Passport needed?

[Grandmom3]

Is a passport necessary for a 10-year-old for the Canaca part of a cruise? Thanks in advance.

[mapleleaves]

Whether you need a passport depends on your citizenship and the rest of your itinerary.

A travel forum isn't the place to rely on such important information.

 

you need to check with your cruiseline. Additional documentation may be required if the parents aren't travelling with the child.

[zqvol]

Is a passport necessary for a 10-year-old for the Canaca part of a cruise? Thanks in advance.

 

 

Is it a round trip Seattle, or do you start or end in Vancouver?

 

If you actually go into Canada you will need a passport.

[mapleleaves]

Is it a round trip Seattle, or do you start or end in Vancouver?

 

If you actually go into Canada you will need a passport.

 

Not true. This is exactly why I always say ' don't rely on a travel forum for this kind of information'.

You need to talk to your cruiseline to find out about their requirements.

And if your itinerary includes land travel into Canada talk to that vendor about their requirements.

 

(For land travel into Canada you need to be aware of the requirements for going INTO Canada, then RE-ENTERING the US.)

 

You can also look at the Homeland Security and Canada Border Services web sites for detailed info.

Edited February 19, 2015 by mapleleaves

[martincath]

+1 to ML.

 

If the ten year old is a US citizen, no passport required - just birth certificate.

 

But if not traveling with parents, signed & notarized letter of permission from both living parents or proof of guardianship and death cert(s) for deceased parents are commonly demanded at border control points and by cruise lines. Exact requirements vary by cruise line, which can and often do exceed the legal minima.

 

But don't believe me or anyone else on here - check cruise line and relevant border control websites (country of citizenship if not US/Canada, plus US and Canada) and if you don't find the requirements listed plainly enough for your own comfort OP, ask a QUALIFIED lawyer what you need for your exact circumstances not a bunch of random internet strangers! Depending on exactly what your deal is you may need immigration and family law advice...

[Ashland]

If you enter into Canada either by cruise ship or by an excursion your grandchild will need a passport.

[xlxo]

Having a passport also allows you to explore a few more key Skagway excursions (eg White Pass train into Fraser or Yukon excursions).

 

If you do stop in Vancouver.... it's a great port to check out as it's bigger than all the Alaskan ports combined.

[martincath]

If you enter into Canada either by cruise ship or by an excursion your grandchild will need a passport.

Nope - even after the 2009 full WHTI implementation, US/Canadian under 16s only need proof of citizenship (original or notarized copy of birth or naturalization cert) regardless of how they arrive.

 

30 seconds on CBP or CBSA websites should be enough to verify this - in fact you'll see that Canada will allow any US citizen of any age in just with proof of citizenship!

 

The reason you need to carry a passport, EDL etc. as an American adult is not because Canada won't let you in - it's that YOUR OWN GOVERNMENT won't let you BACK IN! We're just nice enough to check for what you guys need to be allowed home again so you don't get stuck here and have to live in an igloo eating baby seals and maple syrup for the rest of your life;-)

 

But again don't trust me or anyone else about this kind of thing - research it yourself, and if you aren't confident you understand speak to a qualified professional...

[Ashland]

Nope - even after the 2009 full WHTI implementation, US/Canadian under 16s only need proof of citizenship (original or notarized copy of birth or naturalization cert) regardless of how they arrive.

 

30 seconds on CBP or CBSA websites should be enough to verify this - in fact you'll see that Canada will allow any US citizen of any age in just with proof of citizenship!

 

The reason you need to carry a passport, EDL etc. as an American adult is not because Canada won't let you in - it's that YOUR OWN GOVERNMENT won't let you BACK IN! We're just nice enough to check for what you guys need to be allowed home again so you don't get stuck here and have to live in an igloo eating baby seals and maple syrup for the rest of your life;-)

 

But again don't trust me or anyone else about this kind of thing - research it yourself, and if you aren't confident you understand speak to a qualified professional...

So to take the White Pass train excursion in Skagway a child under 16 won't need a passport ?

 

And my grandson (17 months old) that went on an northbound cruise out of Vancouver-Seward didn't need a passport at all :confused: Interesting.

[martincath]

So to take the White Pass train excursion in Skagway a child under 16 won't need a passport ?

 

And my grandson (17 months old) that went on an northbound cruise out of Vancouver-Seward didn't need a passport at all :confused: Interesting.

Assuming they are American citizens, as far as US & Canadian government requirements go: yup, and yup. Your cruiseline might have a different view though and if it's part of your conditions of carriage to have a passport if you want to go on a tour, your options are either comply or don't take the tour...

[theloo]

Since you are in Virginia, it appears you are talking about a minor US citizen. Check out this page, at a minimum, for US Customs & Border Patrol: https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1139/kw/closed%20loop%20cruise

[Ashland]

Assuming they are American citizens, as far as US & Canadian government requirements go: yup, and yup. Your cruiseline might have a different view though and if it's part of your conditions of carriage to have a passport if you want to go on a tour, your options are either comply or don't take the tour...

