passport questions?

[i*heart*villains]

We are planning a trip in March and are trying to figure out the easiest cheapest way to go. We (me, DFH, 4 kids & FMIL) are considering driving from Wpg to minneapolis, flying to orlando. After vacation, FMIL & kids will be flying directly to Wpg. We would fly back to MN after honeymoon cruise, pick up car and drive home. Will the kids need passports at MCO to get back to home by air? or is that just going into the US?
We would need to apply for long form Birth cert for all 4, then apply for passports and we don't have contact will my sons birth father so I don't know how we would get him to sign passport app...
I really would like to avoid all of that if I could.
Any info would be appreciated.

 

[Donald - my hero]

This is full of several questions to me as well. I know that some sort of letter will more than likely need to be given from father. But I am so not sure. Best bet, call your local passport office, they will give you all the info you require, even on-line you will find conflicting information. Good luck

 

[drag n' fly]

First of all according to the most recent info (as of yesterday) you won't need passports.

This was my experience. I have 2 children from a previous marriage that I have full custody of. If you have joint custody and have no idea where the birth father is then you need to speak to a lawyer as I have no experience in this area. If you have full custody you will need a copy of your divorce decree (if this applies) a copy of your Queen's bench custody order plus the four birth certificates...short version. Be prepared to be held up at customs as they pour over ever single word of the documents. They are very very thorough.

I highly recommend getting passports to expedite the process of getting through customs. If you want to apply for passports you will need the four long versions of the birth certificates in addition to all the papers I indicated above. We also had a missing birth father and you will need to indicate on a form your last known whereabouts and contact with the birth father sign and date the paper.

In order to get through quickly and easily bring all passports, plus the 4 long version birth certificates and any court issued divorce and custody papers as a backup. You can still get through with just passports but be prepared to be held up a bit so they can confim the kids passports.

Leave enough time approx 2 hours before your flight in case of any holdups.

 

[mbb]

I'd give yourself even more time at the airport...your tickets will probably be flagged for additional screening, just because of your point of entry (driving in and flying all the way back) and one way tickets.

Good info drag n' fly

 

[Tantor]

We just got our passports updated this year. According to the passport office as of Jan 1st, 2007 everyone will need a passport or a childadded on your passport. I'd check the website or phone the passport office. Just telling you what the guy told me.

 

[drag n' fly]

We just got our passports updated this year. According to the passport office as of Jan 1st, 2007 everyone will need a passport or a childadded on your passport. I'd check the website or phone the passport office. Just telling you what the guy told me.

This is an excellent point because the news changes every day. Yesterday they said it will not be necessary but you also don't want to be caught off guard if it changes again and it is way easier to travel with a passport especially if it is not straightforward like my kids was. I was simply tired of being held up at customs while they checked for all the dotted I's and crossed T's.

 

[pxlbarrel]

According to the Government of Canada Website, you'll need a passport for air travel in 2007, even when travelling back to Canada from the U.S. (I guess that will be FMIL & kids.) Sort of... (it's a bit confusing.)

The exact wording on the website is:

In April 2005, the United States Government announced the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) requiring all visitors to and from the Americas, including Canadian citizens, to present a passport to enter or re-enter the United States by December 31, 2007.

The WHTI will be implemented in two phases, as follows:

- December 31, 2006 - A passport will be required for all air and sea travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.
- December 31, 2007 - The passport requirement will be extended to all land border crossings as well as air and sea travel.

I actually find that confusing since some of that says "enter or re-enter" the U.S. while another part says "travel to and from Canada".

And I believe that this is all dependent upon whether the U.S. will pass this into legislation without a last minute change of heart for us Canucks.

I think, to be safe, everybody who is going to fly should get a passport anyway. It just makes things faster at airport.

Plus...gotta say...when I was a kid I was thrilled to have a passport. It was the coolest of the cool to have one.

 

[Tantor]

If it was me I would just get the passports and then there is no worries.

 

[dhluvsDisney]

I would definately get them now so you are not caught up in any kind of "time crunch" later on. You have plenty of time now to do so. Since you are from Wpg (as I am), you probably go to Grand Forks or Fargo shopping anyways, and you will be needing them soon enough to even do that. I have found at the Border, the more documentation you have and present that is in order, the quicker you proceed. We fly out of MSP all the time (will be in a couple of weeks), and I will be crossing without my DH as he needs to fly out of Edmonton coming back from a trade show. I always have my letter with me that states I can bring the children across the border, and have had no problems. PM me if you need any advice on where to stay to Park 'n' Fly. I have done this many a time and know a lot of the time restraints some hotels put on the parking.

 

[mom_rules]

We applied for passports for all 4 of us. We were able to order long form birth certificates online, pay with credit card and less than 1 week later we received a call from our local purolator depot to come pick up our package.

(also ordered certified "long" copies of our marriage certificate and my DH's birth certificate from the UK-these took two weeks).

 

[madonna31]

I think the reason that this is so confusing is because as of January 2007, you will only need passports for air or sea travel. Land border crossings won't be until January 2008.

Starting January 7 2007, you (and your children) will all need passports for air or sea travel to the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico, the United States and to re-enter into Canada.

What this means to you:

• Guests traveling in mid December 2006 whose itinerary transits or ends on or after January 7, 2007 will be required to present a valid passport during check-in formalities.
• Guests traveling on or after January 7, 2007 will be required to present a valid passport during check-in formalities.
• Guests not holding a valid passport should apply for one as soon as possible.

Another key date affecting travel to is January 1, 2008, when this passport requirement will apply to land border crossings too.

Start Early
Using normal procedures, getting a new passport has typically taken up to six weeks, in the past: but it can be expected that under the new circumstances with passports now required; demand will soar and processing times may get much longer. The "Start Early" advice applies for renewals, too: some countries require that a passport be valid for six months beyond your entry date.

Note too that for some types of travel you need to have your passport far in advance of the actual departure date. Disney Cruise Line, for example, asks that you provide passport numbers at least 75 days prior to travel dates.

 

[drag n' fly]

Thank you for clearing that up madonna 31. Trying to cross the border with 4 kids and an absent birth father is really difficult and time consuming...having the passports will definitely make your trip go smoother even if passports were not required it still is a good idea to have them. My husband's passport had expired and mine was due to expire in January. Passport Canada tells you you must wait until 6 months before your passport expires before they will issue you a new one. We found this to be not true. You can come in anytime before your passport is about to expire without having to wait for that 6 month window and they will issue you a new one and just cancel the old one. I came in 10 months before it was to expire to avoid the insanity of the winter passport rush and the new changes and found this out. The information you get on the web and phoning directly does not even match at times. Passport Canada in Calgary is very efficient as I have said before!

 

[i*heart*villains]

Thanks for all the info. You guys have been really helpful.

 

[mom_rules]

Here's the latest from CAA-
http://www.caasco.com/travel/travel_store/passports.jsp