Marriage License?

[tiggers my favorate]

We are going on our first cruise in March 26th on the navigator and on Disney December 17th 2005. My TA told us we need to have a marriage license plus our birth certificates. This will prove that our children are ours. I cannot find this, do we really need one? Thanks

 

[erikthewise]

Never afraid to answer questions about which I know absolutely nothing...

I do not see how a marriage license plus birth certificates proves anything. I doubt that your marriage license records the identity of your children! If you are a child abductor, a marriage license just proves you are a married child abductor. Unless you are divorced and have some sort of custody arrangement, I don't think you need to have any "proof" your children are yours. Nobody else does!

I hope your TA is more competent at the other aspects of his/her job.

 

[rcdisneyfam]

We only bring our birth certificates, for each of us. DH and I bring our license as that is required or if you have a passport. You must birth certificates for each child. I brought my married certificate with me the first trip to prove that I changed my name to my husband's, but they never asked me for it. I would think that is all a marriage certificate proves is that you changed your last name.

 

[tkd lisa]

Your TA is a bit confused. Most people who bring their marriage license do so for the wife's identitiy.

Let's say that Mary Ann Smith (current name) was born as Mary Ann Jones. She has her birth certificate, and her drivers' license. It is remotely possible that the port authority may say "How do I know that Mary Ann Smith isn't using some other person's birth certificate?". Her marriage license will say that Mary Ann Jones married Morty Alan Smith, thus becoming Mary Ann Jones.

Now that I've gotten that really complicated example out of the way! I've always taken my marriage license, and never been asked for it. The required documents are either a passport or a certified (i.e. raised seal or other certified) birth certificate. If you have your marriage license (or the certificate provided by the marrying official), you can take it, but I wouldn't panic if I didn't have it.

Have a great trip.

 

[MomsGoneGoofy]

I am taking our marriage certificate just in case. Just last week my DH and I applied for a picture driver license (in New Jersey there are still many who do not have a picture on their license and we would still be amoung them if we were not going on a cruise in August). My DH had to supply his birth certificate, old driver license and a utility bill addressed to us at the address on the license. Well for me I had to also have a copy of our marriage certificate (had to be a civil copy not the church copy), I was told this was to supply the link from my maiden name on my birth certificate to my married name on the driver license. I'm in the group of people who think better safe than sorry, so I will bring it. Doesn't take up much room.

 

[SMDent]

If you have the time and money, I recommend going with PASSPORTS for everyone.

Tourist Passports

We had them for all of us and had NO problems at all.

 

[HooKooDooKu]

The only reason I could imagine that a marriage license would be needed is if the wife's reservations were made in her married name, but she hasn't updated her drivers license.

[Edit]

And as for passports, I was floored when I learned that the cost is $85 per adults (good for 10 years) and $70 for children (good for 5 years). That's about $200 - $300 for the average family of four.

 

[tiggers my favorate]

I have a drivers license with my new name and a picture on it. I guess I will just order a new copy to be safe. I just hate to spend that much money on passports. Although I know that is what I should do.

 

[kcashner]

If the name on your photo ID matches your cruise reservation name AND the first or middle name on the birth certificate matches with the driver's license/ressie, there is no need to bring the marriage license.

The marriage license has nothing to do with kids. The time you need the marriage license if when your last name on your photo ID doesn't match the name on the ressie because you haven't gotten a new license since you got married.

If the name on the children's birth certificate is different than mother AND father's last name, you'll need some documentation about that. If the child's last name matches either the mother's or father's last name, it isn't a problem. DCL is used to dealing with families where everyone doesn't share the same last name.

If the child (in the above situation) isn't the child of both parents and there is a second parent --as in a divorce--cover yourself with a certified letter from the non-travelling parent allowing you to take the child out of the country.

When in doubt, a quick phone call to DCL's 800 number gets you the official answer.

 

[tiggers my favorate]

Thanks, that helps. My first and middle name matches on my license and birth certificate. All my kids belong to my husband and I and they have the same last name (that should be o.k.). So I've been ripping the house apart worrying. I can't imagine what I did with it? So I think i'm safe without the marriage license then. Now I just have to order new birth certificates for my twin son's, Can't find those either. You guy's probobly think I'm scatered but we have moved 16 times in the last 20 years.

 

[TnRobin]

The other thing that they compare between the birth certificate and drivers license if the birthday. If Mary Ann Jones (from the Birth certificate) and Mary Ann Smith (drivers license) do not share the same birthday, then they can't be the same person.

In 5 cruises, I have never been asked for a marriage certificate

 

[sillysmom]

Tiggers, trust me, I was freaking out just like you, so I brought it. NO ONE ever asked to see it. I would assume that if you maybe used your maiden name for some things and your married name for others you might need it, and your child might if their last name were different. But it was me and the hubby and the DD all the same last name. Remember to bring your license as well as each birth certificate. They did look at the picture ID. But don't stress, you will not need the marriage certificate. I was going to get passports too, but why spend all that money if you don't have to? I just kept all the important papers in a ziploc, in the nice little travel folder thingy my TA gave me and then locked it away in the safe when I got to the room. When we got off the ship, we only needed our KTWC and our licenses. The only time you'll have to take the Certificates out again is when you have to go to customs. Have a wonderful, wonderful time.