Yes...US citizens...our RCI cruiseline had nothing to do with booking a private tour with Chilkoot for the White Pass Train excursion....and then why did our grandson (17 months) need to show a passport when we arrived into Vancouver from our flight to get to our docked ship :confused:

[theloo]

Yes...US citizens...our RCI cruiseline had nothing to do with booking a private tour with Chilkoot for the White Pass Train excursion....and then why did our grandson (17 months) need to show a passport when we arrived into Vancouver from our flight to get to our docked ship :confused:

 

Everyone who FLIES into or out of the United States must have a passport. No passport is needed to enter the US by land, or on a closed-loop cruise.

Edited February 20, 2015 by theloo

[mapleleaves]

Yes...US citizens...our RCI cruiseline had nothing to do with booking a private tour with Chilkoot for the White Pass Train excursion....and then why did our grandson (17 months) need to show a passport when we arrived into Vancouver from our flight to get to our docked ship :confused:

 

you're confused because you've asked about 2 entirely different situations.

Taking a land tour into Canada is subject to different regulations than flying into Canada.

That's why it's important for people to read the Homeland Security site AND Canada Border Services websites. Plus check with your airline, your cruiseship, and any vendors that may cross the border as their rules can be more stringent than the govt.

[martincath]

^What they said! Both the links I gave above cover land/sea and air arrivals to/from the US (Canadian rules are independent of method).

 

To make it completely explicit:

 

a) as an American flying out of, or into, the USA you need a passport (or NEXUS card if you are going to certain Canadian airports) regardless of age;

b) if you drive into Canada or arrive by non-closed-loop ship the minors in your party would only need birth certs, but adults would need a passport, EDL, NEXUS or various other possible documents listed on the site to get back into the USA - so purely as a courtesy, the Canadian border control folks would check to make sure you had them even though they are not necessarily required to get in to Canada;

c) on a closed-loop cruise out of the USA, adults only need proof of citizenship & identity (i.e. a document that proves you are you, and one that proves you are a citizen - a passport does both, but any state driving license does the former so combined with a birth or naturalization certificate you cover both bases).

d) if you choose to enter Canada by some other means while you are using scenario b) or c), the more stringent rules apply instead e.g. on a closed loop cruise you take the White Pass road or rail excursions and now you've changed from c) to b); or while driving through Canada you decide you want to fly back into the USA instead of driving home, so you go from b) to a); or while in Alaska on a closed loop cruise, you hop on a plane home and go from c) to a).

e) any private company can set whatever additional limits they want to over and above the legal minima if their excursion crosses a border.

 

You flew in to Vancouver - situation a). So everyone, even the 17 month old, needed a passport or NEXUS card. As to the White Pass trip - it was probably either a Chilkoot or WPRR policy that everyone, even Minors, needed passports. But since you already HAD passports for everyone because you flew into Vancouver...

[Ashland]

Glad to know we didn't get a passport for our grandson needlessly.

 

Even though it's only good for 5 years....I know that he'll need it again.

 

Thanks for all your information...very helpful.

[donaldsc]

If you enter into Canada either by cruise ship or by an excursion your grandchild will need a passport.

 

Also, a notarized form from the parents authorizing you to take the child outside of the country (yes - they did check it when we disembarked in Vancouver), a notarized form authorizing you to have the child treated if they get sick or have other medical issues, and a copy of their medical insurance card.

 

DON

[Ashland]

Also, a notarized form from the parents authorizing you to take the child outside of the country (yes - they did check it when we disembarked in Vancouver), a notarized form authorizing you to have the child treated if they get sick or have other medical issues, and a copy of their medical insurance card.

 

DON

 

Unless..the parents of your grandchild are traveling with you...as was our case ;)

[bar_20]

Is it a round trip Seattle, or do you start or end in Vancouver?

 

If you actually go into Canada you will need a passport.

 

 

You don't need a passport. You will need a certified copy of his birth certificate. Note: not a photocopy of a certified copy but the actual certified copy. If you have the copy they gave you when he was born that will do otherwise contact the hall of records at the county seat where he was born to obtain a copy. An adult also needs a photo ID such as a driver license not sure about a child. If his school has photo ID's for their students that should suffice.

[laughing husky]

Heck, I needed a passport to take my dogsled, dogs and self into Canada....Yukon Quest......Customs picked it up in Fairbanks, gave it back to me in Dawson....:) the dogs needed one too.....well sorta.....:D

[martincath]

Heck, I needed a passport to take my dogsled, dogs and self into Canada....Yukon Quest......Customs picked it up in Fairbanks, gave it back to me in Dawson....:) the dogs needed one too.....well sorta.....:D

But were the dogs Minors? In Human or Dog Years?? ;)