And yet another birth certificate question

[EydieG]

Has anyone sailed without a passport and using a birth certificate lately? We just booked a kind of last minute cruise and our daughter (who is 20) had a passport but it has expired. The wait time listed on the govt web site says 4-6 weeks and we don't have that long. Since her old passport was obtained when she was under 16 according to the site she will have to apply for a new one instead of renewing the old one. Anyway, I am getting so many conflicting reports about this, one being the person who booked this (at Carnival) told me if we decided to get a passport to make sure we made a copy of the BC before they took it in case the new passport didn't come in time. Then I am reading on these boards several people were turned away because they had copies instead of the original BC. Plus our local post office (which is the only place in town to get a passport) is appointment only and I won't know until tomorrow how soon I can get an appointment.

 

thanks in advance for any advice!

[bjinouno]

First of all Call Carnival and ask them, they will have the correct answer, depends on where you are traveling too, birth Certificate Must be orgional and NOT a copy, are you in a state where you can get the enhanced drivers license? Just remember traveling with just a BC she had better not miss the ship, have to stay in a hosptial, Because than NO passport No leave so quickly. good luck!

[PlanoDebbie]

You can always pay the fee to have a new passport expedited. I can't remember the fee, but I paid it 3 years ago when we also booked a cruise only 5 weeks out and had an expired passport. That was cutting it too close for me, so I paid the fee and got my new passport in about 2 weeks.

[cruisecraze96]

Here is what is on Carnival's website. You can use a copy of a BC issued by the state, many of us like to lose these things when moving so thankfully you can get a copy.

 

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) allows U.S. citizens (including children) sailing on cruises that begin and end in the same U.S. port to travel with one of the WHTI compliant documents, listed below. Additionally, baptismal and hospital certificates, copies of U.S. passports and naturalization papers, are not WHTI compliant documents, therefore, are NOT acceptable.

 

· Valid U.S. Passport

 

· Passport Card

 

· Original or suitable quality copy of a Birth Certificate (Issued by a government agency: state/county/city)

 

· Certificate of Naturalization

 

· Trusted Traveler Program Membership Card, e.g., Nexus Card, Sentri Card or Fast Card

 

· Enhanced Tribal Card

 

· A Consular Report of Birth Abroad

 

· Enhanced Driver's License (EDL)

[YadaYadaJodi]

My husband traveled with just his birth certificate & driver's license in November 2012 (and my daughter & I did also in May 2011).

 

No problem at all as long as you're leaving & returning to the same port.

 

I would take your daughter's expired passport in case anything happened onshore. It could maybe expedite a return to the US vs. starting from scratch.

 

Make sure it is an official birth certificate with a raised seal.

 

Bon voyage! The best part of booking last minute is not having to wait too long before you're cruising!!

[Rottenapple]

My sons just went on a cruise with their friends they all had original BC with raised seal.....no copies

[EydieG]

First of all Call Carnival and ask them, they will have the correct answer, depends on where you are traveling too, birth Certificate Must be original and NOT a copy, are you in a state where you can get the enhanced drivers license? Just remember traveling with just a BC she had better not miss the ship, have to stay in a hospital, Because than NO passport No leave so quickly. good luck!

 

 

This is what I meant by conflicting reports. It was Carnival that told me a copy of the birth certificate would be fine. I looked on the government web site and a new passport with expedited service will be about $208. I know, better than to not be allowed on the ship but wow!

[YadaYadaJodi]

If you aren't using your original bc, it must be an official gov't issued "copy" not a photocopy. Is that the confusion?

[DebJ14]

This is what I meant by conflicting reports. It was Carnival that told me a copy of the birth certificate would be fine. I looked on the government web site and a new passport with expedited service will be about $208. I know, better than to not be allowed on the ship but wow!

 

I think people are confusing Certified Copies issued by governmental bodies with xerox copies of originals or certified copies.

 

When you get a birth certificate from your state of birth it will be a "copy" but it will have some sort of official seal on it and is considered to be a "Certified Copy."

[EydieG]

Wow, the guy at Carnival just told me to "make a couple of copies of it". I think we will just go with the original birth certificate and hope she won't have to fly home for any reason. Mine and my husbands expire in about 6 months so as soon as we get home I'm applying for new ones for us so we won't have this problem.

 

Thanks everybody!

[pixie123]

My daughter had to apply for a new passport as her first one was issued when she was under 16. She applied on July 1 and received it on July 26.

[MaraBerk]

I received my first passport when I was 16. When it expired (2012) I just renewed it-no problems, no reapplying.

[cherbear4000]

A copy of the birth certificate is fine. A lot of people on this board will tell you you need the original or certified copy, but you don't.

