Boarding Disney Dream with expired passport or hospital birth cert?

[rocketmac]

Hey all,

I'll preface this by saying that I'm a dope. I should have insisted that everyone get passports. I didn't. So here's our situation. Any advice appreciated.

We're leaving from Port Canaveral for a 3 night Bahamas (closed loop) Disney Dream Cruise this Thursday (10/10). I got my passport renewed. My wife didn't get her passport renewed (expired in 2009) as we decided she could just use her birth certificate. BUT I just noticed that my wife's birth certificate is hospital issued (not gov't issued). And the kicker is that we live in Virginia, she was born in Louisiana, and we're flying to Florida tomorrow. So we're not able to swing by Louisiana and pick up a copy of her gov't issued birth certificate.

So, well, we're in a panic and would appreciate any advice on what we should try to scrape up in terms of official documentation --- anything that will allow her to board the ship. My wife has a valid driver's license, expired passport, hospital issued birth cert, marriage license, and social security card and two official birth certificates for our kids with her name and my name on 'em But not sure if any of that will help. Along those lines, a few more questions:

1. Is there special office/contact at Disney Cruise that deals with documentation questions/issues?

2. Ever heard of the Disney Dream accepting expired passports or hospital birth certificates?

3. Will Disney accept a faxed copy of a birth certificate if we can work it out with Louisiana?

Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions. And yes, we all should have gotten passports!

cheers,

Mac

 

[perfectmatch300]

I don't have any answers for you, and I know you don't need a lecture about getting passports soted out ahead of time. You've already taken care of that part. I just want to send some pixie dust your way. I hope you are able to get things sorted our so you and your family will be able to go and enjoy your cruise.

I have heard of people getting passports issued on the spot at a passport office, or maybe you can contact LA and get your wife's BC faxed either to you or maybe to Disney. I would check with Disney before faxing directly to them.

 

[Otimon]

Ease your concerns ASAP today by calling DCL direct and get the official answers to your questions from them. You are leaving tomorrow so waste no more time.

Good luck, hope all turns out well and that you have the most wonderful cruise.

 

[Bree]

I think you need to contact DCL ASAP. I know they will not accept an expired passport. How did she get the passport to begin with if all she has is a hospital issued BC? Are you sure you don't have an official one in your house somewhere?

Are you close to any passport office that can do one this afternoon?

 

[sennister]

Here is what the U.S Customs and Border Protection has to say about the question.

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1139/~/documents-needed-to-take-a-cruise

U.S. Citizens on closed-loop cruises will be able to enter or depart the country on the cruise with proof of citizenship, such as an original or copy of his or her birth certificate (issued by the Vital Records Department in the state where he or she was born) and, if 16 or older, a government issued photo ID. If the child is a newborn and the actual birth certificate has not arrived from the Vital Records Department, we will accept a Hospital issued birth certificate. The United States does not require you to have a passport. (A Consular report of Birth Abroad issued by the Department of State or a Certificate of Naturalization is also acceptable.)

HOWEVER, it is possible that one or more of the Caribbean Islands on your itinerary, does require you to have a passport to enter their country. In that case, it is very possible that the cruise line will require you to have a passport to board, even if it is not a U.S. requirement. You should always check with your cruise ship, travel agent and or destination country to confirm the requirements for entry into the foreign countries you will be visiting. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) provides document requirements for entry into the United States only.

This makes it sound like you need a Birth Cert in addition to a Driver's License if you do not have an enhanced DL or valid Passport.

 

[bumbershoot]

I think you need to contact DCL ASAP. I know they will not accept an expired passport. How did she get the passport to begin with if all she has is a hospital issued BC? Are you sure you don't have an official one in your house somewhere? Are you close to any passport office that can do one this afternoon?

Good point, that she would have needed the real bc for that passport. What time is the flight? Can she go into DC where I assume they have a same day passport office and get the passport there? Can she hit the road right now and drove to Louisiana to get a same day bc if their registrars offices do that? If you read the official wording on dcl and on the official websites (I don't have my computer and can't quote it because the document with links and quotes is saved there) they do not state that a certified copy is necessary, so a fax should work. Very few are going to agree with me on that (they think it's an error perhaps?) but the official wording doesn't state "certified" copy.

Oh hey there's the wording above me. Original or copy. Original, when it comes to BCs, means a certified copy of the info they have in the files. A copy is a copy. Of they meant certified copy they would say that.

