Document Question

[afergvip]

Has anyone ever cruised on a certified copy of an amended birth certificate?? She can't get a passport and only has an amended birth certificate. It is certified from vital records and it does have a raised seal....thoughts please!!

[Jimmy Geegitz]

Depends where your sailing.

[CoconutJD]

Why can't she get a passport?

[afergvip]

Why can't she get a passport?

 

She was denied a passport becuase they didnt understand the amendment to the birth certificate or maybe she didnt give them all the documents required, not exactly sure. It's just a 4 day cruise to the bahamas. She is 80 years old and was born at home. In the 1970's when she went to get a job she realized there was a problem with her birth certificate. She went to vital records (or whatever it was at the time) and produced documents necessary to get an amended birth certificate listing her correct name. I guess the doctor got her name mixed up with someone else that was born on the same day. Anyways she has a certified copy of the amended birth certificate but it clearly states amended on there and it shows the name change.....she is trying to fix it all for her passport but time is running out. Not sure if the passport will come in time now. Starting to get a little stressed out!!! Her daughter got this for her as a birthday gift Final payment has been made and now this issue. So just wondering if anyone has ever cruised on an amended birth certificate before?

[kangaand2roos]

I would call carnival directly...

[klfrodo]

I would call carnival directly...

 

Not sure why you would do this. Carnival clearly states that it is the cruisers responsibility to ensure they have the correct documents. Even if someone on the phone says it's OK, doesn't mean squat when the cruiser get to the pier.

 

To OP,

I would be concerned. If the Gov't doesn't accept it as official ID for passport purposes, it's 50/50, if that, for boarding the ship.

 

Good luck though

[jagsfan]

A birth certificate with a raised seal issued by the Bureau of Vital Statistics is a valid document. The problem is being sure that the check in agent recognizes it as such.

I would contact your Senator or Representative for help and advice. Nobody at Carnival would be able to guarantee acceptance.

[lovebelle]

I would think if it is certified by the office of Vital statistics and has a raised seal on it, then it would be accepted.

[D4]

Has anyone ever cruised on a certified copy of an amended birth certificate?? ...

 

Unfortunately, even if someone else has cruised with that type of documentation without a problem, it doesn't guarantee that anyone else will be able to.

[cherylandtk]

Passport regulations require that Birth certificates used for Passport applications be issued within one year of the birth, which is why this BC was not accepted by itself for a passport.

 

There is no such requirement in the WHTI, which is the regulation covering RT cruises from the US for US citizens using a birth certificate. If she was born on US soil and the birth certificate is from the government of that region, she is good to go.

[Essiesmom]

Passport regulations require that Birth certificates used for Passport applications be issued within one year of the birth, which is why this BC was not accepted by itself for a passport.

 

There is no such requirement in the WHTI, which is the regulation covering RT cruises from the US for US citizens using a birth certificate. If she was born on US soil and the birth certificate is from the government of that region, she is good to go.

 

This must be a new regulation. When my mother was 49, we were going to Mexico and she needed a birth certificate to get a visitors card. (We are talking 1960). When her birth certificate came, it had the Wrong name...Instead of Olive Louise, it said Harriet Louise. She was able to get it changes with an affidavit from her mother, who was still living. She was able to get a passport in 1975 to come and visit me in Germany, using that BC. EM

[sparks1093]

Unfortunately, even if someone else has cruised with that type of documentation without a problem, it doesn't guarantee that anyone else will be able to.

 

It would give the OP a little peace of mind.

 

OP, if it is issued by the government agency that issues birth certificates than I would also opine that it will be acceptable, but it wouldn't hurt to continue efforts to resolve the issue about the passport.

 

This must be a new regulation. When my mother was 49, we were going to Mexico and she needed a birth certificate to get a visitors card. (We are talking 1960). When her birth certificate came, it had the Wrong name...Instead of Olive Louise, it said Harriet Louise. She was able to get it changes with an affidavit from her mother, who was still living. She was able to get a passport in 1975 to come and visit me in Germany, using that BC. EM

 

I believe this regulation has been around for awhile. It refers to the day that the birth certificate is registered with the state, not the date of issuance of the certificate. I am looking at mine right now and it says it was filed 8/13/58 and the certificate that I have was issued 9/5/12.