8 month old passport?

[obsessedsc]

does an 8 month old need a passport to cruise?

[Eng23]

does an 8 month old need a passport to cruise?

I don't think so. I don't even know if you could get one for a child that young. Hopefully someone with a little more knowledge will chime in.

[phoenix1181]

If you're not doing a closed loop cruise, the answer is yes. Otherwise, a certified birth certificate will be fine.

[Eng23]

Technically grown adults don't need one if you are cruising the Bahamas and Caribbean and it is a closed loop cruise. Just a photo ID and birth certificate.

[Maryscooking]

The problem arises if, for any reason (think accident or medical emergency or missing the ship while in port) you would need to fly back into the U.S. You need a passport in that case. People will say that if you don't have one, the embassy will help arrange something for you. But personally, in that situation, the last thing I would want to worry about is how long it would take the embassy to get me back home. Personally, I would never take my child out of the country without a passport. But I guess many Americans do it.

[sr5242]

I don't think so. I don't even know if you could get one for a child that young. Hopefully someone with a little more knowledge will chime in.

 

I don't know if 8 month olds need a passport, but I can most definitely say they can get one. Our children at 7 mos old were issued passports in guatemala to come home. And we immediately got them US passports upon coming home as proof of citizenship

[Shanafan]

My daughter got our granddaughter a passport card. It was less money than a passport, but has a picture ID. Check into one. I think that may be your best bet.

[negc]

My daughter got our granddaughter a passport card. It was less money than a passport, but has a picture ID. Check into one. I think that may be your best bet.

 

Except that a passport card is worthless in the often cited scenario of someone having to fly home from a foreign port. I believe that it is possible to get passports for infants, but just how much good a picture of a 7 month old will be in the years (5) that a child's passport is valid, seems questionable.:)

[Cruzin-K]

My thought would be that age makes NO difference AT ALL. Whatever ID is required of adults on a cruise, should be required of children, at the very least, a birth certificate for closed loop cruises. I don't think children can fly to foreign countries without a passport, and the passport must be applied for by BOTH parents. This helps avoid parental kidnappings to foreign countries.

 

Why on Earth would a cruise line let adults bring an infant on board with no way to identify if the child actually belonged to them, or was being kidnapped :rolleyes:

 

If you are bringing a baby on board you darn well better be able to prove that baby belongs to you.

 

I got my first passport when I was just a few months old. I still have it and it's great proof of multiple English Channel/North Sea crossings that I have no memory of whatsoever :D

[pltag]

My first thought was that they would not issue a passport to a infant ....... I was wrong!

 

From Travel.State.Gov website:

 

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/minors/minors_834.html

 

It says:

 

"Minors under age 16 must apply in person"

"All minors regardless of age, including newborns and infants, must have their own passport when traveling internationally by air"

 

You might have to "coach" the 8 month old on how to fill out all the paperwork! :D :D

[imjoyful2]

My youngest just turned 6 months old & has a passport. We got it for her when she was 4 months old, as soon as we booked our cruise that we are leaving on this week. You don't *have* to have a passport but you need to have a birth certificate and photo id and I don't know what photo id you'd get for a child besides a passport card at the least. I feel better having a full fledged passport in case of emergency. And yes, a child's looks will change but irregardless, their passport is still good for 5 years.

[Familygoboston]

Like Jenn- I had a lap baby photo for her first passport;). If you need a passport for the trip, your infant needs a passport. But as others have said if you can travel with a BC and photo I D, baby can travel with the BC.

[Shanafan]

Except that a passport card is worthless in the often cited scenario of someone having to fly home from a foreign port. I believe that it is possible to get passports for infants, but just how much good a picture of a 7 month old will be in the years (5) that a child's passport is valid, seems questionable.:)

 

You can get passports for infants. If you travel a lot, I would say by all means get one. Spend the extra money. If you want to make it easy for one cruise and not have to take the birth certificate and make life a bit easier.....apply for the passport card.

 

My daughter explained our situation (a cruise out of Fort Lauderdale returning to the same port) and was told (when she put in for the passport at the post office) that she would be better off getting the passport card for what she needed it for.

[Shanafan]

Except that a passport card is worthless in the often cited scenario of someone having to fly home from a foreign port. I believe that it is possible to get passports for infants, but just how much good a picture of a 7 month old will be in the years (5) that a child's passport is valid, seems questionable.:)

 

I don't understand your question...or response. A passport card AND passport are both good for 5 years. Both have photos. If you are taking a toddler on a trip that you don't plan to do often a passport card should be fine. If you are going to visit the relatives in France a couple times each year, then you may want to spring for the actual passport.

[Langley Cruisers]

...but just how much good a picture of a 7 month old will be in the years (5) that a child's passport is valid, seems questionable.:)

 

 

Well that's why a minor's passport is only good for 5 years as opposed to an adult 10 year passport. The child can change a lot in 5 years (yes, adults can too, but you understand my point). The authorities know that a baby's appearance can change; it's understood and all part of the process.

[sarafinadh]

If you go somewhere you need one then she needs one.

 

Get the Passport, not just the card. There are many places where the card will not suffice and over the next 5 years who knows where you might end up traveling.

 

My daughter had 2 passports as a child and *just* got her first grown up one this last year.

 

The pics were worthless in a year or two after issuance, but the people who handle these issues understand the limitations of pictures and rapidly growing and changing children and that will not be a problem. On her trip to Costa Rica as a teen she looked NOTHING as she had 4 years earlier at 9!

 

You will need notarized letters of permission if you are traveling with out her other parent ; -)

 

Have a great trip, at that age they are still so portable!!

[chipmaster]

This subject is being discussed in another thread.

 

I'm on my 3rd passport for a child that is 11. We can debate but I will always choose a passport as my id of choice for my children, sorry a piece of paper with fancy lines state name, birth and some other details how is that better than than a certified and much harder to counterfit official document from the goverment with a dated picture?

 

Sure one can use a birth certificate and it works and for 99.999% of folks all they need. Cost a little more but a passport is it if you really need some documentation, cross a border, fly to or from a foreign land ;)

 

Except that a passport card is worthless in the often cited scenario of someone having to fly home from a foreign port. I believe that it is possible to get passports for infants, but just how much good a picture of a 7 month old will be in the years (5) that a child's passport is valid, seems questionable.:)

[Maryscooking]

I don't understand your question...or response. A passport card AND passport are both good for 5 years. Both have photos. If you are taking a toddler on a trip that you don't plan to do often a passport card should be fine. If you are going to visit the relatives in France a couple times each year, then you may want to spring for the actual passport.

 

It is because you cannot fly over a foreign border with a passport card.

 

Therefore, on a cruise, when the only real reason you'd need a passport instead of the BC documentation is if you had to fly back into the country. And the passport card does not work for that.

[Shanafan]

does an 8 month old need a passport to cruise?

 

It depends on where you are traveling to and from. If you are doing a closed loop US cruise (leaving a US port and coming back to a US port) and are US citizens, a certified birth certificate is needed. If you prefer you can get either a passport or a passport card. Both are good for 5 years. If you travel a lot out of the country you may want to get a passport. If you are doing one cruise and want to have an official picture ID, the passport card may be what you need. Your best bet is to do a little research on both the passport and passport card and see what best fits your needs.

[Shanafan]

It is because you cannot fly over a foreign border with a passport card.

 

Therefore, on a cruise, when the only real reason you'd need a passport instead of the BC documentation is if you had to fly back into the country. And the passport card does not work for that.

 

I understand now. Thank you. In case of emergency if you are in a foreign country you will not be able to fly back home with just a passport card. :)

[uksimonusa]

Our daughter had both her passports at 3 weeks old, just last year she got her 4th "child" 5 year passports, next time she can get adults ones good for 10 years

[tfrcal]

Here are the costs:

 

Minor Passport Book

$80

+

$25

 

Minor Passport Card

$15

+

$25

 

For the extra $65 you are much better having the passport.