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Passport Clarification Needed..


cruisin_fanatic
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Go to the local courthouse, clerk of the court's office, have your SS card, your driver's licence and a "passport photo" from Walgreens in your possession and $10 {i think it is] in your wallet, fill out the form and mail it in right there. Allow 8-10 weeks for delivery.

 

This is from the US sight about the fees for passports.

 

 

Passport Fees

 

 

 

March 8, 2005

Routine Services (Form DS-11)

Non-Refundable

Age 16 and older: The passport application fee is $67. The execution fee is $30. The total is $97 .

Under Age 16: The passport application fee is $52. The execution fee is $30. The total is $82 .

The passport application fee includes the $12.00 Security Surcharge, which became effective March 8, 2005.

Methods of Payment -

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This is from the US sight about the fees for passports.

 

 

Passport Fees

 

 

 

March 8, 2005

Routine Services (Form DS-11)

Non-Refundable

Age 16 and older: The passport application fee is $67. The execution fee is $30. The total is $97 .

Under Age 16: The passport application fee is $52. The execution fee is $30. The total is $82 .

The passport application fee includes the $12.00 Security Surcharge, which became effective March 8, 2005.

Methods of Payment -

 

 

YIKES!!

 

I paid nowhere near that for mine 6 years ago.

 

Leave it to the feds to pass a law making something mandatory and then raising the rates.

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...and don't misunderstand me, I have a passport, have always had a passport, need it for work and play, I have lived in Europe for several years, traveled all over - had to get extra pages when I was in Europe because of all the stinking government visas etc. I highly recommend getting one.

 

I just don't like people spreading misinformation that a US citizen will be denied entry into the US without a passport if flying, that is absolutely NOT true. Again, if you are in a hurry, or the airline requires it you will need to be faxed a permission letter from the State Dept. if not, you will just be detained until your citizenship can be validated.

 

The US citizen, who did not violate foreign laws, trapped abroad is a load of BS!!!

 

You're absolutely right, but I don't think that anyone is claiming that you would become a "man/woman without a country" if you tried to return to the US by air without a passport, as long as you're a US citizen. However, I suspect that it could be a major hassle, involving many phone calls and discussions with beaurocrats and airline ticket agents, who may not really know what the law really is (they've just been told that no one gets on a US bound plane without a passport).

 

So, yes, you could return home, eventually. I wouldn't be surprised if it takes a couple days to contact the State Dept., convince them that you really are a citizen and get (and probably pay dearly for) an expedited replacement passport or waiver. And while the website says that waivers can be granted in the case of an emergency, I suspect that staying too long at Margheritaville or Carlos and Charlies' does not really constitute an unavoidable emergency in the eyes of the State Department.

 

I, for one, would just as soon avoid the potential hassle and use a passport.

 

Besides, I've heard that the fees, which are already pretty high, are going up (possibly doubling) later this year. Avoid the rush and the increased cost by getting one now.

 

On our next cruise in April, since we're in this odd interim period in which a birth certificate still works for a normal cruise return, I'm going to take both. If I lose my passport in a foreign port, I can still use my BC to get home. If I get stranded in a foreign port, I will have my PP to fly home with no hassle.

 

Paul Noble

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I know for us Canucks.. those that procrastinated in getting their passports are now waiting in 5hr plus lines just to get into the passport office.. god only knows how long the turn around time is to receive them.. :rolleyes:

 

Too each their own.. being a Canadian we really have no choice in the matter if we want to cruise.. most have to fly or drive upteen hours to get to a port.. besides the eastern and western (where passports will not be required)

 

I would say if you plan on vacationing yearly invest the money now in a passport.. for US Citizens it works out to approximately 10 bucks per year.. hey atleast your passports are valid for 10yrs.. ours up North are only valid for 5yrs:( and are approximately the same price!!!(quietly praying for the govt to change that soon)

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While you are deciding whether or not to get a passport consider this scenario that was recently posted on another board.

 

A couple misses their cruise out of Miami due to flight delays. They had to fly to the next port of Jamaica to catch their ship. As of Jan 23 a passport is required to fly to the Caribbean so if they didn't have one after that date they wouldn't have been able to catch up with the ship.

