Drivers License & Birth Certificate - No passport

[royal girl]

A cruise out of MD to Bermuda and return to MD with only a DL & BC is still ok, right?

 

I know if something happens in Bermuda, a passport is necessary to return home.

 

Someone's passport expired and they seem to be in no hurry to renew it. :rolleyes:

 

Thank you.

 

(I am also posting this on RC forum)

[DaniJo]

That is correct. I am doing that because I got married and haven't changed my name in my passport yet. And... even though my BC has my maiden name and my DL has my married name they don't mind. I did it last September on the Carnival Pride. I brought my passport along just in case though since the picture matches everything else.

[flowers44]

Might consider bring along your marriage license so the names will be connected. Can't tell if you might get an agent who has had a bad day and might give you a hard time about the names not matching. BC and government issued picture ID is what is required for a closed loop cruise. The marriage license is just a nice piece of information to have available.

[YoHoHo]

Curious - not a question of whether or not you will have issue getting back home but doesn't Bermuda require you to have a passport to enter?

 

http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1067.html#entry_requirements states: "ENTRY / EXIT REQUIREMENTS FOR U.S. CITIZENS: All persons travelling between the United States and Bermuda are required to present a passport to enter Bermuda or re-enter the United States."

 

Does not mention exceptions such as "if arriving and departing by cruise ship ..."

 

Hmmm. just found at http://hamilton.usconsulate.gov/entry_requirements.html

Currently, United States citizens do not require a visa to enter Bermuda if their visit is for tourism; however, as of January 23, 2007, U.S. citizens are now required to present a valid U.S. passport for entry into Bermuda and re-entry into the U.S. The maximum amount of time one is usually permitted to stay in Bermuda is 21 days.

 

So they seem to agree.

[jollyjones]

Closed loop cruises are different, you are not considered to be entering the country in the normal way.

[njhorseman]

YoHoHo... jollyjones is correct about closed loop cruises. Here's the regulation detailing the closed loop cruise exception to the passport requirement:

 

The US regulation is 22 CFR § 53.2 (b)(2) which reads as follows:

 

 

Quote:

Exceptions.

(b) A U.S. citizen is not required to bear a valid U.S. passport to enter or depart the United States:

 

(2) When traveling entirely within the Western Hemisphere on a cruise ship, and when the U.S. citizen boards the cruise ship at a port or place within the United States and returns on the return voyage of the same cruise ship to the same United States port or place from where he or she originally departed. That U.S. citizen may present a government-issued photo identification document in combination with either an original or a copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad issued by the Department, or a Certificate of Naturalization issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services before entering the United States; if the U.S. citizen is under the age of 16, he or she may present either an original or a copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad issued by the Department, or a Certificate of Naturalization issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services;

 

Needless to say, the country to which you're cruising also has to agree to allow cruise ship passengers to visit without a passport. Bermuda, the Bahamas, Mexico, Canada, the various Caribbean islands and some Central American countries do. They permit entry under the US closed loop cruise exception because they want to encourage US tourists to visit and spend their money.

 

FYI, as strange as it may seem, the State Department's website is often inaccurate in this regard. One reason is that the State Department is not responsible for setting these regulations...it is the Department of Homeland Security, which is the author of the regulation I've cited above. This the DHS website explaining the rules: http://getyouhome.gov/html/eng_map.html

[YoHoHo]

YoHoHo... jollyjones is correct about closed loop cruises. Here's the regulation detailing the closed loop cruise exception to the passport requirement:

 

The US regulation is 22 CFR § 53.2 (b)(2) which reads as follows:

 

 

Quote:

Exceptions.

(b) A U.S. citizen is not required to bear a valid U.S. passport to enter or depart the United States:

 

(2) When traveling entirely within the Western Hemisphere on a cruise ship, and when the U.S. citizen boards the cruise ship at a port or place within the United States and returns on the return voyage of the same cruise ship to the same United States port or place from where he or she originally departed. That U.S. citizen may present a government-issued photo identification document in combination with either an original or a copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad issued by the Department, or a Certificate of Naturalization issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services before entering the United States; if the U.S. citizen is under the age of 16, he or she may present either an original or a copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad issued by the Department, or a Certificate of Naturalization issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services;

 

Needless to say, the country to which you're cruising also has to agree to allow cruise ship passengers to visit without a passport. Bermuda, the Bahamas, Mexico, Canada, the various Caribbean islands and some Central American countries do. They permit entry under the US closed loop cruise exception because they want to encourage US tourists to visit and spend their money.

