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

[zqvol]

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!

 

If you are going to post something from a web site it is important to get ALL of the exceptions, etc. that are applicable. This information is incomplete because it does not mention the exception for close loop cruises.

[AFsouth]

Folks;

 

Please just get a Passport, simple!

[amybeth4]

Folks;

 

Please just get a Passport, simple!

 

Well it IS a $100 expense for each person in the family. Some people would rather not spend the $100, esp. now that there are other options.

[Bobbye]

If you are going to post something from a web site it is important to get ALL of the exceptions, etc. that are applicable. This information is incomplete because it does not mention the exception for close loop cruises.

 

True. And in the closed-loop you have to carefully read the definition because it must be closed loop to a contiguous or adjacent island as listed below. If it isn't on the list a passport is required. (Example -- Belize, Honduras, etc.)

 

Q: What does contiguous territories or adjacent islands mean?

A: Contiguous Territories are any country sharing a common boundary with the United States. Canada and Mexico are contiguous to the United States.

Adjacent Islands as follows: Anguilla, Antigua, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Barbuda, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Marie-Galantine, Martinique, Miquelon, Montserrat, Saba, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Christopher, Saint Eustatius, Saint Kitts-Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Maarten, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, and other British, French and Netherlands territory or possessions bordering on the Caribbean Sea.

[MrSegway]

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?

 

No it is not just for admittance back into the U.S. I fly internationally A LOT. The airlines will make sure you have your passport before you board the plane for an international flight, and the country you are flying into will ask for your passport and will stamp a "date of entry" into the foreign country. Same as when you leave to fly back into the U.S.

[AFsouth]

Well it IS a $100 expense for each person in the family. Some people would rather not spend the $100, esp. now that there are other options.

 

If you don't travel frequently, then I agree. Otherwise, spend now or spend later. The time will come when a Passport is required for ALL travel.:eek:

[startraveler]

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.)

 

Having needed to secure several copies of my marriage certificate from a NJ municipality, I will note that the document consists of the marriage license copied by the municipal clerk onto a state-approved certificate-type paper, to which the clerk added the raised town seal.

 

In any case, my favorite saying is divide the cost of a passport by the adult document life, 10 years. The result is that you give up eating a pizza pie once a year for ten years, that's the cost of your passport. It's also not that much compared to the overall cost of a cruise, or the typical room bill.

[cruzzza]

I hope I'm reading correct in that on my June 13 New Orleans Fantasy sailing that I can bring the certified birth certificate for my 2 yr old instead of getting her a passport, even though it's after the deadline. (DH & I have passports.)

[sailor44]

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.

 

The requirements ARE changing in June.

 

Go to the source - http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html

[cherylandtk]

True. And in the closed-loop you have to carefully read the definition because it must be closed loop to a contiguous or adjacent island as listed below. If it isn't on the list a passport is required. (Example -- Belize, Honduras, etc.)

 

Q: What does contiguous territories or adjacent islands mean?

A: Contiguous Territories are any country sharing a common boundary with the United States. Canada and Mexico are contiguous to the United States.

Adjacent Islands as follows: Anguilla, Antigua, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Barbuda, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Marie-Galantine, Martinique, Miquelon, Montserrat, Saba, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Christopher, Saint Eustatius, Saint Kitts-Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Maarten, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, and other British, French and Netherlands territory or possessions bordering on the Caribbean Sea.

This quote is from a CBP FAQ page (for common carriers) dealing with the re-entry processing of visa waiver country passport holders going back into the US from these limited countries. US citizens do not get such 'modified processing' and this country limitation and definition does not apply to them. The text of the actual regulation only limits the countries to the Western Hemisphere:

 

22 CFR § 53.2 Exceptions

(2) When traveling entirely within the Western Hemisphere on a cruise ship, and when the U.S. citizen boards the cruise ship at a port or place within the United States and returns on the return voyage of the same cruise ship to the same United States port or place from where he or she originally departed. That U.S. citizen may present a government-issued photo identification document in combination with either an original or a copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad issued by the Department, or a Certificate of Naturalization issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services before entering the United States;

 

source http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr;sid=1b3b8704cb15892f6bb910875d1bad17;rgn=div2;view=text;node=20080403%3A1.24;idno=22;cc=ecfr;start=1;size=25

[yst347]

The requirements ARE changing in June.

