question about passports

[BethA]

I was told this evening by a friend that AAA contacted her and told her anyone 12-16 needs a passport now and anyone whose name on birth certificate does not match name on license either needs marriage certificate also or passport.
Is this true? They said it was a new rule.
How long does it take to get a passport?
thanks
Beth

 

[RickW]

For normal service, they list 6 weeks, although it's usually less. For expedited service, which costs a bit extra, 2 weeks (although the time we did expedited service for a passport renewal, it was 6 days).

Passport info can be found here:
http://travel.state.gov/passport/

I don't know anything about new requirements, but it wouldn't surprise me.

 

[faireygod mother]

It is not necessary to go on a DCL or Celebrity cruise. Not sure where they got their info from.. We have them becasue it makes it easier.

 

[tvguy]

Don't know anything about any requirement. We got them for our kids when they were each 2 years old. Sooooooooooooooooo much easier than carrying a birth certificate. Passports are durable. Not just for travel, but for the 2 or 3 times a year I have to have proof of birth for my kids (school, little league, soccer).
And as your kids get older, there is a good chance they will be traveling for school. DS, 17 went to France and Spain with his French class over the summer. Alot of parents were scrambling to find birth certificates and getting passports, we were all set.

My kid's passports, and their Immunization Cards are the two documents I seem to need most.

 

[anlashokna]

From my current understanding a birth certificate is all you need to travel on cruiselines to the caribbean. Nothing has changed in the entry requirements that I have seen to the islands DCL travels.

If your name is different than your birth certificate I can see where a cruiseline would like to see a marriage certificate in order to verify. Same thing will be needed to obtain a passport anyway. If your name differs from your birth certificate you will have to prove why you use the current name. In case of marriage a marriage certificate. I've seen issues where a name was recorded one way on a birth certificate but a person used a different name from childhood. They have to go back through there state government where the certificate was issued and actually get an ammended birth certificate to obtain a passport. That can be a pretty good headache.

Long story short check with DCL on their requirements ahead of time. Passports normally say 6 weeks to receive but you normally get them back before that timeframe as long as there are no snags.

 

[my3kids]

Our renewals and the children's new issued passports came in about a week without the expedited service. VERY QUICK!

 

[mudangel77]

When did you do this?? I am worried that my boys will not be back in time.....that means I have no Birth certificate either!!! I have just ordered an extra copy of their birth certificates today....maybe a little premature (I only just mailed the passport forms) but I would rather be safe than sorry!!

 

[macbasset]

We have gone on six cruises with only our raised seal official birth certificates. I contacted both AAA and DCL and asked them about this and they said there has been no change, that we still may continue to use the birth certificates. I asked about the birth certificate not matching my driver's license since I am now married and have my husband's last name, and they did say to bring a copy of the marriage certificate. I have never done that before, but I guess better safe than sorry. DCL told me for them to make any major changes like not accepting birth certificates or requiring passports, they would have to start doing it before people book the cruises in the future, they would not change it once a cruise has been booked.

 

[DeeCeeSW]

Sorry to latch on to the OP's thread, but I have a passport question too. My son's passport was issued when he was about 6 months old and does not expire until July 2006. We are sailing on the Magic in May 2006. My question is, will DCL accept the passport with the baby photo? Will I need to bring something else to prove his identity as well?

Thanks in advance!

 

[DeeCeeSW]

I don't want to be the thread killer on this one......

 

[tvguy]

Just renew it in January of 2006, solves the problem.

 

[JAKCruiser]

I just returned from the Wonder on Sunday and had no problem using my birth certificate and my driver's license that had my married name. I brought along my marriage license, just in case, but they said they didn't need it.

 

[anlashokna]

Question about baby picture in nearly expired passport at time of sailing:

As a passport agent...the answer is Yes. The passport is valid until its expiration no matter what the age of the picture. Disney should accept it since they accept passports in leu of birth certificates.


mudangel77- Hopefully you'll get your passports back quickly. DOS always says 6 weeks. It can take that long..it can be a week or two. It was probably a smart idea to go ahead and order new copies of the birth certificates just in case. You will be covered in event the passports do not arrive back in time. Didn't see any changes in the entry requirements for disney's ports of calls. So worse case travelling on the birth certificates should do it. Make sure to take your marriage license if your name is different. I'm guessing that possibly the marriage certificate went in with the passport application ? If you;re travelling very soon you might want to check into obtaining a copy of this as well. Expedited service will get it back faster but beware of the additional cost for the surface. And I believe this can only be done at time of application.

 

[tchoney]

I was told this evening by a friend that AAA contacted her and told her anyone 12-16 needs a passport now and anyone whose name on birth certificate does not match name on license either needs marriage certificate also or passport.
Is this true? They said it was a new rule.
How long does it take to get a passport?
thanks
Beth

Whether or not you will need a passport depends on what cruise you are going on. If you and your family are going to the Carribean, all any of you need are Official Raised Seal Birth Certificates and Drivers Licenses or ID's. If your family is going on the West Coast Disney Cruise this summer, it is Highly recommended that your family, ALL OF YOU, Children and Adults, go ahead now and apply for Passports. It has not been made mandatory yet, however, you don't want to wait until crunch time and all of a sudden need a passport and end up paying A LOT of money for an expedition fee! My recommendation would be don't worry unless your going to the West Coast, then go ahead and get your passport...!! The passport office says it takes approximately 5 weeks to get your passport. Make sure to give them plenty of time for problems or errors..... Otherwise you'll get stuck paying Big Money for Nothing....

 

[BethA]

thanks for the replies---

I am not getting any email notifications on replies to threads even though it is marked instant notification--anyone know what may be wrong?

We decided to just get passports to be safe.

Beth

 

[mudangel77]

I already have my passport so I am good on the name/marriage license/ ect. end of it. That is amazing to get the passport in a week. Are you guys from the North? You know, it takes us a little longer to do things down here in the south sometime! lol Just kidding. Here is the real problem I guess......I keep hearing "raised seal" but our official state certified birth certificates DO NOT have a raised seal! So, that is why I went ahead and ordered the passports. We are going to Barbados probably this summer anyway so I would have had to do it sooner or later!