 

FYI, as strange as it may seem, the State Department's website is often inaccurate in this regard. One reason is that the State Department is not responsible for setting these regulations...it is the Department of Homeland Security, which is the author of the regulation I've cited above. This the DHS website explaining the rules: http://getyouhome.gov/html/eng_map.html

Thanks for the clarification, njhorseman. Interesting the State Dept and the US Consulate (same dept perhaps?) web sites have incomplete/wrong info. If another dept worked out the arrangements, though one would think the State Dept would have been involved, I guess its a matter of left-hand meet right-hand ...

Now I know, thanks.

[Keith1010]

While you can do it, I would have the person renew their passport. Don't take the chance.

 

Keith

[DaniJo]

Might consider bring along your marriage license so the names will be connected. Can't tell if you might get an agent who has had a bad day and might give you a hard time about the names not matching. BC and government issued picture ID is what is required for a closed loop cruise. The marriage license is just a nice piece of information to have available.

 

Oh yeah. I forgot to mention I did bring that just in case (but didn't need it), and I will again. Thanks for the reminder!

[njhorseman]

Thanks for the clarification, njhorseman. Interesting the State Dept and the US Consulate (same dept perhaps?) web sites have incomplete/wrong info. If another dept worked out the arrangements, though one would think the State Dept would have been involved, I guess its a matter of left-hand meet right-hand ...

Now I know, thanks.

 

Yes, consulates are part of the State Department. The problem traces back to the aftermath of the 9/11/01 terrorist attacks, when the Department of Homeland Security was created to consolidate certain responsibilities formerly held by several government departments. I've always had the impression that the State Department bureaucrats feel they've lost some power to DHS and harbor an almost child-like resentment of it.

 

You would think that government agency websites would be accurate, but in this case State, whether intentionally or unintentionally, has never bothered to adjust their site to reflect the correct version of this regulation.

[Pookeybear1966]

I renewed our passport books to passport cards this time. So my question is...does that mean I can't fly back to states with this if we get stranded? Now I'm questioning if I should have gotten a passport book instead (I tried to save $$ just getting the card)

[flowers44]

Check the passport website but I believe the passport card is only good for an American entering Canada and Mexico. It can be used when driving a vehicle over the border but is not the same as the book passport which is used when entering a country by air or sea. The closed circuit cruise rule applies to cruises leaving and returning to the same port but not for repositioning cruises.

[Pookeybear1966]

Check the passport website but I believe the passport card is only good for an American entering Canada and Mexico. It can be used when driving a vehicle over the border but is not the same as the book passport which is used when entering a country by air or sea. The closed circuit cruise rule applies to cruises leaving and returning to the same port but not for repositioning cruises.

 

The U.S. Passport Card can be used to enter the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda at land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry and is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book. The passport card cannot be used for international travel by air.

[njhorseman]

I renewed our passport books to passport cards this time. So my question is...does that mean I can't fly back to states with this if we get stranded? Now I'm questioning if I should have gotten a passport book instead (I tried to save $$ just getting the card)

 

The U.S. Passport Card can be used to enter the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda at land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry and is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book. The passport card cannot be used for international travel by air.

 

Looks like you answered your own question (in the highlighted sentence)...the passport card is not good for international airline flights.

[Pookeybear1966]

Looks like you answered your own question (in the highlighted sentence)...the passport card is not good for international airline flights.

 

Yeah I know LOL...But it's fine for our cruise travel from Boston to Bermuda and back :)

[flowers44]

The U.S. Passport Card can be used to enter the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda at land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry and is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book. The passport card cannot be used for international travel by air.

 

 

Thank you for claifying that for me. I thought it was only good for Canada and Mexico. Since we never plan on traveling to Europe, I may consider the passport card when my passport runs out in 2015. Maybe it was the enhansed licenses that are restricted to Canada and Mexico. So many choices these days!!!!

[njhorseman]

Thank you for claifying that for me. I thought it was only good for Canada and Mexico. Since we never plan on traveling to Europe, I may consider the passport card when my passport runs out in 2015. Maybe it was the enhansed licenses that are restricted to Canada and Mexico. So many choices these days!!!!

 

Enhanced drivers licenses can also be used for cruises.

[royal girl]

Thank you for the replies! I feel better!

 

Although I do hope they renew their PP while there is still time!

 

PS: DaniJo: Yes... bring your marriage certificate with you! The notarized copy. They might ask you for it. Better safe than sorry.