Identification Help!

[richmond282]

I am hoping someone here has had experience with this and can advise. Here's the scenario:

I have cruise booked for the my 40th birthday the 1st week of October. My driver's license is going to expire while I am on the trip, so I went and got it renewed today. My state only issues paper copies of new licenses and will mail you the official laminated one in 30 days (long after my cruise.) I was concerned about this and called Royal Caribbean. The lady I talked to was extremely rude to me. She told me they definitely would not take a paper ID, it MUST be laminated. I could either cancel my trip, call port authority, or just take my chances. She then told me it wasn't her fault and I should have renewed my license "months ago."

My husband called port authority. They told him that my driver's license doesn't matter b/c a passport is required. No one would be allowed to board w/o a passport. (I know this isn't accurate and I don't have a passport and don't have time to get one.) So we got nowhere there. He then called Royal Caribbean back and quite obviously talked to someone different than me. That person told my husband that my paper ID was fine and it wouldn't be a problem.

So does anyone have personal experience with this? How do I know who is correct?

 

[msjprincess]

Do you still have the expired license with the picture? I would think if you had that along with the paper license it would be all right. But I have no personal experience with it.

 

[Disney Dad ADL]

Sorry I don't have any personal experience, but this is what the Royal Caribbean website says. I'm assuming you're leaving from the US?

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/beforeyouboard/travelDocumentation.do




According to this, if you are leaving and coming back to the same port, then a US Driver's License and a birth certificate together are OK.

In terms of temporary paper licenses, in most places they are not considered acceptable ID (including Disneyland for example). This came up in the Disneyland forum as well. They might take your old Driver's License + your temporary paper one, I'm not sure.

I personally don't ever feel comfortable leaving the country without a passport in case I get stuck somewhere, but that's just me. Maybe I'm a worrywart, lol. Hopefully someone have a better answer to your question.

 

[HopperFan]

Not sure where you are but you might be able to get a Passport day of. We ran in to this ....DD and I were heading on a girls group cruise. Mine was okay and since we got them together assumed hers was. BUT because she was only 14 when we go them, hers did not last as long and had expired. We made an appointment and went to get her new one in person. DH did the same another time.

https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/information/where-to-apply/agencies.html

 

[bcla]

In terms of temporary paper licenses, in most places they are not considered acceptable ID (including Disneyland for example). This came up in the Disneyland forum as well. They might take your old Driver's License + your temporary paper one, I'm not sure.

The Disneyland example was for alcohol sales, and businesses are allowed to place any restrictions they want on acceptable ID. It's not specifically in state law, but Disneyland specifically says they won't take any form of temporary ID, and they're allowed to set their own requirements that may exclude certain forms of ID that the state doesn't specifically say are invalid.

There's nothing in the official government requirements that says that temporary photo ID can't be accepted for returning to the US. If the document somehow isn't compliant with the government requirements, CPB will work with you to determine identity and citizenship to let you back into the US. However, I thought cruise lines check ID and travel documents upon check-in, and they may have a different idea as to what's acceptable. So the customs agent might have no problem, but that's not going to do you any good if the cruise-line employee doesn't let you board in the first place. I don't think there's an issue, but I would prefer to have a passport.

https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/western-hemisphere-travel-initiative​

• • U.S. citizens on closed-loop cruises (cruises that begin and end at the same U.S. port) are able to enter the United States 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.

 

[Disney Dad ADL]

There's nothing in the official government requirements that says that temporary photo ID can't be accepted for returning to the US.

AFAIK most temporary licenses are just pieces of paper that are printed out on a printer with some words and no photo, although i understand that some states do have the photo (Washington I think?). That being said, speaking for myself personally , I wouldn't take my chances for something this important unless it explicitly says that temporary licenses are OK (which I don't believe it does). And, as you mentioned, there are other reasons why a passport might be a good idea, since Drivers licenses probably don't carry much weight in foriegn countries.

It's a bit late in the game though. There are some companies that claim they can get your passport in as little as 24 hours (with a hefty charge of course). For me, I would be willing to pay it for piece of mind, but it's certainly whatever OP is comfortable with.

