Stupid passport ?? applying online, what to put for Caribbean?

[Kristinemomof3]

I am wanting to fill out the application online and it wants to know what country we are visiting. We're going to the Caribbean, do I leave it blank? Dh is arguing with me because the Caribbean is not a country, I know that, I was just going to put it anyway.

 

What to do?

[Keith1010]

Many of the ports are indeed part of other countries.

 

You could just put the Caribbean and you will be fine but what ports are you visiting?

 

Keith

[Zach1213]

I am wanting to fill out the application online and it wants to know what country we are visiting. We're going to the Caribbean, do I leave it blank? Dh is arguing with me because the Caribbean is not a country, I know that, I was just going to put it anyway.

 

What to do?

 

Are you just applying for a passport? You shouldn't need to list any places you are going to...there is no obligation to have any international trips planned in order to get a passport.

[LHT28]

I would put the Caribbean but you could always just pick one of the islands you are visiting

It is not like they are going to check with them when you are going ..are they??

[okgirl]

Are you just applying for a passport? You shouldn't need to list any places you are going to...there is no obligation to have any international trips planned in order to get a passport.

 

It won't make any difference once the passport is issued, but the form does ask the question.

 

To the OP just pick one of your ports that's not a US territory (ie. not San Juan or St. Thomas)

[Keith1010]

Are you just applying for a passport? You shouldn't need to list any places you are going to...there is no obligation to have any international trips planned in order to get a passport.

 

You are right but it is a question so to me it's best to be truthful.

 

Keith

[Keith1010]

Folks each place does have a country so it's no big deal to figure that out.

 

Keith

[donaldsc]

While you do not need to put down a country, you DH is right and you are wrong. As you know, the Caribbean is not a country. If you feel that you really have to fill in all the blanks, just pick one county that you are visiting.

 

DON

[CruiserBruce]

Our renewal is in progress. As our next trip is a Caribbean cruise in February, I put down "various Caribbean islands". No sign of any problem.

[Keith1010]

CruiserBruce, yes, you will be fine.

 

Caribbean is really fine but since the OP asked about it technically these places are countries but either way is really fine.

 

Keith

[caribsun]

I am wanting to fill out the application online and it wants to know what country we are visiting. We're going to the Caribbean, do I leave it blank? Dh is arguing with me because the Caribbean is not a country, I know that, I was just going to put it anyway.

 

What to do?

looks like you are on the Epic in November, write in St. Maarten and Bahamas.:)

[smeyer418]

You can't apply on line for a passport. Only through a outside service provider and its a waste of money since you can go to most Post offices county clerks etc.

BTW you can put any country but Iran, North Korea or Cuba...

 

you can fill it out and them print it out to take with you.

[Zach1213]

You can't apply on line for a passport. Only through a outside service provider and its a waste of money since you can go to most Post offices county clerks etc.

BTW you can put any country but Iran, North Korea or Cuba...

 

you can fill it out and them print it out to take with you.

 

US government has no travel restrictions for US citizens to visit Iran or North Korea. They can visit Cuba too, with permission.

 

I could go to North Korea tomorrow no problem, as long as North Korea decides to give me a visa. The US won't stop me, nor punish me upon return.

[sail7seas]

Didn't Dennis Rodman of Basketball fame just visit North Korea?

Seems he was able to come home with no reports of any issue of him re-entering U.S.

 

OP....... I would put one of the countries I planned to visit on the upcoming cruise. Pick one that is not a U.S. port.

 

 

[Princess Ariel]

Just got DHs and left that field blank. Had no issues.

[Zach1213]

Didn't Dennis Rodman of Basketball fame just visit North Korea?

Seems he was able to come home with no reports of any issue of him re-entering U.S.

 

OP....... I would put one of the countries I planned to visit on the upcoming cruise. Pick one that is not a U.S. port.

 

 

 

Yes, he has gone twice. Again, no issue...any of us US citizens could visit North Korea tomorrow, as long as North Korea will allow us in (usually done by getting a visa via the DPRK Embassy in Beijing). There is no US law against US citizens going to North Korea.

[SMerritt]

I am wanting to fill out the application online and it wants to know what country we are visiting. We're going to the Caribbean, do I leave it blank? Dh is arguing with me because the Caribbean is not a country, I know that, I was just going to put it anyway.

 

What to do?

 

Possibly fill out the form online but DO NOT use a secondary passport "service" or unofficial website - it will take forever and cost a ton

 

Deal with your Post Office, or local Government Passport office

[donaldsc]

Didn't Dennis Rodman of Basketball fame just visit North Korea?

