Birth certificate 9/11 question?

[gacat93]

I have a weird question. My cruise has a Facebook group and is coming up in a few weeks. This will be the first time my daughter's will be sailing without a passport (theirs expired last month and we were not able to renew them right now) so will just be using birth certificates and driver's license. Anyway, someone posted on the FB page that they were told the birth certificates had to be dated AFTER 9/11. I have never heard such a thing and I am now freaking out because these are obviously from when my kids were born prior to that. Has anyone who cruised had this sort of issue or comment made to them? Looking for a little reassurance.

[momof4boys]

NO. Never heard of that!!! Do not worry. You will be fine!

[gacat93]

Thanks for the quick reply. One of my daughters was born where we still live so no big deal if another one was needed...the other one was about 16 hours away and we sail in barely 3 weeks. Freaking was an understatement. lol

Edited July 17, 2014 by gacat93

[Wilgr]

There are lots of cruise "authorities" that spread wrong information as if it was the gospel.

[momof4boys]

I bet!!! Have a great cruise!!

[hartsnvt]

Just make sure it is a state issued BC and not the one you may have gotten from the hospital. It must be certified with a raised seal.

[DaytonCruiser]

Just make sure it is a state issued BC and not the one you may have gotten from the hospital. It must be certified with a raised seal.

 

Many states no longer use a raised seal..they use a watermark.

[gacat93]

They are both state issues...don't think I even have hospital ones. Although I do see many people saying various states have moved away from a "raised" seal and they don't have any issues.

[Julia1969]

This is from Carnival's website: CRUISE TRAVEL

 

U.S. Citizens

 

Carnival highly recommends all guests travel with a passport. *Although a passport is not required for U.S. citizens taking cruises that begin and end in the same or a different U.S. port, travelling with a passport may help to expedite your CBP clearance upon return to the U.S. *Additionally, passports are required in the event you need to fly from the U.S. to a foreign port should you miss your scheduled port of embarkation, or need to fly back to the U.S. for emergency reasons.

 

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, the same document requirements apply when taking a cruise that begins and ends in a different U.S. port.

 

•Valid U.S. Passport

 

•Passport Card

 

•Original or suitable quality copy of a Birth Certificate (Issued by a government agency: state/county/city)*and a government issued photo ID if 16 years of age and older.

 

•Original 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) - only acceptable at land and sea ports of entry. *Cannot be used for air travel outside the U.S. Please check if your state issues EDLs.

 

*Copies of U.S. passports and naturalization papers, hospital and baptismal certificates are not WHTI compliant documents, therefore, are NOT acceptable.

 

Birth certificates from Puerto Rico issued prior to July 1, 2010 are not valid forms of proof of citizenship that is accepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Guests from Puerto Rico either need to present a WHTI-compliant document or a government-issued photo identification with a validated birth certificate issued after July 1, 2010.

 

 

 

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[Julia1969]

May people will argue that it must be an original birth certificate, but as you can see a suitable copy from a government agency is also accepted.

 

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[SummerXU]

I have a weird question. My cruise has a Facebook group and is coming up in a few weeks. This will be the first time my daughter's will be sailing without a passport (theirs expired last month and we were not able to renew them right now) so will just be using birth certificates and driver's license. Anyway, someone posted on the FB page that they were told the birth certificates had to be dated AFTER 9/11. I have never heard such a thing and I am now freaking out because these are obviously from when my kids were born prior to that. Has anyone who cruised had this sort of issue or comment made to them? Looking for a little reassurance.

 

I love some of the "information" people seem to come up with!

[stargate fan]

I have a weird question. My cruise has a Facebook group and is coming up in a few weeks. This will be the first time my daughter's will be sailing without a passport (theirs expired last month and we were not able to renew them right now) so will just be using birth certificates and driver's license. Anyway, someone posted on the FB page that they were told the birth certificates had to be dated AFTER 9/11. I have never heard such a thing and I am now freaking out because these are obviously from when my kids were born prior to that. Has anyone who cruised had this sort of issue or comment made to them? Looking for a little reassurance.

 

Consider yourself reassured.

 

Think of this-how many adults travel with bc and not passports. I'd be willing to wager that they were all born before 9/11. :eek:

[gacat93]

Hopefully last question... The same person said they were told that the BC must say certificate of birth. The state issued one I have from VA in the 90s says "certification of vital record". We had no issue using it to get her (now expired) passport but wanted to check with y'all.

[DaytonCruiser]

Hopefully last question... The same person said they were told that the BC must say certificate of birth. The state issued one I have from VA in the 90s says "certification of vital record". We had no issue using it to get her (now expired) passport but wanted to check with y'all.

 

There is no uniformity in how each state issues a BC. I would stop listening to this person :)

[SadieN]

But there are BC issues--

 

BCs from Puerto Rico received before a certain date are void. Need to get a new one.

 

Some counties in California were issuing an "Abstract of Birth" for a few years in the early 90's. It basically had DD's name on it and that a BC was on file with the County. It was good enough to use as ID on our cruises from 2003-2006, but not good to get a Passport.

Edited July 17, 2014 by SadieN

[gacat93]

Thanks y'all! I was freaking to the point if nearly ordering a new one from VA...heck, if it was good enough to issue a darn passport then certainly should be fine for a cruise line. I'm taking the advice of no longer worrying what that person says. Thanks again.

[SadieN]

Hopefully last question... The same person said they were told that the BC must say certificate of birth. The state issued one I have from VA in the 90s says "certification of vital record". We had no issue using it to get her (now expired) passport but wanted to check with y'all.

 

Probably the County uses the same paper for Death Certificates as well as Birth Certificates.

[YubaSutter]

Just make sure it is a state issued BC and not the one you may have gotten from the hospital. It must be certified with a raised seal.

 

A raised seal is NOT a requirement. Please stop with the misinformation.

[maureencruiser]

I sailed with 4 people from VA last year. ALL of theirs said Certification of Vital Record. :):)

[Misplaced Floridan]

Hopefully last question... The same person said they were told that the BC must say certificate of birth. The state issued one I have from VA in the 90s says "certification of vital record". We had no issue using it to get her (now expired) passport but wanted to check with y'all.

 

Sounds like you should listen to everything this person is saying, and do the complete opposite :)

[firemanbobswife]

You should see my husband's BC. We got married after 9/11 and cruised a couple times using BCs and DLs before we got Passports. His is the original from 1970. Folded, taped where needed, etc. worked just fine.

 

They may be referring to BCs when applying for a Passport. Has nothing to do with 9/11 that I recall but they do require the long form now for that. So the older BCs won't work for getting a Passport. That's the only thing that could be close to what they're taking about.

[dwjoe]

There is NO requirement for birth certificates to be issued after 9/11, for any purpose.

 

Puerto Rican birth certificates issued prior to 7/1/2010 are invalid.

 

Since April 2011, if you are getting a passport, the birth certificate must show the parents names, but this is NOT a requirement for cruising.

 

Now if your birth certificate is very old - I personally would get a new one just to get it updated to the latest format to make it easier for the document checker.

Edited July 18, 2014 by dwjoe

[alwayscoldmom]

You didn't say where you are cruising too. The cruise must start and end at the same US port. I know of one lady who was denied boarding in Seward, Alaska because she didn't have a passport. (The cruise ended in Vancouver Canada).

 

 

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