 

[bumbershoot]

OP since your current license isn't expired yet, did they mark it in some way to show its being replaced? I would show that, assuming you have it, at checkin. (In wa they give the old one back to you)

And you could use it to get a passport. Check out the state department passport pages thoroughly as you can likely get a fast passport book without going through an agency that will charge you even more.

 

[bcla]

AFAIK most temporary licenses are just pieces of paper that are printed out on a printer with some words and no photo, although i understand that some states do have the photo (Washington I think?). That being said, speaking for myself personally , I wouldn't take my chances for something this important unless it explicitly says that temporary licenses are OK (which I don't believe it does). And, as you mentioned, there are other reasons why a passport might be a good idea, since Drivers licenses probably don't carry much weight in foriegn countries.

It's a bit late in the game though. There are some companies that claim they can get your passport in as little as 24 hours (with a hefty charge of course). For me, I would be willing to pay it for piece of mind, but it's certainly whatever OP is comfortable with.

That's the case for California. However, the OP's info page says Tennessee, and they apparent have an "interim" license printed in color on security paper, similar to Washington or Oregon. They also apparently have self-service kiosks where one can renew, have the photo taken, and get the paper license. The interim license is only valid for 20 days. The standard license card is supposed to be mailed before the interim license expires. Someone will check the photo against previous photos before send out the license card. I think previously they would actually wait on site for the license to be produced.

https://www.tn.gov/assets/entities/safety/attachments/DL_Manual.pdf

Interim Documents

A new security practice has been implemented with the issuance of an interim license or ID for customers who are getting a driver license for the first time or renewing their license. This interim license is valid for up to 20 days, and the permanent license or ID will be mailed to the customer’s address. All interim licenses are printed on special security paper and include a photo and signature for identification purposes. The information on the front of the card can be validated by reading the 2D barcode. Many other security features have been incorporated to protect you in preventing driver license fraud and identity theft.

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/local/drivers-license-id-process-changed-ep-510564804-355589301.html

Drivers renewing their licenses, who previously would wait on-site for a permanent license from a driver service center the same day, now will walk out with a 20-day temporary license on paper. Meanwhile the person's information is logged and a permanent ID is stamped and mailed from a factory in Lacey, Wash.​

 

[bcla]

OP since your current license isn't expired yet, did they mark it in some way to show its being replaced? I would show that, assuming you have it, at checkin. (In wa they give the old one back to you)

And you could use it to get a passport. Check out the state department passport pages thoroughly as you can likely get a fast passport book without going through an agency that will charge you even more.

If Bristol, TN is correct, the closest passport agency would be Atlanta or maybe DC. The cost of travel (not to mention time) might make paying a service worth it.

I was thinking passport card to save money, but those only come out of a central facility and can't really be expedited. Passports are completed on site at a regional passport office and I've heard same day turnaround is possible.

Also, TN says their interim license is only valid for 20 days, but that the license should arrive before then. If the OP just got it, it might expire before the cruise is over depending on how long. Of course if she just got it, maybe hope that the permanent license arrives before leaving.

 

[bumbershoot]

The card won't help them in case of a big problem, though. That's why I'd get the card. It gets her onboard the ship AND gets her home if something goes very wrong during the cruise.

If I for some reason had ID that was expiring before the cruise ended, and I couldn't get a passport, and they did allow me onboard the ship....I wouldn't get off the ship after that date.


Passport...OP, where is your cruise leaving from? If FL or another state with passport agencies, can you get there a few *business* days early and get it taken care of? On cruisecritic or here, can't remember, a couple years ago there was a woman who had lost (I believe) her passport, and since her cruise wasn't closed-loop she had to have it. It left out of CA, and she went early and hit the Los Angeles passport agency, getting in line at something like 7am to be first when it opened, and left with her passport.

 

[bcla]

The card won't help them in case of a big problem, though. That's why I'd get the card. It gets her onboard the ship AND gets her home if something goes very wrong during the cruise.

If I for some reason had ID that was expiring before the cruise ended, and I couldn't get a passport, and they did allow me onboard the ship....I wouldn't get off the ship after that date.

