Passport Cards and Medical Evacuation?

[LAWTONCRUISE]

Follow up: Just spoke to the post office passport folks and they said that CBP (Customs and Border Patrol) informed them that they recommend a passport book for all travel outside the US where there's a chance you might have to fly back.

 

Passport cards would take a lot of additional work (did not specify but I'm assuming the Consulate or Embassy would have to get involved).

 

Guess we'll get the passports renewed, just to save any hassle.

[Kamloops50]

Canadians are every five years too, adults & children. It's a no-brainer for us, sure we can cross over to the US with a PP card but if we want to fly from 1 US city to another, we must have a Passport.

 

I did some research as well and just don't see how you question the need for a real Passport. JMHO :)

 

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/information/card/Difference-Between-Passport-Book-and-Card.html

 

Happy sailing.

 

Canada started issueing 10 year passports on July 1,2013. I renewed in Nov 2013 and got a 10 year one. Nexus doesn't work on the border crossing at A k away.

 

Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Forums mobile app

[Traveller20074]

well, one of our group is traveling without them. Either one. Passport OR card. Can't be helped. I have one, and so does one other person. the other? Refuses to get one. Oh well, their choice. Or, do any of the children have passports. nothing I can do to talk them into it. I THINK the only place we'd have a problem (being it's an Alaska Closed Loop cruise from Seattle) would be in Victoria if they needed to fly home for some reason.

Edited May 19, 2014 by Traveller20074

[njhorseman]

Canada started issueing 10 year passports on July 1,2013. I renewed in Nov 2013 and got a 10 year one. Nexus doesn't work on the border crossing at A k away.

 

Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Forums mobile app

 

The US and Canadian governments say Nexus is good for land crossings, so why wouldn't it work ?

 

http://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/nexus/nexus-overview

 

NEXUS Program Description

NEXUS sealThe NEXUS alternative inspection program has been completely harmonized and integrated into a single program. NEXUS members now have crossing privileges at air, land, and marine ports of entry. Under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, the NEXUS card has been approved as an alternative to the passport for air, land, and sea travel into the United States for US and Canadian citizens.

 

The NEXUS program allows pre-screened travelers expedited processing by United States and Canadian officials at dedicated processing lanes at designated northern border ports of entry, at NEXUS kiosks at Canadian Preclearance airports, and at marine reporting locations. Approved applicants are issued a photo-identification, proximity Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) card. Participants use the three modes of passage where they will either present their NEXUS card or have their iris scanned and make a declaration.

 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) are cooperating in this venture to simplify passage for pre-approved travelers.

[Kamloops50]

Neither border crossing has the machine that scans the Nexus Card.

[newmexicoNita]

Not to worry. Your ticket for travel would be on the ship, not an airline. That may not be the case if you wife wants to fly home. Why not get passports and avoid any issues?

 

I do think the passport card would work, but they would be air lifted if it was a medical emergency so no, the would not be travelling by ship. I also agree with you, getting a passport, even though the price has gotten out of hand is the safest way to go.

[njhorseman]

Neither border crossing has the machine that scans the Nexus Card.

 

From what I've read you can now (and apparently that wasn't always the case) use the card as primary proof of citizenship so you don't need to carry any additional proof (passport), except when traveling by air.

 

If that's true, then the lack of the scanning machine doesn't matter, because you can just present the card to the border agent and it would be just as valid as a passport.

[dwjoe]

The NEXUS card is a trusted traveler card designed to speed passage across the US/Canadian border. There are NEXUS kiosks in Canadian airports and NEXUS dedicated lanes at Canadian border crossings. If you have a NEXUS card and are at one of these ports, you get to skip the line.

 

The NEXUS is also a WHTI-compliant travel document. It will be accepted for land/sea entry at all US and Canadian ports of entry by CBP and CBSA, even if there is no kiosk or dedicated lane (e.g. Alaska).

 

We don't hear much about NEXUS on CC because it is rarely used to board a ship, and cruise port personnel are probably much less familiar with it.

Edited May 19, 2014 by dwjoe

[LAWTONCRUISE]

Finally able to get an answer that settles the question. Just got this from Customs and Border Patrol:

 

Thank you for contacting the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) INFO Center.

 

Please be advised the cards will work for you if an emergency arises. You will not be able to use a commercial carrier but the circumstances are different when you are airlifted by emergency responders.

 

Thank you again for contacting the CBP INFO Center.

 

Sincerely,

 

CBP INFO Center

[sparks1093]

Finally able to get an answer that settles the question. Just got this from Customs and Border Patrol:

 

Thank you for contacting the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) INFO Center.

 

Please be advised the cards will work for you if an emergency arises. You will not be able to use a commercial carrier but the circumstances are different when you are airlifted by emergency responders.

 

Thank you again for contacting the CBP INFO Center.

 

Sincerely,

 

CBP INFO Center

 

Thanks for the info.

Edited June 3, 2014 by sparks1093