 

[sennister]

Good point, that she would have needed the real bc for that passport. What time is the flight? Can she go into DC where I assume they have a same day passport office and get the passport there? ~snip

There are other places that do same day Passports. I don't know where they are off the top of my head but I know we can get them in Minneapolis same day. You don't have to be a resident of where the same day issuing location is. Point being that who knows there may be one closer. It appears that the one in FL is located in Miami.

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/information/where-to-apply/agencies.html

The potential issue is the expiration of the Passport. An expired passport can be processed as a renewal but there is a limit. Not sure what it is 5 years of expiration I think but that is a guess. Just did a quick search and came up with 15 years of the issue date. Outside whatever the limit of where a renewal changes into a new application would likely mean you also need to meet the new application requirements. i.e. a birth cert issued from the state.

 

[lanejudy]

It sounds like you are flying to FL today (Wed.) for a cruise tomorrow (Thurs. is 10/9 not 10/10). Is there any possibility you can get to a Passport office in FL once you arrive? Or contact Louisiana to find out how they can get you a last-minute official birth certificate. Do not wait until you are at the terminal. I recall a poster last year who got a Passport issued on embarkation day -- I think that was in LA not PC, but it was do-able.

Regarding the suggestions to call DCL -- this is a Customs and Immigration issue, not a DCL issue; whatever DCL phone CMs tell you means nothing to the officials. Even if DCL allows her to board the ship, her issue will come at debarkation when you must pass through Customs and Immigration returning to the U.S. In all likelihood, she would be delayed as you leave the ship to sort out the issue and prove her U.S. citizenship. At the very least that would impact post-cruise plans and be a highly disappointing way to end your cruise, at worst you may miss flights. But all that is IF they would allow her to board the ship anyway.

Your best solution is to either get an expedited same-day Passport, or second-best option is to get a copy of her BC faxed to your hotel, so she has proper documentation at boarding.

Good luck and enjoy your cruise!

 

[sennister]

It sounds like you are flying to FL today (Wed.) for a cruise tomorrow (Thurs. is 10/9 not 10/10). Is there any possibility you can get to a Passport office in FL once you arrive? Or contact Louisiana to find out how they can get you a last-minute official birth certificate. Do not wait until you are at the terminal. I recall a poster last year who got a Passport issued on embarkation day -- I think that was in LA not PC, but it was do-able.

Regarding the suggestions to call DCL -- this is a Customs and Immigration issue, not a DCL issue; whatever DCL phone CMs tell you means nothing to the officials. Even if DCL allows her to board the ship, her issue will come at debarkation when you must pass through Customs and Immigration returning to the U.S. In all likelihood, she would be delayed as you leave the ship to sort out the issue and prove her U.S. citizenship. At the very least that would impact post-cruise plans and be a highly disappointing way to end your cruise, at worst you may miss flights. But all that is IF they would allow her to board the ship anyway.

Your best solution is to either get an expedited same-day Passport, or second-best option is to get a copy of her BC faxed to your hotel, so she has proper documentation at boarding.

Good luck and enjoy your cruise!

I agree that I think they are traveling today. LA has a passport issuing station but Orlando doesn't they would have to run to Miami as that is the only location. The other issue is that to qualify for a renewal where a birth certificate isn't needed means it would have to have been issued in the last 15 years. It expired in 2009. I am assuming it is an adult passport that expired in 2009 and based on the fact that they are good for 10 years means that unless it expired in Oct, Nov or Dec of 2009 that she is likely outside the limit of 15 years from issue. That means that she would most likely be doing a new passport application which would most likely require the state issued BC. Since that is all that is needed to travel that is the best bet.

Not sure with a travel day of today that one could physically get from Orlando to Miami to get one issued same day even if they had the BC and then have time to get back to PC in time for the doors closing at 4PM tomorrow. Keep in mind that while it is same day processing and delivery of the passport, it isn't a quick process. Never done it recently but when I had one issued at the Consulate in Munich Germany it was an all day process. I even had the photos and all paperwork done ahead of time and was one of only a couple people doing it. At the time I was in the Military and we were not required to have a passport to travel overseas. We can travel using a Military ID on conjunction with orders or leave/pass paperwork. I later found out it was easier and safer to travel on a Passport as a tourist which is why I had mine originally issued while overseas.

The best option I can see is if there is some way to get one from the birth state sent in an acceptable format before they get on the boat. The just travel with the BC and Driver's License. Not sure if they need an original with the raised seal or if a faxed or emailed copy is good enough.

 

[lanejudy]

Thanks for the info about same-day processing location in FL! Guess that option is basically a non-option for cruises from PC. Hopefully OP found a solution since he hasn't been back to post again.