Here we go again!!! Is this Passport Info Correct?

[tnt091605]

This was in our paper this morning.

 

Beginning in June, some forms of identification previously acceptable to re-enter the country will no longer be accepted.

 

U.S. citizens returning home from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean or Bermuda by land or sea will need to have a passport book or card, or another travel document approved by Homeland Security, said Chuck Mai, AAA Oklahoma spokesman.

 

"It can take several weeks to receive a passport after application has been made," Mai said. "If you're thinking about traveling anywhere outside the country this summer, we recommend getting your passport now."

 

The difference between a traditional passport and a passport card, introduced last July, is that only a passport can be used for air travel outside the U.S., Mai said.

 

"(The passport card) can be used on cruise ships for re-entry at U.S. ports and at land border crossings as you come back from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda, but that's it," Mai said. "It is not valid for any air travel into the U.S. at all."

 

Mai also said that all children younger than 16 years old must have parental consent to travel outside the country, as well as their own passports.

[tbjl24]

Nothing has changed, even in this article. Yes, you do need a passport if flying to/from the caribbean. This is the reason many will say to get a passport for a cruise, in case you need to fly home in an emergency.

 

For a cruise, however, it is NOT required, as of now.

[firefly333]

What was left out was the passport not being needed for "closed loop" cruises. If you depart and return to the same port and its a caribbean cruise, thats when you dont need a passport.

[tnt091605]

Ok that is what I thought. But it says re entering by sea. This is going to make people think they need passports. You would think that someone speaking to the medial would provide accurate and detailed information.

[amybeth4]

Ok that is what I thought. But it says re entering by sea. This is going to make people think they need passports. You would think that someone speaking to the medial would provide accurate and detailed information.

 

Huh? I thought it was perfectly clear:

 

U.S. citizens returning home from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean or Bermuda by land or sea will need to have a passport book or card

[MEOWSMURPHY]

Mai also said that all children younger than 16 years old must have parental consent to travel outside the country, as well as their own passports.

 

We are taking our Granddaughters on the Legend in October..for their 16th birthday's..they will not be 16 when we leave...they each have a passport card..will this now not be enough given the statement above? We will have notorized letters from their parents to let us take them out of the country...anything else I'm not aware of that we will need??

 

Thanks....Emmy

[LemurCat]

Huh? I thought it was perfectly clear:

 

U.S. citizens returning home from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean or Bermuda by land or sea will need to have a passport book or card

 

Actually, Mr. Mui has it correct: "U.S. citizens returning home from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean or Bermuda by land or sea will need to have a passport book or card, or another travel document approved by Homeland Security, said Chuck Mai"

 

Those "other trave document(s) approved by Homeland Security" are the DL and Birth Cert.

[DanJ]

I'm pretty sure not all drivers licenses are approved. Some states, and some Canadian provinces, have enhanced security licenses that will meet DHS requirements. One would have to check with DHS to see if their state's D/L's fall under that category.

 

After the new regulations take effect in June, regular licenses and birth certificates will only be good for cruises leaving and returning to the same US port.

[LemurCat]

I'm pretty sure not all drivers licenses are approved.

 

Not in the US. The issuance of driver's licenses is the right and responsibility of the individual states. They set the designs. They set the terms under which they are issued. Most of the non-enhanced licenses have gone the way of the rotary phone these days. I know there was quite the squawk when my state went to the digital license about ten years ago and recalled all of the non-picture licenses. Can't speak for Canada though, as you folks have a very different set up government-wise than us.

[shippmates]

You can still use dl & birth certificates as long the BC has a raised seal and not the one issued by the hospital. If you do alot of traveling I would just get a passport and be done with it. They are around $100 and are good for 10 years.While using dl & bc I had trouble getting into Jamaica due to the fact that my dl and bc names did not match. They wanted my marriage license.

[tnt091605]

Actually, Mr. Mui has it correct: "U.S. citizens returning home from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean or Bermuda by land or sea will need to have a passport book or card, or another travel document approved by Homeland Security, said Chuck Mai"

 

Those "other trave document(s) approved by Homeland Security" are the DL and Birth Cert.