I suspect they'd look at an expiration date before the cruise ends and say it's unacceptable for boarding. If per chance one was allowed to do that, CPB isn't totally unreasonable. It's not their job to prevent US citizens or permanent residents from reentering the United States on a technicality like expired ID. They will search their databases for information, and ID think they might have access to state motor vehicle databases. The expired ID might be a good start.

I've heard of some crazy issues with travel documents that could get someone into trouble. I know a green card holder who returned to her original country to visit. All the airline wanted to see was the passport, which allowed her to enter. She couldn't return initially because she grabbed the wrong card that looked like her green card. She had someone locate her green card and send it by FedEx. Another crazy possibility is that Canada allows adult US citizens to enter on a US birth certificate. However, the US doesn't consider that an acceptable travel document for reentering the US.

 

[gumbypee]

I am hoping someone here has had experience with this and can advise. Here's the scenario:

I have cruise booked for the my 40th birthday the 1st week of October. My driver's license is going to expire while I am on the trip, so I went and got it renewed today. My state only issues paper copies of new licenses and will mail you the official laminated one in 30 days (long after my cruise.) I was concerned about this and called Royal Caribbean. The lady I talked to was extremely rude to me. She told me they definitely would not take a paper ID, it MUST be laminated. I could either cancel my trip, call port authority, or just take my chances. She then told me it wasn't her fault and I should have renewed my license "months ago."

My husband called port authority. They told him that my driver's license doesn't matter b/c a passport is required. No one would be allowed to board w/o a passport. (I know this isn't accurate and I don't have a passport and don't have time to get one.) So we got nowhere there. He then called Royal Caribbean back and quite obviously talked to someone different than me. That person told my husband that my paper ID was fine and it wouldn't be a problem.

So does anyone have personal experience with this? How do I know who is correct?

I don't have personal experience with this. But you won't know who is correct until you get there and try unfortunately.

Do you still have the old license? Can you use that to get an expedited passport? I don't know if you can use the paper one to get the passport but getting an expedited passport seems like the safest option.

edit: any way to pay to get the license expedited either?

 

[bcla]

I don't have personal experience with this. But you won't know who is correct until you get there and try unfortunately.

Do you still have the old license? Can you use that to get an expedited passport? I don't know if you can use the paper one to get the passport but getting an expedited passport seems like the safest option.

edit: any way to pay to get the license expedited either?

A driver license isn't a requirement to get an adult passport. The only requirement is proof of citizenship such as a birth certificate or naturalization certificate. One can get an adult passport without any photo ID. A child passport application requires the parents produce photo ID (and make photocopies to submit) to match with proof of parental status, like the names on a birth certificate or adoption papers.

Tennessee can't expedite now that they contract with a company in WA. They used to print them onsite "while you wait".

And sure they could expedite. Any acceptance facility can accept an expedited application. However, they claim it'll be a couple of weeks. They still need to mail it to the regional passport office. The fastest way is to get an appointment at a passport office, where I've heard of people coming in the morning to get a passport to travel that day. Expedite services can do that too, but it's dependent on where you are relative to the passport office how much it costs and how fast. Certainly in Silicon Valley there are enough people who need this service, and the distance to the passport office in San Francisco is short enough to justify sending couriers to do this. Not sure about a mid-sized city in Tennessee though. That might require something like overnight service to an office near the passport office, then shipping to the client or agent.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

First of all I don't understand why states don't issue a license at the facility. Why paper?
Secondly, I have gotten a passport in a day. So it can be done.

 

[gumbypee]

A driver license isn't a requirement to get an adult passport. The only requirement is proof of citizenship such as a birth certificate or naturalization certificate. One can get an adult passport without any photo ID. A child passport application requires the parents produce photo ID (and make photocopies to submit) to match with proof of parental status, like the names on a birth certificate or adoption papers.

Tennessee can't expedite now that they contract with a company in WA. They used to print them onsite "while you wait".

