Can San Pedro Customs be leniant?? Need help!

[JPerry]

Im so upset...please help.

My fiance and I are getting married on Monday Sep. 3rd ( labor day), 2 days away on RCCL 4 night baja mexico cruise, Monarch of the Seas. We started packing and when we got in our safe to get out our birth certificates, what i thought was mine turns out to be a "Certificate of Birth" not a birth certificate :( I thought it was a birth certificate. I also have a photo copy of a certified copy of my birth certificate but it is not an original.

We are supposed to be getting married on the cruise so thats why i am so upset.

We called RCCL, they basically read us what is in our paperwork "Certificate of Birth" is not aceptable. They told us to call imigration. I called immigration and they said it will be up to the persons discretion who is letting us through.

Has anyone had any experiance with this. Some of our wedding guests say imigration can be pretty leniant, but i have never been on a cruise so i dont know.

I would hate to drive all the way to california with our 30 guests and be told we cant go on the cruise. My wedding would be ruined

[Cadi]

First off, is the Certifitect of Birth a Certifitied copy?....I ask because my hubby is from Maine and that is all you can get from them....You CAN NOT get a copy of your Birth Certifitect from the state of Maine....It is considered a legal document if it has the state seal stamped on it...Hubby got a passport just using it....You might want to do some checking....He also used it for the cruise we took....I think RCCL is wrong, if it has the state seal.......

[gusandgidgetsmom]

My daughter uses a certificate of birth. This is an exact copy of her certificate(which is on file, but never given out in Ohio) and stamped by the state. Her sister used one just like it to get her passport. I think that some states just give this as mine from Oregon looks different. I would check again if I were you so you won't worry.

[momthecruisedirector]

I don't know your age or family situation but is it possible your parents have an original copy?

 

I can't help to reassure you on way or the other but hope for the best. Perhaps you can take every other form of ID you have - ss card, drivers license.....good luck.

[Splinter]

Too late now, but if you had gotten a passport this would not be an issue. Can't understand how people who plan to travel at all don't have one already.

 

Keep in mind that CUSTOMS has to do with importing items into the USA. You go through Customs on the pier after collecting your luggage. IMMIGRATION has to do with entry into the country and is usually done on the ship. It is the latter that you will have to convince that you are a legitimate USA citizen. Customs doesn't really care, and won't ask for your birth certificate, but they will want to see your entry permit (which Immigration issues).

[megr1125]

I hope the OP lets us know how it turns out....

[Cruisin' Chick]

If you have one with a raised seal, that might be what they're talking about. You need to check with the clerk from the county in which you were born to find out how to get the official certificate. You will need a passport at some time in the near future (when they stop moving back the date) if you want to continue going on cruises, so you will need something official when apply for the passport anyway. Unfortunately, this is not something to be finding out about at the last minute (if you had known, say five months ago, about this, you could have applied and received the official certificate.

[Sally Forth]

Im so upset...please help.

My fiance and I are getting married on Monday Sep. 3rd ( labor day), 2 days away on RCCL 4 night baja mexico cruise, Monarch of the Seas. We started packing and when we got in our safe to get out our birth certificates, what i thought was mine turns out to be a "Certificate of Birth" not a birth certificate :( I thought it was a birth certificate. I also have a photo copy of a certified copy of my birth certificate but it is not an original.

We are supposed to be getting married on the cruise so thats why i am so upset.

We called RCCL, they basically read us what is in our paperwork "Certificate of Birth" is not aceptable. They told us to call imigration. I called immigration and they said it will be up to the persons discretion who is letting us through.

Has anyone had any experiance with this. Some of our wedding guests say imigration can be pretty leniant, but i have never been on a cruise so i dont know.

I would hate to drive all the way to california with our 30 guests and be told we cant go on the cruise. My wedding would be ruined

I can't answer as to whether your existing documents are enough. However, I can tell you that your cruiseline gets in trouble if they let people on the ship who don't have the right documents. So, even though you might get a lenient immigration officer at the end of your cruise, if your cruiseline doesn't let you on at the beginning, the point is moot. Like airlines, they are pretty strict.

 

Viv