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You're absolutely right, but I don't think that anyone is claiming that you would become a "man/woman without a country" if you tried to return to the US by air without a passport, as long as you're a US citizen. However, I suspect that it could be a major hassle, involving many phone calls and discussions with beaurocrats and airline ticket agents, who may not really know what the law really is (they've just been told that no one gets on a US bound plane without a passport).

 

Not true, one phone call, no delay, no hassle, I KNOW from personal experience from Germany... State dept. faxed the airline direct....

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YIKES!!

 

I paid nowhere near that for mine 6 years ago.

 

Leave it to the feds to pass a law making something mandatory and then raising the rates.

Interesting because that is exactly what I paid for mine 9 years ago. I just found the canceled check.

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You're absolutely right, but I don't think that anyone is claiming that you would become a "man/woman without a country" if you tried to return to the US by air without a passport, as long as you're a US citizen. However, I suspect that it could be a major hassle, involving many phone calls and discussions with beaurocrats and airline ticket agents, who may not really know what the law really is (they've just been told that no one gets on a US bound plane without a passport).

 

I would have to agree with you. While maybe some on here had no problem prior to the new law. We will not really know how they will handle situtations after Jan. 23 2007. While they do say these new requirements may be waived in case of a emergency.....who determines that is another story.

I guess we really won't know until it happens to someone after Jan 23 2007.

I would not take any chances.........but that's my opinion...

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Well only 2 people in my family going on this trip have a passport, me included. The rest of my family I just sent an email out to them just yesterday telling them that if they couldn't get a passport before our August cruise that they would be ok. So some will probably get it and some won't but I know when we went on our first cruise 2 yrs ago my family members used a BC and DL and were A-OK the whole trip. So if you only have a BC and DL for now for your upcoming cruise, you will be alright.

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I have a passport and travel with it for other reasons than vacation. All this scary things that might happen if you get left behind at the port are not what some on this board make it out to be. Why did the government delay the requirement? They are trying to figure out a cheaper alternative other than a passport and if they do you will not need a passport to fly home in case of an emergency. Just like now a passport will be required for all planned flights and I agree with mrdood that all that it will take is a phone call and maybe a TSA official meeting you at the gate.

 

I say don't rush out to get a passport because I believe the government will probably come up with a cheaper method good for both air and sea for this type of travel. Not because the government has our pocket books in mind but because our nearest foreign neighbors that depend on tourism for their economies has asked them too.

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I say don't rush out to get a passport because I believe the government will probably come up with a cheaper method good for both air and sea for this type of travel. Not because the government has our pocket books in mind but because our nearest foreign neighbors that depend on tourism for their economies has asked them too.

 

Please list those foreign neighbours that have asked ???

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Not true, one phone call, no delay, no hassle, I KNOW from personal experience from Germany... State dept. faxed the airline direct....

 

 

 

Was this before or after 9/11? Considering the new restrictions as of 1/23/07 may not be as easy.

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Please list those foreign neighbours that have asked ???

 

Mexico and Canada made a formal request tha "pass cards" be made available for land crosssings. Members of the Caribbean community yet have not formally asked but have inquired if th U.S. could extend a pass card to the them also.

 

And in congress:

 

The passport card is intended as a lower cost means of establishing

identity and nationality for American citizens in two limited

situations--for citizens crossing U.S. land borders and traveling by

sea between the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean or Bermuda. The

passport card is not designed to be a globally interoperable travel

document as defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization

(ICAO). Designing a card format passport for wide use, including by air

travelers, would inadvertently undercut the broad based international

effort to strengthen civil aviation security and travel document

specifications to address the post 9/11 threat environment. Moreover,

in its recent consideration of the FY 2007 Appropriations Act for the

Department of Homeland Security, the Congress, while allowing for the

use of the passport card by citizens traveling by sea between the U.S.,

Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean or Bermuda, did not make parallel changes

regarding international air travel.

