Passports age

[mtebor]

We are taking are 7 year old on her first cruise (hopefully one of many) and was wondering if she should get a passport.

 

I know that customs accepts the orginal Birth Certificate (Not sure why, it doesn't have a picture and even if it did it would be outdated)

 

I am not sure at what age it becomes feasible to get a passport if you are traveling outside the country every other year.

 

What do you think?

[cruzin2paradise]

I think it's whatever you choose to do. Either way isn't right or wrong. I got passports for both of my kids this year so I didn't have to carry certified copies of their birth certificates. But, that was because the bc's were starting to get tattered and torn from taking them with us. I bought an old-fashioned clear pencil case (with the 3-hole punches in them) and put the passports in them and they are all in one place. But that's just me. The passport is good for 5 years, so it's whatever you choose.

[4cruzin]

Both my boys have had passports since they were 5 & 7 years old. (now 11 and 13) They are easier to keep track of than the birth certificates and the kids think it's "cool" to have their own passports.

[flagger]

I got a passport for our daughter who will be 15 months and 19 months on our first and second cruises. I figure it is easier than carrying her birth cert. For people I know who have travelled out of the country extensively, their children have been given a little leeway in looks because they do change so much. Of course that is why it is only good for five years instead of 10.

[bubbadog]

i dont know...hmm i guess if it were me id feel a lil safer with the passport, plus almost never any questions on that one,compared to the other:)))) just a thought:))

[Cloudmaster]

I have neevr gone on a cruise with my children, but they all have passports. It is always a good idea to have them handy. I think it's worth the cost.

[winkelmann]

We cruised last year with our boys, 5 and 10 with birth certificates. We decided to apply for passports this year. We didn't have any problems last year, but I'll feel better - if something strange should happen, I'd rather be in a foreign country with a passport than just a birth certificate.

[gemcat]

My son has had his passport since he was two weeks old and we were moving to the Republic of Panama. He just renewed it for his first adult passport last week, (he turned 17 a couple of weeks ago), and it has been a great help. As others have posted here, a birth certificate is fine for the cruise ship, but in any other country, nothing is better than a passport for identification and proof of citizenship.

[springtxbill]

Get a passport for the above reasons and it will make a great show-and-tell at school.:)

[TheWog]

My 7 year old son has his passport. We got it when he was 6. He loves to use it for his i.d. even when he doesn't need to show it. My thought obviously is to get it.

[jwlane]

Just wanted to add my son's passport acquisition story from last year.

 

We got the forms, filled 'em out and dropped them off at a post office branch that accepts them here in Dallas (Lovers Lane and Greenville) on a Thursday, I believe it was. On Tuesday or Wednesday the next week, we received a letter from passport services in Houston. First thought was, "Oh no, what was left out/unsigned/wrong." Opened the envelope, and voila, passport! Less than a week, door to door. Who woulda' thunk it?