 

Go to the source - http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html

 

The requirements for closed-loop cruises ARE NOT changing in June. Closed-Loop cruises account for well over 90% of Carnival Cruise Line sailing.

 

Go to the source - http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/newsroom/fact_sheets/travel/whti_state_factsheet.ctt/whti_state_factsheet.pdf

 

"U.S. citizens on closed-loop cruises (cruises that • begin and end at the same U.S. port) will be able to enter or depart the country with a birth certificate and government-issued photo ID. Please be aware that you may still be required to present a passport to enter the countries your cruise ship is visiting. Check with your cruise line to ensure you have the appropriate documents."

[nrdsb4]

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?

 

According to this Grand Cayman site, theoretically you wouldn't need the passport to get into GC by air (you would need BC and gov't photo id).

 

http://www.grandcayman4u.com/essential/visas.htm

 

The only catch would be that you would have to convince the airline in the US to let you on the plane without a passport. You would have to convince them that you would be returning to the US by ship, not by air. Even though you would be buying a one way air ticket and would have your cruise documents, they could be snarky about it because the airline can be fined if they allow a person without proper documentation to board their flight and later on that person tries to re-enter the US by air without their passport.

[yst347]

Great Link cherylandtk, thanks for posting it. :)

[Cruise, J.D.]

This quote is from a CBP FAQ page (for common carriers) dealing with the re-entry processing of visa waiver country passport holders going back into the US from these limited countries. US citizens do not get such 'modified processing' and this country limitation and definition does not apply to them. The text of the actual regulation only limits the countries to the Western Hemisphere:

 

22 CFR § 53.2 Exceptions

(2) When traveling entirely within the Western Hemisphere on a cruise ship, and when the U.S. citizen boards the cruise ship at a port or place within the United States and returns on the return voyage of the same cruise ship to the same United States port or place from where he or she originally departed. That U.S. citizen may present a government-issued photo identification document in combination with either an original or a copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad issued by the Department, or a Certificate of Naturalization issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services before entering the United States;

 

source http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr;sid=1b3b8704cb15892f6bb910875d1bad17;rgn=div2;view=text;node=20080403%3A1.24;idno=22;cc=ecfr;start=1;size=25

 

Cheryl - I'm currently using the DHS question forum on this very issue. They have not given me a direct answer yet, but I'm continuing my questioning. I've been passed off to supervisors who don't know much either. I even directed them to the CBP FAQ link so that they could see why there is confusion.

 

One representative said an interesting thing that I believe to be true - DHS will not deny entry to a US citizen at a border because of lack of a passport, regardless of whether a passport was required for the original travel, but entry might be delayed.

[cherylandtk]

The requirements ARE changing in June.

 

Go to the source - http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html

When you go to this source, just be sure to click on the link that says "This information below is a summary of the information found at the Department of Homeland Security's website". Gotta go there to get ALL the rules, including the cruise exception. State Dept. is not a complete source, DHS is.

[sailor44]

[quote name='cherylandtk']When you go to this source, just be sure to click on the link that says "This information below is a summary of the information found at the Department of Homeland Security's website". Gotta go there to get ALL the rules, including the cruise exception. State Dept. is not a complete source, DHS is.[/quote]

I stand corrected. :o

This is typical of our bureaucratic government. Since the State Dept issues the passports one would think that all the information would be on their website.

Regardless of where the information is it should only be in one place and all of it.

No wonder everyone is confused! :eek: