Passport not needed till end of 2006

[sschriever@prodigy.n]

My local paper, the Detroit Free Press is reporting that the State Department is delaying the passport requirement for cruise line passengers until 12/31/06. They quote Frank Moss, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Passport Sevices for the State Department as saying the original deadline is "not Practical" . They also state that the State Dept. Website has not been updated with the new deadline. Hope this helps. It was in the Travel Section of the paper today, Sunday. Their site is www dot freep dot com.

 

[bcswebco.com]

Hmmm and this page states a different date:

New Requirements for Travelers Between the United States and the Western Hemisphere

The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 requires that by January 1, 2008, travelers to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico and Canada to have a passport or other secure, accepted document to enter or re-enter the United States. The Administration is proposing a timeline for implementation which will be published in the Federal Register in the near future.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html


Very confusing!

 

[need_a_Disney_fix]

Typical bureaucracy... ! Whats a tourist to do????

 

[dizneyusa]

JMO, with the way the world is today, I think it is a good idea at least after the news last year for all U.S. citizens to have a Passport.

I do think that it is important, but, did the gov. go and raise the price of the Passports right before the announcement - YES - Like you mentioned what is a tourist to do

****But, yes, they have been going back and forth about this Dec. 31/05 deadline for all travel next year and there are some MAJOR HIGH UP EXECUTIVES fighting the issue. They have requested the extension over and over again for at least a 6 month extension.............****

I guess we will hopefully find out on the Official Travel Gov. Website tomorrow............you would think with such a announcement that it would
have been update right away........

BUT, I still feel, that the longer you wait the longer lead time to get back your Passport will grow and grow, *******DO NOT FORGET********* that even if you are going to be traveling anytime soon, especially THIS YEAR that you will still need your ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE WITH A RAISED SEAL & A VALID PICTURE DRIVERS LICENSE to travel (***So if you are trying to get a Passport, they require you to send your ORIGINAL to them and if you do not get your Passport back in time before your trip you are planning on taking this year, you will not have ANY documetation of your
citizenship!!!! SO """BE SOOOOOOO CAREFUL""""""")!!!!

The only way around the above is if for some reason you have (2) ORIGINAL
BIRTH CERTIFICATES WITH A RAISED SEAL, then you would be ok, 1 went off with your application for the Passport and the other you have with you with a valid picture drivers license. That would work...........So BE CAREFUL so you are not STRESSING prior to traveling Just a suggestion

That would be great news and we all will be waiting for the update hopefully in the morning from Washington...............

Have a GREAT SUNDAY Oh, and thanks for the update from you paper!!!

Dana
dizneyusa
beanie-babies@att.net

 

[poohfriend]

This would save my family a lot of money (and hassle!)

Where should we go to get the OFFICIAL LINE from the state department?

I sure hate the thought of not getting passports and not being allowed back in the country on Jan 2 2006!

 

[dizneyusa]

This site should help :

www.travel.state.gov

Dana
dizneyusa
beanie-babies@att.net

 

[jodifla]

The newspaper said the Web site should be updated shortly.

This is GREAT NEWS for many families on this board who were thinking of canceling their cruises instead of coming up with all that extra money!

 

[ivanova]

My local paper, the Detroit Free Press is reporting that the State Department is delaying the passport requirement for cruise line passengers until 12/31/06. They quote Frank Moss, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Passport Sevices for the State Department as saying the original deadline is "not Practical" . They also state that the State Dept. Website has not been updated with the new deadline. Hope this helps. It was in the Travel Section of the paper today, Sunday. Their site is www dot freep dot com.

They apparently also had it in the paper (Ellen Grager's column) on August 7th.

I checked out www.state.gov and now I can't find the proposed deadllines ... looks like maybe they finally updated their site.

 

[cass'mom]

Boy that would save some money! But I still may get passports for myself and my husband. I just had a huge problem getting passports for my DD (6) and DD (2) when they are only good for 5 years and cost $82! If they are only good for half the time as an adult's passport, shouldn't it cost half the adult price?

I can't wait to see the "official" line!

 

[KKB]

THIS IS THE MOST WONDERFUL NEWS! I HAVE BEEN WAITING IMPATIENTLY FOR THIS!
We disembark Dec. 31, 2005...I was disappointed to have to dish out $440 for passports for my family of 5. I had put it off until this week, as we (2 teachers) return to school this week. THANK GOODNESS I DID!
I really didn't mind gettting them for DH & I as we will cruise again, but not the children in the next 5 years!
It's been a bad weekend--a family divorce, and FIL diagnosed w/ cancer, doesn't look good. This little bit of happiness is helpful!
Kris

 

[raysnkaysmom]

If this is the case, I'll be happy too... because all the extra money we can take with us...the happier we'll all be! If I knew I could afford to travel again in the future, I wouldn't mind getting the passport, BUT... this is alot of scraping and saving for us, for 3 days, a single mom of 2 girls, so every little bit helps!!
We go in Feb, hopefully we'll travel passport free!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[tvguy]

The newspaper said the Web site should be updated shortly.

This is GREAT NEWS for many families on this board who were thinking of canceling their cruises instead of coming up with all that extra money!

With an average Disney Cruise costing a family of four over $5,000 before tips and excursions, I am constantly amazed that the cost of passports is an issue.
As someone who has had a passport for over 32 years, primarily for use for travel to Canada, I can't imagine leaving the US without a passport.

 

[KKB]

an addtionaly expense can be frustrating.
In our case, MIL is taking everyone on the cruise for Xmas present. She doesn't have to save her pennies, but for 2 teachers, a Disney cruise for 5 is simply not in the budget. It took us 10 years to get a cruise for 2 of us, and we found dirt cheap airfare, found $500 pp/7day Princess cruise. Can do 2, but 5 w/ airfare is a stretch!
It is just nice to now be able to have that $ to spend ON the cruise!
Kris

 

[F1Julie]

Well, if this is true it will save me some trouble. DD5 and I are cruising on the Magic next December. Her father and I are divorced and have joint custody. He would need to come with me to get the passport for her. I'd really just rather not deal with all that now and the arguing that would probably ensue over who gets to be in possession of the passport. I'll get a passport for me since it will be good to have one, but if I can put off getting one for DD for a while, that will make my life much easier.

 

[LCTsMom]

With an average Disney Cruise costing a family of four over $5,000 before tips and excursions, I am constantly amazed that the cost of passports is an issue.
As someone who has had a passport for over 32 years, primarily for use for travel to Canada, I can't imagine leaving the US without a passport.

Sadly,the cost of EVERYTHING is an issue for some families. We booked over 18 months in advance so that we could pay our cruise down over time. Anytime we can save money ($500 isn't a small amount of money to a family of five on a limited income) we are grateful. If a major catastrophe comes our way, our cruise is canceled and done for, whether we are stuck with unneeded passports, or not.

 

[dzneprincess]

With an average Disney Cruise costing a family of four over $5,000 before tips and excursions, I am constantly amazed that the cost of passports is an issue.
As someone who has had a passport for over 32 years, primarily for use for travel to Canada, I can't imagine leaving the US without a passport.

Ah but you assume that when these cruises are booked, that the price of the cruise is not a big deal to the family booking. Many families pinch many a penny to be able to afford a cruise. And any extra expense hurts. I hope it is true, as, for me it is not the extra expense (well that is irksome) but it is the hassle of having to get all 4 kids passports. It is very inconvienent to get both DH and myself at the same place at the same time, during business hours. I have been dreading doing it.

 

[musicgirl]

I know I'll be checking for that update!!!! Yahoo!!

Dana, just wanted to clear up a quick point on the birth certificates, not all of them have raised seals. This has created panic and much discussion on these boards. My sister's does not have this raised seal and it was fine.

We carry 2 certified birth certificates just in case. Another good idea was to have a copy of them and drivers license with someone at home as well. In emergencies (stolen wallets etc.), I have heard it mentioned that someone at home can fax the copy where needed.

 

[raysnkaysmom]

If my cruise was over $5000, I wouldn't be able to go.... I bit the bullet and took my unused vacation time and put it down on a cruise ($600 for 3 of us), I still owe $900 which I will pay off a little at a time by Dec 3rd. THEN...I only have 3 months to save for our trip... which is gas down there, parking fees, tips, and any extra would be for a shopping trip or excursion... so to know that I wouldn't have to have nearly $300 for a passport that will never be used again, is a blessing to this family

 

[musicgirl]

I agree Ray....

I booked our cruise early so that I could budget the trip by paying for it monthly. I will do the same thing with spending money. I'm trying to earn enough disney $$'s for excursions and on board expenses.

Would I have to cancel? No, but I said this many times before, We are not traveling out of the country after this. We've got to many things to pay for, household items that need to be replaced, college, and ugh, ds will be getting his license after the cruise. That alone could break the bank!!!

Right now, passports do not make life inside the US easier. You can use them for many things, but I can use my dl, birth cert. and ss card for the same things.

I like the proposal about Canada as well.

 

[musicgirl]

Oh, by the way, I think the difference in the 12-06 and the 2008 date is because when all this started the 2008 date was the date when ALL travelers no matter where outside the US, had to have them.

The proposed timeline was inserted into this. So it looks like, hopefully, that there will be a new date for the Car., Mexico with some kind of card used for Canada, that being 12-06.

Hopefully, whoever sees the official update 1st will post it ASAP!!!!