Passport Issues - Beware

[sparks1093]

TravelThom is correct. The EDL from NY is RealID compliant. I just got mine in the mail on Saturday. It looks different from the normal ID and says Enhanced on it and has an American Flag which my Dhs does not. Along with a few other differences. If you get a EDL, you will not need to update your license in the future. If you do not get one, you will have to update it. For me, it was worth the "extra" 30.00 to not have to not have to deal with it or worry about what they are going to do come October if they are still fighting the compliance issues and don't get another extension.

 

After reading this thread I looked at my EDL. It has both the US flag on it and a gold star, indicating REAL ID compliant (although the EDL is compliant without the star).

[CheerMom15]

After reading this thread I looked at my EDL. It has both the US flag on it and a gold star, indicating REAL ID compliant (although the EDL is compliant without the star).

 

Perhaps that is a VT thing? My EDL is RealID compliant and it does not have a gold star on it. But it does have an American flag on it.

[sparks1093]

Perhaps that is a VT thing? My EDL is RealID compliant and it does not have a gold star on it. But it does have an American flag on it.

 

Must be, but the flag is really all one needs.

[Robinhill]

if we are on the Anthem for the 3 day weekend cruise the beginning of March which does not technically go anywhere i think we do not need a passport- is that correct? I mean there are no cruises to nowhere allowed anymore so it does go to Halifax for one hour but you are not allowed to disembark so it is not really a stop.

[Clarea]

if we are on the Anthem for the 3 day weekend cruise the beginning of March which does not technically go anywhere i think we do not need a passport- is that correct? I mean there are no cruises to nowhere allowed anymore so it does go to Halifax for one hour but you are not allowed to disembark so it is not really a stop.

I would bring whatever you would normally bring when you are on a typical closed end US based cruise.

[CheerMom15]

Must be, but the flag is really all one needs.

 

I did look it up cause I thought I might be crazy... Apparently that was a DHS suggestion to the states for how to mark them as compliant but states could make their own way different if they chose to :)

[sparks1093]

I would bring whatever you would normally bring when you are on a typical closed end US based cruise.

 

I would do this also.

[sparks1093]

I did look it up cause I thought I might be crazy... Apparently that was a DHS suggestion to the states for how to mark them as compliant but states could make their own way different if they chose to :)

 

At least having the star on it doesn't make it that much heavier to carry.;):D

[Charles4515]

After reading this thread I looked at my EDL. It has both the US flag on it and a gold star, indicating REAL ID compliant (although the EDL is compliant without the star).

 

 

Just to be clear a drivers license does not have to have a flag or star on it to be Real ID compliant. My license is Real ID compliant but does not have a flag or star. It is also not an EDL. An EDL will be Real ID compliant but a Real ID compliant drivers license does not have to be an EDL.

 

 

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[sparks1093]

Just to be clear a drivers license does not have to have a flag or star on it to be Real ID compliant. My license is Real ID compliant but does not have a flag or star. It is also not an EDL. An EDL will be Real ID compliant but a Real ID compliant drivers license does not have to be an EDL.

 

 

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How does one distinguish a license that is REAL ID compliant from one that is not if it is not marked in some way?

[Charles4515]

How does one distinguish a license that is REAL ID compliant from one that is not if it is not marked in some way?

 

 

The government has a list of compliant states. The license does not have to be marked with a gold star. The gold star is a recommendation but not required. My state Maryland is listed as Real ID compliant. No gold star or flag on my license.

 

http://www.dhs.gov/current-status-states-territories

 

 

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Edited January 4, 2016 by Charles4515

[CheerMom15]

At least having the star on it doesn't make it that much heavier to carry.;):D

 

Ha! True :) Its not as pretty as the old Hawaii licenses either but it will do! lol

[CRUISEFAN0001]

I travel for work all over the country and also to Canada and the Caribbean from time to time. This past summer we also went to Europe.

 

Having a valid/current passport makes ID checking very simple and smooth. I've seen people on domestic flights get bogged down by TSA agents for just using their driver's license - some of them are simply not familiar with all 50 states' variations. In a few cases, they actually called over another agent to take "a second look" and confirm the validity.

 

While it may not be required (yet), having a passport when traveling is a convenient and hassle-free option some folks might want to consider.

 

We both just renewed ours for another 10 years recently quickly (took about 15 working days).

Edited January 4, 2016 by CRUISEFAN0001

[UpcountryTravelers]

Originally Posted by saroede97 View Post

 

Sprague noted that more than 90% of passports that are returned have less than two pages used.

That is sad. The world is a wonderful place to visit.

 

Not really. I have visited 36 countries. Only two stamped my passport.

[CRUISEFAN0001]

Originally Posted by saroede97 View Post

 

Sprague noted that more than 90% of passports that are returned have less than two pages used.

 

 

Not really. I have visited 36 countries. Only two stamped my passport.

Agree. We recently visited Spain, France, and Italy...and only Spain (where we flew into for the cruise port) stamped the passport - once.

[TravelerThom]

Agree. We recently visited Spain, France, and Italy...and only Spain (where we flew into for the cruise port) stamped the passport - once.

