Passport??? If not, why not?

[cactuslady]

So pretty soon we will all be required to have no smile in our passport photo!

 

Maybe that's because they compare it to your face after you get done with 18 hours of planes and airports. No problem, anyway. My first passport photo made me look like a crazed ax murderer. I once got a drivers license where my eyes had no pupils or irises, just white. :eek:

[ger_77]

In Canada we aren't allowed to smile in passport photos either. That ruling was just brought in at the beginning of this year. And our passports are only good for 5 years ... after a certain age, we really don't look any different, but I think the gov't likes to have the extra $$ in their pockets. Re: the no smiling issue, both DH and I look like corpses with our eyes open - of course, that's usually how we look after the flight home after the cruise anyway! :)

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

[jazzsea]

Please keep this thread or one like it going.

 

The US and British Virgin Islands may require passports as early as March of next year. That means many of you who don't have passports will need them. The idea of buying one a month for a family is a great one. Don't put it off. Think of how easy it will be for your children to renew later (five years from now) rather than starting from scratch. You won't be sorry.

[wild_rose]

I just heard on the news this morning that the photo scanners for the passport photos have trouble with a smile! So pretty soon we will all be required to have no smile in our passport photo! This was not a joke, I heard it on Good Morning America. Might as well call them mug shots! And how will they decide who is smiling and who is just pleasant looking? :rolleyes: Perhaps they could run them past the CC Board. Poll each photo to see if it passes for no smile then let the dress code police at them!

 

We're in the process of acquiring new passports, and just received our photos.

 

According to the new Canadian regulations on the application forms they must be 'black & white', 'no glasses', and 'without expression'!!!!

Mugshots indeed!

[Peggy Sue]

we got our passports years ago when we traveled outside the US. My dad was with US Immigration and he advised...Get a Passport if you're going to leave the country..

 

Got nice leather cases, keep them in a safe spot, and very easy to travel with. Get through Immigration and custom lines faster too with a passport..

 

We don't have smiles .. so I guess our passports will pass the new requirements..that's good..we just renewed them last year!

 

Peggy Sue

[Orcrone]

Orcrone, I understand fully where you are coming from, being the mother of 4 children. When they were small, thank goodness the Air Force paid for them. Why not just buy one at a time, sure would make it easier on your wallet! But do get them.....jean :cool:

Jean,

 

I was thinking that if we went for it we'd do them all at once as we're all cruising next March. I guess we could just get it for one of them. But if we already got it for DW, myself and one DD, we'd probably just bite the bullet and get all four.

 

Hal said that it wasn't necessary for our cruises. So if it weren't for this board I wouldn't be thinking about it. Maybe I'm just putting my head in the sand or putting off making the decision until it's too late.

[ryansmemom]

Yes, we have our passports. It just makes sense to us because it is the most acceptable form of identification when travelling.

 

 

Linda

[peaches from georgia]

Hal said that it wasn't necessary for our cruises. So if it weren't for this board I wouldn't be thinking about it.

Orcrone, I really think you have heard all the arguments pro and con getting passports. If HAL says you will be alright with just birth certificates and picture id's next March, I will presume they know what they are talking about and that the law won't change so that passports will be required before your cruise. If the law does change I believe there would have to be a phase-in period to give people w/out passports enough time to get them.

 

It really is your decision to make and there is nothing anyone can tell you about passports that you don't already know or haven't heard. :)

[Esme]

We're in the process of acquiring new passports, and just received our photos.

 

According to the new Canadian regulations on the application forms they must be 'black & white', 'no glasses', and 'without expression'!!!!

Mugshots indeed!

 

Just looked up the regulations for photos on http://www.ppt.gc.ca/passports/get_photo_specs_e.asp and nowhere on the application does it say black and white photos only, and no glasses. I also checked my passport and I am wearing my prescription glasses.

 

Standards for acceptable photos

 

 

Either black and white or colour photos are acceptable. Photos must be originals, not taken from any existing photo.

 

Photo must be taken against a plain, uniform white or light coloured background.

 

The face must be square to the camera with a neutral expression and with the mouth closed.

 

A full front view of the subject's head and shoulders is required.

 

Tinted prescription glasses may be worn as long as the eyes are clearly visible.

[TedC]

"Neutral expression" or "without expression"? How will we be able to tell who's using Botox?

[jhannah]

Easy. It looks like their expression was applied with a trowel!

[LAFFNVEGAS]

We got our passports just prior to our first cruise in 2002, we felt it would be safer than carring our birth certificates. Plus we knew we would start traveling more and would need it. I had one when when I was a teen traveling to Europe and Japan, this was DH's first. I now cannot imagine being without it when we cruise.

[WNYer]

Have any of you taken your own digital photos for your passport? The application says that it must "be printed on thin paper" and "capable of withstanding a mounting temperature of 225 Fahrenheit." If you have successfully used you own digital photos please share any information you think would be helpful. Thanks!

[lipoppop]

My passport photo shows me with hair. It is an old photo. When I renew next year I will use another old photo. :cool:

[trvlnut]

Passport is the only way for me. Even on a cruise , you never know if you will have to make an emergency depature. With the passport it makes it easier to deal with customs.

 

 

Just a question, if you do travel with a passport, will HAL ask to hold on to it for the duration of the cruise. (This happend to me before (on NCL) and I do not like giving up my passport):confused:

[Roboat]

Have any of you taken your own digital photos for your passport? The application says that it must "be printed on thin paper" and "capable of withstanding a mounting temperature of 225 Fahrenheit." If you have successfully used you own digital photos please share any information you think would be helpful. Thanks!