 

I have posted this story on this board before. Last summer, my sister forgot her birth certificate for her and her husband at home. She did not realize it until she was checking in at the port. Our other sister, who was not going on this cruise, was able to drive to this sister's house, take a picture of their birth certificates with her phone and email the Carnival rep the pictures. The Carnival rep then printed out the pictures and that served as their copy of their birth certificate.

[kirasmom]

I think you will have new passport in a few weeks un less sequestration hasi patched the office.

 

 

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[D4]

Just get another official copy of her birth certificate to bring with (in case the passport doesn't arrive in time.). You can order an expedited copy of her birth certificate online if getting one in person isn't convenient.

[sparks1093]

If you aren't using your original bc, it must be an official gov't issued "copy" not a photocopy. Is that the confusion?

 

The DHS regulations say that the birth certificate may be the "original or copy", copy meaning plain old photocopy. I presented a photocopy of my birth certificate this past October and it was accepted without a word.

[sparks1093]

Wow, the guy at Carnival just told me to "make a couple of copies of it". I think we will just go with the original birth certificate and hope she won't have to fly home for any reason. Mine and my husbands expire in about 6 months so as soon as we get home I'm applying for new ones for us so we won't have this problem.

 

Thanks everybody!

 

I always advise that people bring their original birth certificate but a photocopy will work (I presented a photocopy and it was accepted). I also would advise bringing the expired passport. One, an expired passport is still proof of citizenship according to the State Department website and two, should she need to return home it will speed things up at the Consulate because she is already in the system.

[sparks1093]

A copy of the birth certificate is fine. A lot of people on this board will tell you you need the original or certified copy, but you don't.

 

I have posted this story on this board before. Last summer, my sister forgot her birth certificate for her and her husband at home. She did not realize it until she was checking in at the port. Our other sister, who was not going on this cruise, was able to drive to this sister's house, take a picture of their birth certificates with her phone and email the Carnival rep the pictures. The Carnival rep then printed out the pictures and that served as their copy of their birth certificate.

 

Now that's a "photo"copy:D. Thanks for sharing the story!

[windsbud]

I just updated my Passport because I got married since it was issued. I mailed it on July 7th and got it back this past Thursday which was July 25, so less than 3 weeks. I think it would be close, but you should have it back in time.

[YubaSutter]

First of all Call Carnival and ask them, they will have the correct answer, depends on where you are traveling too, birth Certificate Must be orgional and NOT a copy, are you in a state where you can get the enhanced drivers license? Just remember traveling with just a BC she had better not miss the ship, have to stay in a hosptial, Because than NO passport No leave so quickly. good luck!

 

This is incorrect. You CAN use a copy of your birth certificate.

[HeidiHo]

My advice is this, if you can quickly get a 2nd "certified" copy of her birth certificate, then do that and apply for a passport immediately. I don't think it's really necessary to pay to have it expedited because if it doesn't come in time, you will still have a certified copy of the birth certificate to take with you then. I know there are conflicting reports as to whether or not a photo copy is acceptable and maybe it is but personally, I'd feel much better having the certified copy because I know for sure that that is acceptable. Of course, if she ends up using the birth certificate she will then also need a government issued photo ID (driver's license or state ID).

 

When we applied for our passports I actually ordered 2 copies of all of our birth certificates just so we'd have extra copies. Two sets are now in a safe deposit box at the bank and one set I keep in the house. My kids are grown now but still living at home (both recent college grads). Once they leave the nest for good, I will give them each at least one of the copies.

[YubaSutter]

If you aren't using your original bc, it must be an official gov't issued "copy" not a photocopy. Is that the confusion?

 

It doesn't have to be a copy from a govt agency. It must be a copy of an original certificate issued by the govt agency. You can copy the certificate yourself.

[bjinouno]

stand me wrong..... Great I am happy than you can use a copy and not one that needs the seal or stamp on it

[Neotericisis]

Just get another official copy of her birth certificate to bring with (in case the passport doesn't arrive in time.). You can order an expedited copy of her birth certificate online if getting one in person isn't convenient.

 

Exactly. You should be able to get one same day at your local State office. I wouldn't risk it at port with just a copy. In NJ birth certificates are $10, I'm sure your state is similarly cheap (if your daughter was born out of state call their local state office- they always have expedited options which are still cheaper than an expedited passport)

 

For my first cruise my passport had just expired and I got it expedited- the cost hurt but I wasn't going to risk it. We did a couples cruise and our friends used only a DL and official copy of the BC and were fine.

[TerReuv]

It doesn't have to be a copy from a govt agency. It must be a copy of an original certificate issued by the govt agency. You can copy the certificate yourself.

 

I think this is wrong. I believe that the BC has to have the raised seal on it and if you make your own copy the seal is not there. Honestly, I ahve never heard of anyone making their own copy.