Passport Regulations

[montblanc]

The way I read it U.S. citizens won't need a passport for re-entry until 12-31-2006 until then other documents will be sufficient. I am planning a cruise with DD (11) next year and hope she doesn't need one as it will greatly complicate my life.

 

[kaytieeldr]

At this point, I believe US citizens will need a passport to reenter the United States from Mexico, Canada or the Caribbean after 12/31/05 - or has this been officially put on hold?

 

[I_Love_MickeyM0USE]

she will need a passport after 12/31/05 but it is very easy to get.

 

[F1Julie]

There's a lot of conflicting information out there on when passports will be required. If you do a search on the DCL board, you'll find a lot of info. I really hope passports aren't needed until after 12/31/06 since DD and I are cruising 12/9/06.

 

[QT Pooh]

This has recently changed according to the us dept. of state website http://travel.state.gov Here are some of the frequently asked questions from that page:

When will the Travel Initiative be implemented?
In the proposed implementation plan, which is subject to a period of initial public comment, the Initiative will be rolled out in phases, providing as much advance notice as possible to the affected public to enable them to meet the terms of the new guidelines. The proposed timeline will be as follows:

December 31, 2006 – Requirement applied to all air and sea travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.

December 31, 2007 – Requirement extended to all land border crossings as well as air and sea travel.

I thought there was an additional phase to be implemented on December 31, 2005. Is this a change?

In April 2005, the Departments of State (DOS) and Homeland Security (DHS) announced a proposed plan to be implemented in three phases beginning on December 31, 2005 for the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. After further review and considering the delay in publishing the public notice in the Federal Register, DOS and DHS recognized that implementing the December 31, 2005, phase would be problematic for travelers during the upcoming winter tourism season. This change will simplify the implementation and provide a longer lead-time for travelers to come into compliance with the requirements.

Hope this helps!

 

[mishtb]

call the cruise line directly and ask..

I work for the airlines and for air travel all will need a passport as of this 12/31/05

but I have heard that land/sea travel may not be until next year 2006.... don't quote me on this, but this is what we have been told.
If it was me I would get my passport now, just to be safe....

 

[Rowlf]

It's really easy to get a passport (I got one for my DS2 just to have for identification and in case we can get out of the country some time!).

Also, keep in mind that if you are travelling by yourself with a minor child out of the country, you may need documentation from the child's other parent that gives permission to take the child out of the US.

 

[montblanc]

Looks like 2006 then, good. I've had a passport my entire life but obtaining one for my kid isn't as easy due to the new State dept. regulations. I am divorced and had to go to court as my ex refused (she finally settled out of court). Now she is fussing about a Disney cruise (terrorist attacks, kidnapping, etc., lol). When DD is 14 she can freely request her own passport but until then both parents must consent. This law was enacted several years ago to help prevent child kidnapping but it now makes it a nightmare for some parents who just want a vacation, yet another money making opportunity for lawyers...

 

[F1Julie]

Montblanc, I'm with you on the ex factor. My DD is 5 and I know her father would give me a hard time about getting a passport. He definitely would not come with me to get it and he probably wouldn't sign and notarize the form for me so he would not have to be present. I can already see the conflict it would cause on who would be in possession of the passport. Not having to get one for DD saves me a lot of trouble.

 

[montblanc]

Montblanc, I'm with you on the ex factor. My DD is 5 and I know her father would give me a hard time about getting a passport. He definitely would not come with me to get it and he probably wouldn't sign and notarize the form for me so he would not have to be present. I can already see the conflict it would cause on who would be in possession of the passport. Not having to get one for DD saves me a lot of trouble.

This legislation affects a large portion of the vacation going populace in the USA and also caused a great deal of problems with plans that people had made for 2006. I'm sure the cruise and other related travel industries are not happy with further restrictions that would cause them to lose customers as well. For all these reasons I surmise they delayed the start date for a year.

A lot of these government solutions tend to use the shotgun approach. They cast a very wide net and inevitably pick up more than they intended to. Is it fair to say to a parent that they have to spend thousands of dollars in court for the "privilige" of taking their kid on vacation? Even if you win in court the whole thing puts a real damper on the vacation experience and you are made to feel as if you are doing something wrong.

Last year I had purchased airline tickets to seize a once in a lifetime opportunity to go to Europe and have the use of a residence for free. The judge refused to expedite the case and despite winning by an out of court settlement it was too late. From my perspective you are only a child once and any lost experience is irretrievable.