I took passport photos with my digital camera. When I submitted my application (in person) nothing was mentioned. I do not expect any problem, but then again I have not yet received my passport.

 

Here is info from the State Dept. See section 4 for photo requirements, including a link to info on the use of digital photos.

 

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get_first_apply.html

 

Orcrone - I used Birth Certificate last year, but decided to bite the bullet this year because of all the security concerns. I figured with my luck, they'd change the regs a month before my cruise, so I'd have to pay the Expedite fee (additional $70-80!) on top of the passport fee.

 

But I think Peaches is right - there would most likely be a phase-in period if Passports are made a requirement for the Caribbean.

 

If anyone wants to take a digital photo and has questions (how to scale to print out correct size, etc.) I may be able to help. jewing2(at)csc.com

[Esme]

Passport is the only way for me. Even on a cruise , you never know if you will have to make an emergency depature. With the passport it makes it easier to deal with customs.

 

 

Just a question, if you do travel with a passport, will HAL ask to hold on to it for the duration of the cruise. (This happend to me before (on NCL) and I do not like giving up my passport):confused:

 

I don't know about Europe, but HAL does NOT hold your passports on Caribbean, Alaska, Canada/NE, or Alaska cruises. A few years ago when the Veendam sailed out of Puerto Rico, we did have to hand in our passports, (never did find out why) but they were returned to us a few days later. We also do not like giving up our passports.

[elmorejj]

On any vacation in Europe, whether cruiseship or land based, they usually hold your passport for a couple of days. I think its so they can check you against Interpols list of wanted (LOL)....jean :cool:

[dakrewser]

Just a question, if you do travel with a passport, will HAL ask to hold on to it for the duration of the cruise. (This happend to me before (on NCL) and I do not like giving up my passport):confused:

That depends more on where your cruising, I think, rather than with whom. In the Mediterranean the line usually has held my passport, but not in Alaska or the Caribbean.

[HeatherInFlorida]

I am always surprised when someone tells me they don't have a passport. I got my first one in 1985 when we were going on a Mediterranean cruise and I had no choice, but now I'm constantly checking to make sure it doesn't expire!

 

Yet we have one friend who has some kind of a "thing" about getting one and I know it's not about the money. When you consider the cost of the whole cruise, the passport would be a small pittance. Says he has no plans to go out of the country (not counting the Caribbean) and he simply refuses to get one.

 

Do some people think it's a privacy issue? I have to admit, it baffles me.

 

And now I just found out that the guy doesn't even have a Birth Certificate!!! He thought he could use his Baptismal Certificate:eek: ! Sure hope there's time for him to get the real thing before our cruise in November.

[dakrewser]

And now I just found out that the guy doesn't even have a Birth Certificate!!! He thought he could use his Baptismal Certificate:eek: ! Sure hope there's time for him to get the real thing before our cruise in November.

Perhaps there's information on his birth certificate (such as his date of birth!) that he doesn't want to share with anyone. My mother-in-law was like that. She'd lied about her age when she was 16 in order to get a job (needed to be 18), and by the time I met her (she was in her late 40's) she believed she was actually 2 years older then she really was! It was only when she turned, as we thought, 65 that the social security office brought her back down to earth! :)

[sail7seas]

Heather....That is strange about that fellow you know. Almost sounds like he has something to hide. Something he is afraid of. Such intrigue.......

[HeatherInFlorida]

de de de de ... de de de de ...(picture Twilight Zone music;) )

 

Well, it's certainly not a concern about what's on the Birth Certificate because you do need to bring that. But when you file for a passport you do have to fill in a rather long form and maybe he feels it's intrusive.

 

Some people are just funny about any government forms. They worry about "Big Brother" watching. Me, I could care less. I have absolutely nothing to hide that they'd care about so they can investigate me all they want. In fact they already did when I had to obtain a Secret government clearance when I worked for the M.I.T. Instrumentation Lab during the Apollo I project (okay, now I've dated myself!!!:D ). On the other hand, I was 21 at the time so I hadn't had a lot of time to attach myself to any clandestine group:p !

[Randyk47]

Only a Baptismal Certificate??? :) I'd say that's a very large problem. Back to the passport business......seems like I've always had one. Went to England in the late 40's and I was on my mother's passport. Finally got my own when my father was sent to Africa for 3 years. Since then I've kept one current and almost wore one out when I worked in Germany for 4 years during the 80's. On the other hand, I had a 30 year old secretary here in Texas who had never been out of the county, no I don't mean country...I mean county, her whole life. Guess it's just what you get used to.

[ekerr19]

[/font]

 

Heather-

 

We have friends who do not have birth certificates for their children. They were born at home and the couple did not believe in registering their births.

 

This is a huge problem for them now as their kids are getting to the age of driving (a driver's permit requires 2 forms of ID - including a Social Security # in Colorado) and they can't get a Soc Sec without a birth certificate, they can't a summer job without a Soc Sec # - so no job, no driver's license, no passport (one of the girls wants to go to Europe this fall) and the parents are now tearing their hair out trying to do what should have been done 16-18 years ago!

 

The parents were very much into the "hippy" scene in the 60's and never believed in any "labeling" for their children... now they sure regret it! :)