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My mom's passport expires on Sept 20/07 and were Canadian. Were leaving Toronto on the 4th of Feb returning the 14th of March, our panama cruise is with RCCL from Feb 12th - 23rd and its going into the panama canal, costa rica, aruba, curacao......is she going to be ok? should she/we worry?

 

the passport office said there;s a 2 month waiting period for passports so thats out of the question. and he also said it needs to be valid for 6 months after departing the panama canal we'll be there on the 19th of Feb and he said it wont be valid......correct me if my math is wrong but wont 6 months be august 14th? her's doesnt expire til the 20th.

 

should we worry about getting on the cruise and back into canada?

 

THank you to all that reply, and happy cruisin:D

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My mom's passport expires on Sept 20/07 and were Canadian. Were leaving Toronto on the 4th of Feb returning the 14th of March, our panama cruise is with RCCL from Feb 12th - 23rd and its going into the panama canal, costa rica, aruba, curacao......is she going to be ok? should she/we worry?

 

the passport office said there;s a 2 month waiting period for passports so thats out of the question. and he also said it needs to be valid for 6 months after departing the panama canal we'll be there on the 19th of Feb and he said it wont be valid......correct me if my math is wrong but wont 6 months be august 14th? her's doesnt expire til the 20th.

 

should we worry about getting on the cruise and back into canada?

 

THank you to all that reply, and happy cruisin:D

 

The problem I forsee is that the ship's crew may deny her onboard the ship if one of the countries the ship is sailing to requires a valid passport for Canadian Citizens. Also, if something were to happen (i.e, miss the ship while on port, a medical emergency) and she needs to board a plane, the airline could deny boarding onto the plane. Please bear in mind that what I am saying is not set in stone. Usually the six month passport expiration is from the begining of the trip.

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Mexico and Canada made a formal request tha "pass cards" be made available for land crosssings. Members of the Caribbean community yet have not formally asked but have inquired if th U.S. could extend a pass card to the them also.

 

This wasn't asked for by Canada or Mexico, it was "mutually agreed upon" meaning someone thought it was a good idea.

 

It is a good idea more or less, but if you plan to cruise anywhere other than in North America, you may as well get the Passport, and renew as necessary.

 

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/story.html?id=8177558e-91c3-4ad6-8e6e-db63816581bd&k=76330

 

 

On top of that, there's nothing stating the costs of such a thing. There's currently a F.A.S.T. (I love these insipid acronyms... :D ) card for cross-border Trade, and it requires fingerprints, and it's about $25 for the registration. If you're not going to go with a full-on machine-readable passport program, and reduce the price of it, at least having a card that's supported by a biometrics and a central database, it's a better system than just having a simple and counterfeitable card.

 

This type of system was talked about in Canada in 1999-2000, and when 2001/09/11 happened, the question of integration with the US/Mexico.

 

BTW, as of Jan 23, 2007 You need a passport to travel by air to the US.

 

http://www.ppt.gc.ca/newsroom/news.aspx?lang=e&page=/newsroom/20061205.aspx

 

 

 

If you're American, you don't NEED a passport, but, you're far better served to get one, that way you can cruise in Europe.

 

Either way, us non-Americans will be in a shorter line on boarding :D

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Was this before or after 9/11? Considering the new restrictions as of 1/23/07 may not be as easy.

 

The incident in Germany was my son last Spring...

 

...the link I posted on the website regarding emergencies is valid for the NEW laws after 1/23, it really is laughable to think that in August if you debark the ship in Costa Maya for an emergency, you a)would not be allowed to fly back home b) would have to travel to Mexico City to get permission from the Embassy to do so.

 

The only time you would be hassled is if you did not check in first, and that would only require a secondary screening - per the State Department Web site.

 

The sky on this is not falling.

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I guess I'm just a sceptic. Since the new restrictions have not been enforced as of yet......the truth is no one knows how it will be handeled.

My opinion why even take a chance.

 

...I agree, I am on my third passport, I just find the whole picture of stranded americans laying all over the Caribbean humorous, the link I posted addresses the new restrictions, they will still let you back in.

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