Passports questions

[kcdisneymom]

My son's and my passports have expired in 2015. Is that a renewal or new application? We are doing 4 day from CC, would that require a passport book or card?

 

[TestingH2O]

New. Once you let your passport lapse, you have to start all over again.

Really, a passport card is not much better than a drivers license. In case of emergency, you could not use it to fly. If you're going to invest in a passport, I say just get the book. It's much more useful.

 

[diznymom]

Get the passports.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Passports are not required on a cruise leaving from and returning to the same U.S. port. It's often debated here on whether or not you should still get a passport book (not the card) as part of an insurance policy that if you have an emergency you'll be able to fly back to the states without making a trip to the embassy to get an emergency passport.

 

[Floridatinaherb]

New. Once you let your passport lapse, you have to start all over again.

Really, a passport card is not much better than a drivers license. In case of emergency, you could not use it to fly. If you're going to invest in a passport, I say just get the book. It's much more useful.

Not entirely accurate...their passports are both a new and a renewal application. The adult passport, even if expired, is a renewal application. The child passport will be a new application unless they were 16+ at the time of the last passport's issuance. We just redid our passports last month, all of which had expired in 2015. Mine and DH's were renewals and the kids' were new. On a positive note it only took 3 weeks to get them to us and we did not expedite them.

 

[lanejudy]

My son's and my passports have expired in 2015. Is that a renewal or new application? We are doing 4 day from CC, would that require a passport book or card?

Your's will be a renewal. I believe as long as the prior one was issued within 15 years (which allows it to be expired for up to 5 years), you can "renew" instead of a starting all over again with a new application.

Children's passports are always "new applications" regardless if they had one issued previously. So your son's is likely a new application, unless he was at least 16 when the prior one was issued in which case it's an adult passport and the same situation as yours.

I agree with others about the passport card. If you plan to spend money on a passport for a cruise, get the book. Otherwise, save your money and use birth certificates + driver's license. The value of having a passport for a cruise is so you can fly in an emergency (fly home, fly to catch up with the ship, etc.); you cannot fly internationally with a passport card.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[bumbershoot]

Passport for under 16 year old is a new passport. Actually if he's now over 16 it's a new passport, too, but it'll be an adult one this time. Yours, however, is a renewal.

I believe as long as the prior one was issued within 15 years (which allows it to be expired for up to 5 years), you can "renew" instead of a starting all over again with a new application.

Yep!

https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/renew.html

Renew by Mail if All of the Following are True

Your Most Recent U.S. Passport:

• Is undamaged and can be submitted with your application;
• Was issued when you were age 16 or older;
• Was issued within the last 15 years; and
• Was issued in your current name or you can legally document your name change with original or certified copy of your marriage certificate or the government-issued document evidencing your legal name change.

If you plan to spend money on a passport for a cruise, get the book. Otherwise, save your money and use birth certificates + driver's license. The value of having a passport for a cruise is so you can fly in an emergency (fly home, fly to catch up with the ship, etc.); you cannot fly internationally with a passport card.

100% agreement.