And sure they could expedite. Any acceptance facility can accept an expedited application. However, they claim it'll be a couple of weeks. They still need to mail it to the regional passport office. The fastest way is to get an appointment at a passport office, where I've heard of people coming in the morning to get a passport to travel that day. Expedite services can do that too, but it's dependent on where you are relative to the passport office how much it costs and how fast. Certainly in Silicon Valley there are enough people who need this service, and the distance to the passport office in San Francisco is short enough to justify sending couriers to do this. Not sure about a mid-sized city in Tennessee though. That might require something like overnight service to an office near the passport office, then shipping to the client or agent.

ah ok, I didn't remember about not needing DL for passport. Getting a passport somehow seems best choice

 

[bumbershoot]

A driver license isn't a requirement to get an adult passport. The only requirement is proof of citizenship such as a birth certificate or naturalization certificate. One can get an adult passport without any photo ID.

From the passport application http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/212239.pdf:

Proof of Identity:

You may submit items such as the following containing your signature AND a photograph
that is a good likeness of you: previous or current U.S. passport book; previous or current
U.S. passport card; driver's license (not temporary or learner's license); Certificate
of Naturalization; Certificate of Citizenship; military identification; or federal, state, or municipal government employee identification card. Temporary or altered documents are not acceptable."

"You must establish your identity to the satisfaction of the acceptance agent and Passport Services. We may ask you to provide additional evidence to establish your identity. If
you have changed your name, please see travel.state.gov for instructions.

IF YOU CANNOT PROVIDE DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE OF IDENTITY as stated above, you must appear with an
IDENTIFYING WITNESS who is a U.S. citizen, non-citizen U.S. national, or permanent resident alien who
has known you for at least two years. Your witness must prove his or her identity and complete and sign an Affidavit of Identifying
Witness (Form DS-71) before the acceptance agent. You must also submit some identification of your own."

First of all I don't understand why states don't issue a license at the facility. Why paper?

It's actually part of making them MORE official and harder to fake, I believe. They aren't as easy to make; they aren't just printed and laminated.

 

[Sweetsarj]

You can can use an expedited service and get a passport within days. You'll pay a hefty sum, around 500 but it's better than taking a chance and not be able to go on the cruise.

 

[bcla]

From the passport application http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/212239.pdf:

Proof of Identity:

You may submit items such as the following containing your signature AND a photograph
that is a good likeness of you: previous or current U.S. passport book; previous or current
U.S. passport card; driver's license (not temporary or learner's license); Certificate
of Naturalization; Certificate of Citizenship; military identification; or federal, state, or municipal government employee identification card. Temporary or altered documents are not acceptable."

"You must establish your identity to the satisfaction of the acceptance agent and Passport Services. We may ask you to provide additional evidence to establish your identity. If
you have changed your name, please see travel.state.gov for instructions.

IF YOU CANNOT PROVIDE DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE OF IDENTITY as stated above, you must appear with an
IDENTIFYING WITNESS who is a U.S. citizen, non-citizen U.S. national, or permanent resident alien who
has known you for at least two years. Your witness must prove his or her identity and complete and sign an Affidavit of Identifying
Witness (Form DS-71) before the acceptance agent. You must also submit some identification of your own."

OK - I haven't gone through this in years, although I have applied for a child passport. All I've done since my first passport was renew by mail. I remember a time when someone simply with a birth certificate could obtain a US passport. My mistake thinking that was still the case. However, the State Dept (like Disneyland) seems to think that temporary ID is unacceptable.

My kid didn't have an ID except for a passport and passport card. We used that to prove eligibility for a California non-DL ID. I thought could still be the process for an adult.

 

[bcla]

ah ok, I didn't remember about not needing DL for passport. Getting a passport somehow seems best choice

My mistake. I was thinking of the way I did it, which was a while ago. In any case, a temporary ID apparently won't work.

 

[bcla]

First of all I don't understand why states don't issue a license at the facility. Why paper?
Secondly, I have gotten a passport in a day. So it can be done.

That could be done if they're willing to set up the equipment at each site. Apparently Tennessee used to do that. However, they're going with a contractor that can provide a more secure ID card and/or they're saving money by doing it at a central printing facility, but then use the temporary licenses on paper for the interim. I know in California all permanent driver licenses are mailed from a central facility in Sacramento.

The State Dept has gone to all passport cards printed up by their contractor out of one location. However, passport books can be finished at any passport office, embassy/consulate (emergency passports), or the National Passport Center (mostly renewals by mail). There was a time when the passport would list where the passport was issued, but now it just says "Dept of State".