Certified marriage certificate? Do I need one too?

[momof4girls]

After doing some reading today, I'm wondering if I now need to track one of these down? I didn't get on the ball and get my passport in time, so I only have my birth certificate and driver's license to use on my upcoming cruise.

 

Since my birth certificate is in my maiden name, do I now need to locate a certified marriage certificate? How do I go about doing that?:o I wasn't married in the state I'm currently living in.

[sail7seas]

I have always traveled with a copy of our marriage license in my carryon and have never once been asked for it. A great many adult woman have a different name from what their birth certificate says.

 

It makes me feel better to travel with passport, birth certificate and marriage license. The more ID the better IMO

 

You really should get a passport if you plan to travel outside the U.S.

In this day and age, it seems amazing to me anyone would leave 'home' without one.

JMHO.......

[cb at sea]

I've never brought my marriage cert....I don't even know where it is! No married woman's BC will match her married name. The birthdates, however, will match!

[Krazy Kruizers]

I have never taken my marriage certificate or original birth certificate with me anywhere.

 

They are not needed.

[momof4girls]

I have always traveled with a copy of our marriage license in my carryon and have never once been asked for it. A great many adult woman have a different name from what their birth certificate says.

 

It makes me feel better to travel with passport, birth certificate and marriage license. The more ID the better IMO

 

You really should get a passport if you plan to travel outside the U.S.

In this day and age, it seems amazing to me anyone would leave 'home' without one.

JMHO.......

 

I completely agree, and if I had been more prepared:o I would have one. :(

[peaches from georgia]

Why take a bc and marriage license at all if you have a passport? Isn't that overkill for no reason? You would never have to show either one with a passport.

[sail7seas]

sorry, double

[sail7seas]

This is my reason:

 

In the event we should lose our passports (however that might happen), it is very much easier to get replacement if one has ID documentation. I prefer to have too much ID with us when we travel than too little. ;)

 

I, happily, have never needed it but am sure the first time I leave home without it, I shall need it or wish I had it with me. :D

 

 

 

[momof4girls]

Thank you! I will bring the marriage certificate too. Better safe than sorry.

 

Believe me that my ENTIRE family will all have passports before our August 2012 sailing!

[bcsurvivor2001]

After doing some reading today, I'm wondering if I now need to track one of these down? I didn't get on the ball and get my passport in time, so I only have my birth certificate and driver's license to use on my upcoming cruise.

 

Since my birth certificate is in my maiden name, do I now need to locate a certified marriage certificate? How do I go about doing that?:o I wasn't married in the state I'm currently living in.

 

I read mixed reviews on this last year when we went on our first cruise. Unfortunately, I do not have a passport and wanted to have the right documents.

 

I brought my valid drivers license, birth certificate AND marriage license and was asked for all 3..........the marriage license is due to the fact that of course, being married - my drivers license did not match my BC.

[Gonzo70]

Definitely bring a marriage license if the birth certificate and driver's license names do not match. While most of the time you will not be asked for the marriage license, on occasions people have reported being asked to provide such documentation - and most cruise lines have a written policy stating one much have a "bridging" document. For example, here is quote from Royal Caribbean's website: "Different Surnames (Last Names):

If a woman has several surnames on different documents such as birth certificate and drivers license, then she must bridge the difference with other documents, such as, marriage license and/or divorce papers. The additional bridging documents must be the original or a certified or notarized copy."

[Gonzo70]

I've never brought my marriage cert....I don't even know where it is! No married woman's BC will match her married name. The birthdates, however, will match!

 

Maybe so, but most (if not all) major cruise lines have a written policy stating that one must bring a marriage license or other bridging document if the names on the birth certificate and driver's license so match. You have been lucky if you have been travelling without a passport and have not brought a bridging document with you. You should either bring a passport or marriage license on your next cruise or you stand a legitimate (albeit small) chance of being denied boarding.

[matj2000]

Maybe so, but most (if not all) major cruise lines have a written policy stating that one must bring a marriage license or other bridging document if the names on the birth certificate and driver's license so match. You have been lucky if you have been travelling without a passport and have not brought a bridging document with you. You should either bring a passport or marriage license on your next cruise or you stand a legitimate (albeit small) chance of being denied boarding.

 

Before our last cruise I read this stuff and got worried that my mother was going to have problems boarding. She has been married 3 times and has no documentation whatsoever from previous marriages 45 & 35 years ago. I called RC and they said she needs it, but in the end, she had no problem boarding...

[cruiser_123]

Why take a bc and marriage license at all if you have a passport? Isn't that overkill for no reason? You would never have to show either one with a passport.

 

I thought a passport was the ultimate ID and that was all that was needed to travel out of the country. We will only be bringing our passports for ID. We will have our DLs too.

[sail7seas]

If one has a passport, that is all one needs.

 

I choose to bring more in the event of loss of our passports while traveling. Passport replacement would be easier the more ID you can produce, when and if needed.

 

[Sheffie]

Never mind

[notmyccname]

After doing some reading today, I'm wondering if I now need to track one of these down? I didn't get on the ball and get my passport in time, so I only have my birth certificate and driver's license to use on my upcoming cruise.

 

Since my birth certificate is in my maiden name, do I now need to locate a certified marriage certificate? How do I go about doing that?:o I wasn't married in the state I'm currently living in.

 

If you have access to the certificate, take it with you. Why take a chance?

 

Without a passport it's always a good idea to take as much 'other' ID that you can. Maybe others haven't been asked for it, but you might. Better to have it with you.

 

That being said, when I applied for a new passport, all I was asked for was my BC and DL. I had my marriage certificate with me but wasn't asked for it.

 

I'm glad I had it with me anyway.

 

Have a nice cruise.

[cherylandtk]

Maybe so, but most (if not all) major cruise lines have a written policy stating that one must bring a marriage license or other bridging document if the names on the birth certificate and driver's license so match.

While it is probably wiser to bring the bridge documents than not, RCCL is the only one of the mass market lines that has this written requirement for all name-changed married women. It was a frequent problem last year, and to my thinking, is RCCL's way of pushing their pax towards getting a passport.

 

Carnival corporation lines (HAL, Princess, Carnival) and NCL do not have a similar requirement. One does not have to submit the marriage license as a bridge when applying for a passport, either.

[wcurry66]

To the OPs question "do I now need to locate a certified marriage certificate? How do I go about doing that?"

 

I just had to do this last year. After 25 years of marriage we needed to prove it (in order to adopt). All you need to do is contact the city clerk in the town you married. Check the web first; most town spell out their policy and have forms there.

 

It cost me $15 and i was able to get one within a week.

 

Good luck

[cgrout78]

While it is probably wiser to bring the bridge documents than not, RCCL is the only one of the mass market lines that has this written requirement for all name-changed married women. It was a frequent problem last year, and to my thinking, is RCCL's way of pushing their pax towards getting a passport.

 

Carnival corporation lines (HAL, Princess, Carnival) and NCL do not have a similar requirement. One does not have to submit the marriage license as a bridge when applying for a passport, either.

 

 

When I applied for my passport, I needed to show my marriage license as the reason for needing a new passport. When I had traveled in the past with my passport with my maiden name I brought my marriage certificate with me because my passport didn't match the name on my ticket.

[cherylandtk]

When I applied for my passport, I needed to show my marriage license as the reason for needing a new passport. When I had traveled in the past with my passport with my maiden name I brought my marriage certificate with me because my passport didn't match the name on my ticket.

You do need to show proof for a passport name change if you change your name after having been issued a passport. But an original passport application does not have to bridge current name to the birth name; one simply lists prior name(s) on the application and shows proof of current legal name.