No Passport Needed for Wonder Right Now - Right?!!

[PoohJen]

Sorry, I know this is a such a basic question coming from a veteran Disser/DCL'er, but...last night I was reading one of my favorite Disney guidebooks and it said "all Disney cruises REQUIRE a PASSPORT - no exceptions!"

I am trying to put together a last minute Wonder trip in Decemeber, and even though I know that information is wrong, it is freaking me out. I just can't (won't?!) get my family each a passport in time. {I solemly promise, however, that I will put in the passport apps after this mini-cruise! }

Can you put this angst-prone Disser at ease?

eta: follow up question: am I right to believe DCL/customs require "original" birth certificates to board?

 

[MO Disney cruiser]

Not until at least January 08.

 

[eva]

Even though you don't need them before 01/01/08, why don't you go ahead and apply now? After the first of the year is one of their busiest seasons. Plus you never know, they could be here before your cruise. Some people have been telling stories of only 4 or 5 weeks wait. It seems that the passport is much easier to carry around than the birth certificate. Do make sure that you have two of everyone's birth certificate before applying. You never know if they will come back in time. It's probably a good idea to have a couple copies of birth certificates anyway.

 

[PoohJen]

Even though you don't need them before 01/01/08, why don't you go ahead and apply now? After the first of the year is one of their busiest seasons. Plus you never know, they could be here before your cruise. Some people have been telling stories of only 4 or 5 weeks wait. It seems that the passport is much easier to carry around than the birth certificate. Do make sure that you have two of everyone's birth certificate before applying. You never know if they will come back in time. It's probably a good idea to have a couple copies of birth certificates anyway.

Thanks both! Eva - I know your reasoning for getting the passports right now is sound, but I am afraid the passports (and birth certificates!) won't get back in time. That's why was wondering whether DCL requires "original" birth certificates; if they take a copy, then maybe I'll go ahead and send in the apps.

I am too cheap to get expedited service on the passports, esp since I'm not required to have them just yet. as far as getting a backup original birth certificate, that IS good advice. Yet, as we live out of state, I see this as a likely bureaucratic (or just paperwork) pain. Time for me to suck it up and get going!

 

[outahere]

That's why was wondering whether DCL requires "original" birth certificates; if they take a copy, then maybe I'll go ahead and send in the apps.

DCL does require official, original birth certificates with a raised seal. It does sound like they are catching up with the passport backlog, so you might get them back in time, if you apply soon. If you do apply, and don't have them within 2 weeks of traveling, you can contact your Congressman/woman or Senator to get them expedited. We had to do that last month and had the one passport we needed (our son's) within 48 hours of talking to our Senator's office.

 

[eva]

Thanks both! Eva - I know your reasoning for getting the passports right now is sound, but I am afraid the passports (and birth certificates!) won't get back in time. That's why was wondering whether DCL requires "original" birth certificates; if they take a copy, then maybe I'll go ahead and send in the apps.

I am too cheap to get expedited service on the passports, esp since I'm not required to have them just yet. as far as getting a backup original birth certificate, that IS good advice. Yet, as we live out of state, I see this as a likely bureaucratic (or just paperwork) pain. Time for me to suck it up and get going!

Ah, I think I have the answer to this. Take your certified birth certificate to your local office. Have them record the birth certificate there. Then you can get certified copies right there. We did this with both DD's birth certificates and DH's discharge from the military. Now when we need certified copies, they are all recorded in one spot. Very handy since one DD was born in Germany.

 

[m&m's mom]

Not required but let me tell you, they put you in a separate line if you do not have a passport and it was long and went very slowly. We breezed thru w/ our passports.

 

[PoohJen]

Ah, I think I have the answer to this. Take your certified birth certificate to your local office. Have them record the birth certificate there. Then you can get certified copies right there. We did this with both DD's birth certificates and DH's discharge from the military. Now when we need certified copies, they are all recorded in one spot. Very handy since one DD was born in Germany.

Wow! Now that's something I didn't know about - I learned something new today! Thanks!

 

[professorandmom]

Ah, I think I have the answer to this. Take your certified birth certificate to your local office. Have them record the birth certificate there. Then you can get certified copies right there. We did this with both DD's birth certificates and DH's discharge from the military. Now when we need certified copies, they are all recorded in one spot. Very handy since one DD was born in Germany.

Are you saying you can get a birth certificate from a city you were not born in? Really?
Barb

 

[eva]

Are you saying you can get a birth certificate from a city you were not born in? Really?
Barb

Yep! Just take a certified copy down to your your recorders office and they will tell you the procedure. Quite painless.

 

[tvguy]

Yep! Just take a certified copy down to your your recorders office and they will tell you the procedure. Quite painless.

Please tell us more because I don't think this is correct.

 

[eva]

Not sure what else to tell you. DH was in the military and our two daughters were born in two different cities. When we returned to our hometown my FIL advised us to go down to the county recorders office and have the birth certificates and DH discharge papers recorded there. All we needed was a certified copy of the document(s). There may have been some type of verification process. But we didn’t see it. We did this years ago and have had the ease of getting certified birth certificates for our daughters right here in our hometown. I can't believe that our county in IL is the only one that does this. Sure saved us a lot of hassles.

 

[professorandmom]

Eva - I believe this process only works for foreign born children of citizens...my children, born in RI cannot get a birth certificate in Indiana
Barb

 

[Pansy]

Not required but let me tell you, they put you in a separate line if you do not have a passport and it was long and went very slowly. We breezed thru w/ our passports.

If you are a repeater you can checkin through the CC line. We used our birth certificates and it was a matter of minutes in this line.

 

[PoohJen]

If you are a repeater you can checkin through the CC line. We used our birth certificates and it was a matter of minutes in this line.

Good point, yes, we're Castaway Club members!

 

[m&m's mom]

If you are a repeater you can checkin through the CC line. We used our birth certificates and it was a matter of minutes in this line.

Sorry, I should have been more clear. This delay was getting thru customs during debarkation.

 

[eva]

Eva - I believe this process only works for foreign born children of citizens...my children, born in RI cannot get a birth certificate in Indiana
Barb

Hmm, that could be true. I know that their birth certificates were originally recorded in DC. We had them recorded here a couple years after DH left the service. Sorry if I got everyone's hopes up.

 

[woody73]

The State Department reported Friday that it had crawled out from under the passport backlog, and the average processing time has "fallen to six to eight weeks from months."

Woody