 

Ok thanks for pointing that out. I guess I missed the other approved document

[G'ma]

Ok that is what I thought. But it says re entering by sea. This is going to make people think they need passports. You would think that someone speaking to the medial would provide accurate and detailed information.

 

You'd think that, knowing the passport requirement is coming sooner rather than later, that folks would just go ahead and get one......They're good for 10 years.

[AlanFromFL]

Yes, DHS could not have made the "passport" question less comprehensible. The whole process has been a fiasco from the start. After reading the DHS website many times, I became curious. The DHS web site referrs to "Enhanced Drivers Licenses" quite a bit, but doesn't clearly define which state(s) and/or Canadian provinces currently issue said documents. I'd never heard about my home state (FL) issuing these documents.

 

From the research I've done, it seems that at present only a few states (New York, Vermont, Arizona, and the State of Washington) and the Canadian province of British Columbia have actually issued these so-called "Enhanced" licenses. These documents must include the driver's personal info, including citizenship status, in both machine readable and RFID (radio frequency identification) chips, as is now the case with the new passport documents.

 

IMHO, if one already has a passport book or card, the "enhanced drivers license" is an unnecessary additional expense. But if one does not already have a passport, and regularly crosses the US/Canada border, it could very well be an alternative to consider.

[LemurCat]

You can still use dl & birth certificates as long the BC has a raised seal and not the one issued by the hospital. If you do alot of traveling I would just get a passport and be done with it. They are around $100 and are good for 10 years.While using dl & bc I had trouble getting into Jamaica due to the fact that my dl and bc names did not match. They wanted my marriage license.

 

Re: Raised seals. Not all states use them anymore. Some have more high tech water markings. As long as the BC comes from the state -- either an original or a state-issued copy, you can use it. The style of the document will differ from state to state, as will where you can obtain a copy as each state has it's own procedures. As an example, in New Jersey you can go to your local municipal Records Office, usually in your township or boro office. In PA, you have to go to one of six public offices (usually in the larger cities -- Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, etc.) Online is always a great option too. And yeah, if you've had a name change from adoption or marriage or divorce, bring those papers with you too.

 

(Another reason why the passport is just easier.)

[pinkprincess78]

I've heard that as of June 1st you have to have one. until then you are fine. Our cruise is in May so I'm not getting one

[Warm Breezes]

You'd think that' date=' knowing the passport requirement is coming sooner rather than later, that folks would just go ahead and get one......They're good for 10 years.[/quote']

Yes - but for a family of 4 that is $400 that can be saved now. That is all of our spending money on a cruise. I'd rather use the money on my cruise and wait to pay for a passport until I absolutely have to. This could be our only trip in the next 10 years and then I'd have spent $400 for nothing since it wasn't required now.

[celticd1]

You'd think that' date=' [b']knowing the passport requirement is coming sooner rather than later,[/b] that folks would just go ahead and get one......They're good for 10 years.

 

I've been reading that same argument now for at least 4 years....and I bet I am still reading it 4 years from now...:p

[SJChaput]

This is just for admittance back into the country correct? I am worried that worst case scenario I will miss the ship and have to be flown to the Caymans to catch the cruise... If I have a Passport CARD I can still be flown in and take the cruise back to the U.S. with the Passport card right?

 

It is just for admittance back into the US right?

[celticd1]

I've heard that as of June 1st you have to have one. until then you are fine. Our cruise is in May so I'm not getting one

 

Even after June 1st you will not be required to show a passport if you are sailing on a closed loop cruise departing from a US port.

 

The passport is required for air travel.

[celticd1]

This is just for admittance back into the country correct? I am worried that worst case scenario I will miss the ship and have to be flown to the Caymans to catch the cruise... If I have a Passport CARD I can still be flown in and take the cruise back to the U.S. with the Passport card right?

 

It is just for admittance back into the US right?

 

That would depend on the rules of the country you are flying into. Do you need a passport to fly to the Caymen Islands now?

[LemurCat]

The DHS web site referrs to "Enhanced Drivers Licenses" quite a bit, but doesn't clearly define which state(s) and/or Canadian provinces currently issue said documents.

 

From the research I've done, it seems that at present only a few states (New York, Vermont, Arizona, and the State of Washington) and the Canadian province of British Columbia have actually issued these so-called "Enhanced" licenses.

 

More states than that have digitally enhanced licenses -- they are usually the digital ones that aren't laminated and have special coding on them (and thus really hard to fake). There is also something called the Enhanced or 3-in-1 Driver's License that some states - the ones you listed above - are offering which contain RFID chips which some privacy advocates find to be highly suspect. There is yet another initiative the REAL ID program, which is trying to standardize the design of licenses for the entire country. Again, privacy advocates and States Rights groups have real issues with that concept.

[zqvol]

This is correct as far as it goes. It does not include the exception for closed loop cruises.

 

Huh? I thought it was perfectly clear:

 

U.S. citizens returning home from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean or Bermuda by land or sea will need to have a passport book or card

 

It is clear but it is not accurate.

 

You can still use dl & birth certificates as long the BC has a raised seal and not the one issued by the hospital. If you do alot of traveling I would just get a passport and be done with it. They are around $100 and are good for 10 years.While using dl & bc I had trouble getting into Jamaica due to the fact that my dl and bc names did not match. They wanted my marriage license.

 

Birth certificates DO NOT have to have a raised seal. they have to be certified. Most government units stopped using raised seals years ago.

[yst347]

Ok that is what I thought. But it says re entering by sea. This is going to make people think they need passports. You would think that someone speaking to the medial would provide accurate and detailed information.

 

Only cruises that begin and end in the same port are exempt from the new document requirements. While this accounts for most cruises it is only a part of arrivals by sea. Ferries sail from Canada to the United States on both coasts as well as the Great Lakes. Cruise ships make one way sailings from Europe seasonally. Freighters rent cabins to passengers. People sail private boats to and from neighboring nations, etc.

[gazingm42]

From the US PASSPORT PAGE...

 

LAND AND SEA TRAVEL

 

The following summarizes information available on the Department of Homeland Security’s website.

 

* CURRENTLY:

All U.S. citizens must show proof of identity and proof of U.S. citizenship when entering the United States from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the countries of the Caribbean by land or sea.

 

Acceptable documents include: U.S. Passport Book, U.S. Passport Card, or other document approved by the Department of Homeland Security.

 

U.S. citizens who do not have a single document verifying identity and citizenship must present both an identification and citizenship document; for example, a driver’s license and a copy of a birth certificate or naturalization certificate.

 

* LATER:

On June 1, 2009, the U.S. government will implement the full requirements of the land and sea phase of WHTI. The proposed rules require most U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry to have a passport, passport card, or other travel document approved by the Department of Homeland Security.

 

o CHILDREN: U.S. citizen children under the age of 16 will be able to present the original or copy of their birth certificate, or other proof of U.S. citizenship such as a naturalization certificate or citizenship card.

 

Groups of U.S. citizen children ages 16 through 18, when traveling with a school or religious group, social organization, or sports team, will be able to enter under adult supervision with originals or copies of their birth certificates or other proof of citizenship. See the Department of Homeland Security's GetYouHome.gov for more information on the changing travel requirements.

 

U.S. PASSPORT AND WHTI COMPLIANT DOCUMENTS:

 

* U.S. Passport: U.S. citizens may present a valid U.S. passport to enter or re-enter the United States when traveling via air, land or sea from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean region, and Bermuda.

* The U.S. Passport Card: The passport card is only valid for re-entry into the United States at land border crossings and sea ports-of-entry from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean region, and Bermuda.

* WHTI-Compliant Travel Documents for U.S. citizen travel via land or sea, as of January 31, 2008:

o Trusted Traveler Cards (NEXUS, SENTRI, or FAST)

o State Issued Enhanced Driver's License (when available)

o Enhanced Tribal Cards (when available)

o U.S. Military Identification with Military Travel Orders

o U.S. Merchant Mariner Document when traveling in conjunction with official maritime business

o Native American Tribal Photo Identification Card

o Form I-872 American Indian Card

 

For further information see U.S. Customs and Border Protection's website Ready, Set...Go!

[PapaJDub]

Funny, I have cruised from Port Canaveral and Miami this year on Carnival (Sensation/Imagination), and BOTH times upon our return, CBP was not checking anyones passport or birth certificate. They collected the customs form and just waved us through, we could have been anyone. I guess they just trust CCL that much.