Cruising without a Passport

[skierrob]

Why would you ask if you can get off the ship in Castaway Cay if you can't in Nassau? They are both under the jurisdiction of the Bahamas. It's kind of like asking "Hey, the USA doesn't want to admit me -- but if I only go to Disney World can I get let through customs?"

You also can't board the ship with invalid Bahamas' documentation by claiming you just won't get off the ship. Either you have your documents, or you can't sail.

In terms of birth certificates, be careful. Even if Disney and the Bahamas accept them, realize that if the worst happens you will be unable to FLY home from the Bahamas without a passport if you get sick / ill while on the ship or in port. The last thing you may want is for an unexpected heart attack or other major medical issue to hit and then being told you can't be airlifted home because of your lack of US citizenship documentation. And a birth certificate is NOT good enough for air transport.

 

[cmph]

In NJ you contact the city of birth not the state, and most city clerks take mail requests only. My wife sent a money order with application and copies of marriage license and her license, certified mail with postage paid envelope, to the Camden City Clerk’s Office and got her copy back in 9 days start to finish.

Wow! I guess I'm very glad I did not have to request things from NJ - that's all very old-school, with money orders and mail-in-only.

In Ohio you can get it at any city or county vital records office no matter where born in the state and most have it ready the same day for pick-up or it will be mailed the next business day. Several even use a service where it can be sent UPS overnight or two day..

Sounds like OH tries to make things more convenient than NJ! In-person was not an option for me, as we had moved across the country to the west coast.

 

[chubbyzeus]

Wow! I guess I'm very glad I did not have to request things from NJ - that's all very old-school, with money orders and mail-in-only.

This is true. I had to get a copy from Alaska, and was able to do it online, paid the fee and had it overnighted!

 

[lanejudy]

In NJ you contact the city of birth not the state, and most city clerks take mail requests only.

NJ accepts an online request...
https://vitalrecords.egov.com/CDC.VitalRecordsMVC.Web/Wizard/NJ/Municipality/SelectMunicipality

I don't have experience with it, but looks like they quote 4-6 weeks turn-around. Could be it's faster going through the local office, and possibly less expensive.

 

[chubbyzeus]

NJ accepts an online request...
https://vitalrecords.egov.com/CDC.VitalRecordsMVC.Web/Wizard/NJ/Municipality/SelectMunicipality

I don't have experience with it, but looks like they quote 4-6 weeks turn-around. Could be it's faster going through the local office, and possibly less expensive.

Nice to see they’ve gotten on board with the whole internet thing
They’ve also started accepting appointments for same day record copies. It’s about $10 cheaper, and several weeks less wait. Guess you gotta take the good with the bad in NJ

 

[cmph]

Nice to see they’ve gotten on board with the whole internet thing

Seriously LOL! I mean, that is like pre-2000 to do it all in-person, with money orders only! I am in my 40s and have never gotten a money order in my life. I can't imagine trying to explain to my Gen Z kids what a money order is and why it even exists still.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Seriously LOL! I mean, that is like pre-2000 to do it all in-person, with money orders only! I am in my 40s and have never gotten a money order in my life. I can't imagine trying to explain to my Gen Z kids what a money order is and why it even exists still.

I have coworkers who pay bills with money orders. Why in the world she'd want to do that is beyond me. At least checks from a checking account don't have a fee like a money order does. She's not very techy and rarely uses the internet and when she does, her kids help her.

ETA: Actually one coworker.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

Seriously LOL! I mean, that is like pre-2000 to do it all in-person, with money orders only! I am in my 40s and have never gotten a money order in my life. I can't imagine trying to explain to my Gen Z kids what a money order is and why it even exists still.

Hahaha! We took our 13YO to the post office yesterday to get his passport. It involved filling out forms, waiting in line, waiting for the postal worker to make copies and clip them together in a specific order and putting the staples in a specific place, and getting a money order. 13YO son was in shock. His quote: "I felt like I was losing years off my life for every minute we were in there."

 

[chubbyzeus]

Hahaha! We took our 13YO to the post office yesterday to get his passport. It involved filling out forms, waiting in line, waiting for the postal worker to make copies and clip them together in a specific order and putting the staples in a specific place, and getting a money order. 13YO son was in shock. His quote: "I felt like I was losing years off my life for every minute we were in there."

Tell him to save a little life for his first trip to the DMV