to enter Honduras. Though not required by law, some travelers have reported difficulty departing Honduras using a passport with less than three months of validity from the date of departure. A visa is not required, but tourists must provide evidence of return or onward travel.

[texas boop]

I spoke with a rep at Norwegian Cruise Lines last night--he insists that there is no passport requirement on this cruise--