Passport Question

[zwoodcock]

Hello everyone!

 

Although I'm not a first-time cruiser, I do have a question regarding passports: If I go to a passport office (for instance, there's a post office down the street that offers all the necessary services), do I have to send off my identification documents? I've looked at the US Passport info online, and it states that for those applying in person you need to bring the original documents plus photocopies of each. I assumed that implied that we would show them the originals, send off the photocopies, and then get to keep the originals.

 

I'm asking because my wife and I really want to get our passports before our next cruise (1/3/15), but I've heard horror stories about sending off the documentation, and receiving neither the passport nor the birth certificate in time for the cruise.

 

Thanks!

[cb at sea]

You will have to turn in the originals....if you don't HAVE to have the passport, and closed loop cruises don't require them, just take your photo id (DL) and BC! Too easy!

[zwoodcock]

You will have to turn in the originals....if you don't HAVE to have the passport, and closed loop cruises don't require them, just take your photo id (DL) and BC! Too easy!

 

All of our cruises have been closed-loop, so we've taken the BC/DL combo every time. I just keep thinking that the next cruise is gonna be the one where we somehow wind up stuck in another country because of some strange occurrence that caused us to miss the ship, and that having our passports would make me feel better.

 

And then every time I forget to do it until we get so close to the cruise date that I feel uncomfortable with sending off the only other identification we have that would allow us to board the ship!

 

Thank you for the info though. I guess I could call the passport office here and see if they can give me a better idea of the current turnaround time, but we'll probably just do this one last cruise as BC/DL and get our passports next year...

[cruising_family]

Another thought is to get an additional copy of your birth certificate from the state of your birth. I did that when I needed to get another official copy and I actually ordered 2 just in case. If you can get that in a reasonable amt of time, you might feel better sending your original out. I ordered online and received in a week or so.

[Keith1010]

If you are leaving January 3 you are really behind the eight ball on this.

 

If you are doing a closed loop cruise you might want to wait if you only have one original of each birth certificate.

 

If not, ask that your passport be expedited and pay the extra to send the passport via US Postal Express and have it return US Express Postal as well.

 

Keith

[zwoodcock]

The idea of getting additional copies of the BCs would work for me, I got mine within a week. However, my wife is from Texas, and getting the copy she has now took almost a month.

 

Also, I know I'm behind the eight ball... I kept saying I was going to do it, but I was getting nervous about sending off the docs in July. I know how government services run, and it wouldn't have been the first time they lost something of mine, or just took their sweet time getting things done.

 

Plus, for the last couple of months money has been tight. Passports aren't a justifiable purchase ($200ish) in those situations, especially when we pretty much only do closed-loop.

[Thompsolonian]

First, I would get a certified copy of your birth certificate, in the eyes of the law, it counts as an original, only costs a couple of dollars.

 

Second, if you feel you need a passport or passport card, I would expedite the service, it will make it in time if you order it today or tomorrow, especially if you are ordering it in person at passport agency. You can use your newly made certified copy to send in. You can get same day passport photos to use at Walgreens or most passport agencies.

 

It will cost extra, but if you feel that it will bring you peace of mind then you should be fine.

 

Hope that helps!

[sparks1093]

First, I would get a certified copy of your birth certificate, in the eyes of the law, it counts as an original, only costs a couple of dollars.

 

Second, if you feel you need a passport or passport card, I would expedite the service, it will make it in time if you order it today or tomorrow, especially if you are ordering it in person at passport agency. You can use your newly made certified copy to send in. You can get same day passport photos to use at Walgreens or most passport agencies.

 

It will cost extra, but if you feel that it will bring you peace of mind then you should be fine.

 

Hope that helps!

 

What do you consider "certified"? A certified birth certificate is actually what you receive from the government authority that houses your original- you never will get the original because it stays there. If you are referring to getting your birth certificate notarized that only shows that the copy is a true copy of a document that you presented and means nothing. All of that aside, the regulations do not require copies to be certified.

 

OP, I have heard that vitalcheck (or vitalchek) expedites getting birth certificates so it is possible for your wife to obtain another one from Texas to have in case the passports don't make it back in time. (And of course you can just go with the BC/ID route that you've taken before and use extra caution to ensure your misgivings don't come true.)

[txhomeschoolfamily]

We used Vitalchek, the expedited service ($40) and it took less than a week to get certified copies of a birth certificate from another state.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[metoo]

My cousin just got his passport a few weeks ago. Where we live, the County Court Clerk's Office accepts passport applications. His passport came in the mail less than a month after turning in the application.

 

However, a month would still be cutting it close for an early January cruise.

 

Vicki

[Steviewonder1]

A Certified Birth Certificate is one from your state that has all the info on it, can be a photocopy of the original if they have it, and it has a Raised Embossed Seal and is signed in Blue Ink.

[sparks1093]

A Certified Birth Certificate is one from your state that has all the info on it, can be a photocopy of the original if they have it, and it has a Raised Embossed Seal and is signed in Blue Ink.

 

Each state's format is a little different, not all use raised seals (many don't) and the color of the signatures will vary also.

[KJsNana]

Hello everyone!

 

Although I'm not a first-time cruiser, I do have a question regarding passports: If I go to a passport office (for instance, there's a post office down the street that offers all the necessary services), do I have to send off my identification documents? I've looked at the US Passport info online, and it states that for those applying in person you need to bring the original documents plus photocopies of each. I assumed that implied that we would show them the originals, send off the photocopies, and then get to keep the originals.

 

I'm asking because my wife and I really want to get our passports before our next cruise (1/3/15), but I've heard horror stories about sending off the documentation, and receiving neither the passport nor the birth certificate in time for the cruise.

 

Thanks!

 

I had lost mine :mad: so had to reapply. Anyway, it cost me around $250 range to do expedited, overnight shipping, and picture taking there at the post office. I applied on November 10th, agency received on November 11th, and today (November 21st) my passport arrived. I know my BC will come back separate as before. I did happen to bring copies of BC and DL (front and back on separate pages) and all documents filled out...not signed. Not sure if cost is an issue for you, but if not, then expedited and overnight would be the way to go. Hope you have a wonderful cruise in January :D

[kelkel2]

When we applied for our passports we needed the originals. I believe it was around the same time we were getting married so I just had my husband (fiance at the time) go to the county office and get more than one copy of his BC. Since you mentioned this is not an option for you, I would say you have cut it too close. What I would do, is once you are home from your cruise, do it then. That way you will have it for your next one and you don't have to worry about it taking too long and sending in your only copies of your BC.

This was back in 2010, but it took us almost 2 months to get our passports. I don't know if it was the time of the year, being close to the holidays, or what. But we applied in late October. Our cruise was mid January and I remember not getting them until sometime in December. I was starting to get worried.

[Sheaboys]

We just did our on Friday. We went to the post office, had photos taken at CVS. We had our application, birth certificate with raised seal, and a copy front and back of our licenses. The post master filled out the information in Section 2 which is the information from your license, we signed in front of him, he stamped what he needed to, we paid, and he put in the envelope and off it went. He said we should receive our birth certificates about a day after they receive the application.

 

We were told they are at 4 to 6 weeks for turn around time.