Seems he was able to come home with no reports of any issue of him re-entering U.S.

 

OP....... I would put one of the countries I planned to visit on the upcoming cruise. Pick one that is not a U.S. port.

 

 

 

Maybe North Korea should have kept him. LOL!!

 

DON

[SuzanneH]

We just got DD passport in the mail today-- headed out on the Epic so I just put Bahamas for that answer. No issues-- didn't pay for expedited and applied less than two weeks ago.

[Treven]

Maybe North Korea should have kept him. LOL!!

 

DON

You mean they didn't keep that klown? Damn!

[TravelinGert]

Regarding secondary passport services:

 

If you have enough time to get your passport direct from the US Department of State - now just 2-3 weeks for expedited service - you should certainly do that rather than paying extra for this online service.

 

If you don't have 3 weeks until your cruise, I would suggest you pick an online service that will walk your application through. Either that, or walk it through yourself. You just make an appointment to show up at the Passport Agency or Center nearest you with all your paperwork and photos. They process it while you wait. Expect it to take a day of your time, though.

 

My personal experience:

 

You do not have to go to the passport processing center nearest you, or even one in your county or state in order to get your paperwork processed. Last time I got mine renewed, the local post office could not fit me in for over two months, and their appointment times would have necessitated I miss work. The next county over, which happens to also be in another state, processes applications at a county office. I believe it was the county clerk's office. They process until 6 pm two nights per week, and allow walk ins. I was able to type out and print my application online at the Department of State's passport website, something our local post office was not allowing anyone to do at that time. They required you to provide the information to their clerk to type it in and print it for you. They said it was because "everyone gets those online forms wrong". Apparently not everyone, as my application was approved by the county's processor and I got my passport back in less than 2 weeks' time. It took me less than ten minutes on the parking meter to get everything squared away.

 

IMPORTANT: Please just go to the State Department passport website. They have all the correct information posted there. You can do a search and it will provide you a list of passport processing centers in your area who can help you. At the time I renewed, I believe it was still required you go to a passport processor under the jurisdiction of the Passport Center which has jurisdiction over your home. Although in a different state and county, the county office I went to was provided by the website as using the same Center and thus acceptable. I do not know if this is still the case, but the website will fill you in.

[Happy ks]

We didn't have to go in person, or have an appointment anywhere to get our passports renewed. I got the applications online (don't remember if I filled them out on the computer or hand wrote them). Wrote a check for the appropriate amount and send it in with the old passport and new photos. We had our renewals back within 2 weeks.

 

The only time you have to apply in person is with the first time passport, or if you let your old one expire by a certain deadline.

 

I really don't remember having to put in a country we would be visiting, but that was years ago. I'd just select the country of one of the islands you will be visiting.

 

I read here all the time about people expediting their passports, to me it is an unnecessary, very expensive step to take, unless you have a very short time before you leave. If it were me applying the first time, I'd get it done at least 2 months in advance. You never know if there will be issues, such as your name being the same as another person with problems, such as warrants for arrest or back child support...or a birth certificate not being the correct document.

[cocod08]

Through the State Dept website you can fill the form out on-line asd then print it out to take to the post office or where ever you are filing just makes for a neater form. This is what I did as my writing is terrible. There is a spot asking for travel plans I don't think you need to fill it out you can always just enter N/A if you dont want to leave it blank. I just filled for a new passport in Aug and with regular service got it back in 3 weeks. Good Luck

[Keith1010]

We didn't have to go in person, or have an appointment anywhere to get our passports renewed. I got the applications online (don't remember if I filled them out on the computer or hand wrote them). Wrote a check for the appropriate amount and send it in with the old passport and new photos. We had our renewals back within 2 weeks.

 

The only time you have to apply in person is with the first time passport, or if you let your old one expire by a certain deadline.

 

I really don't remember having to put in a country we would be visiting, but that was years ago. I'd just select the country of one of the islands you will be visiting.

 

I read here all the time about people expediting their passports, to me it is an unnecessary, very expensive step to take, unless you have a very short time before you leave. If it were me applying the first time, I'd get it done at least 2 months in advance. You never know if there will be issues, such as your name being the same as another person with problems, such as warrants for arrest or back child support...or a birth certificate not being the correct document.

 

It was necessary a few years ago to expedite if you needed it in less than 30 days as there were delays but then the addressed the issue.

 

Should there be any impacts from the budget cuts then the interval might change.

 

Keith

[sail7seas]

We did our original Passport application by mail decades ago and have done every renewal by mail. Never a problem. Print out the form at U.S. Department of State website and follow the directions.