Spain, France and Italy are all signatories to the Schengen Agreement, and as such they have eliminated border controls, meaning no passport checks or stamps when traveling within Schengen. If you only got stamped once, I'm sorry to tell you that you SHOULD have gotten an exit stamp when leaving Schengen (for instance boarding a plane in Spain for the US after a closed loop cruise out of Barcelona). If you did not get an exit stamp, Schengen considers that you are still there and have probably by now overstayed your visit limit. When you try to re-enter Schengen, if you get a zealous immigration officer (and ones in Northern Europe are much more zealous than ones in Southern Europe), you may be accused of not only overstaying your visit, but also of having left illegally. I admit that South Europe can be lax about stamping you either in or out, but the German immigration officer will treat "but it's not my fault that I wasn't stamped out" the same way the US IRS would treat "but nobody told me I had to file taxes."

 

Thom

 

PS My passport was issued 12 months ago. 8 pages are already full of stamps from 4 continents. And I have been to 12 countries (mostly Caribbean) that did not stamp my passport. After a couple of years my passport gets so muddled that immigration officers often throw up their hands. But if you only have a few stamps in your passport it is pretty hard to hide. I wish I had some good advice, but really don't know what to advise.

[CRUISEFAN0001]

Spain, France and Italy are all signatories to the Schengen Agreement, and as such they have eliminated border controls, meaning no passport checks or stamps when traveling within Schengen. If you only got stamped once, I'm sorry to tell you that you SHOULD have gotten an exit stamp when leaving Schengen (for instance boarding a plane in Spain for the US after a closed loop cruise out of Barcelona). If you did not get an exit stamp, Schengen considers that you are still there and have probably by now overstayed your visit limit. When you try to re-enter Schengen, if you get a zealous immigration officer (and ones in Northern Europe are much more zealous than ones in Southern Europe), you may be accused of not only overstaying your visit, but also of having left illegally. I admit that South Europe can be lax about stamping you either in or out, but the German immigration officer will treat "but it's not my fault that I wasn't stamped out" the same way the US IRS would treat "but nobody told me I had to file taxes."

 

Thom

 

PS My passport was issued 12 months ago. 8 pages are already full of stamps from 4 continents. And I have been to 12 countries (mostly Caribbean) that did not stamp my passport. After a couple of years my passport gets so muddled that immigration officers often throw up their hands. But if you only have a few stamps in your passport it is pretty hard to hide. I wish I had some good advice, but really don't know what to advise.

Interesting.

 

i meant stamped once as in for Spain only...not the other countries. As you pointed out...and entrance and exit stamp is done for that single place.

 

Just got a brand new passport all clean of stamps as of last month.

 

And as you likely know...you can now get a passport that includes additional pages...just for travelers who anticipate getting a lot of stamps.

Edited January 4, 2016 by CRUISEFAN0001

[ken_nyc]

Well we just received our Passport Cards today in the mail and it reads at the bottom of the letter "The U.S. passport card is not valid for air travel". Why wouldn't they have that on the passport application for the card? I would not of wasted the $60 for both of us ($30 each). So you all know it also reads "Valid only for international land and sea travel between United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda."

Edited January 4, 2016 by ken_nyc

[CRUISEFAN0001]

Well we just received our Passport Cards today in the mail and it reads at the bottom of the letter "The U.S. passport card is not valid for air travel". Why wouldn't they have that on the passport application for the card? I would not of wasted the $60 for both of us ($30 each). So you all know it also reads "Valid only for international land and sea travel between United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda."

That information is clearly posted right on the passport application instructions page (highlighted) showing the differences between the card version and the book:

 

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

[Clarea]

Well we just received our Passport Cards today in the mail and it reads at the bottom of the letter "The U.S. passport card is not valid for air travel". Why wouldn't they have that on the passport application for the card? I would not of wasted the $60 for both of us ($30 each). So you all know it also reads "Valid only for international land and sea travel between United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda."

The passport card is not valid for international air travel. However it is a valid form of ID for domestic US air travel.

[sparks1093]

The government has a list of compliant states. The license does not have to be marked with a gold star. The gold star is a recommendation but not required. My state Maryland is listed as Real ID compliant. No gold star or flag on my license.

 

http://www.dhs.gov/current-status-states-territories

 

 

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Just because your state is compliant does not mean that all of the licenses they issue are REAL ID Act compliant. Vermont will issue both compliant and non-compliant licenses- if you come in to the DMV with the required paperwork (proof of citizenship, residence and identity) then you get a compliant license, if you mail your license renewal in or don't bring all of the required paperwork then you get a non-compliant license.

 

When you enter a Federal building the guard won't be consulting a list of compliant states or non-compliant states, he or she will be looking for the marks that clearly delineate that a license itself (and thus the license holder) is compliant. Same when you present your license to the TSA at the airport. If your license doesn't pass muster you don't get in.

 

Do you happen to have a link to the information that you read that said marking complaint IDs is optional?

[Charles4515]

Interesting.

 

i meant stamped once as in for Spain only...not the other countries. As you pointed out...and entrance and exit stamp is done for that single place.

 

Just got a brand new passport all clean of stamps as of last month.

 

And as you likely know...you can now get a passport that includes additional pages...just for travelers who anticipate getting a lot of stamps.

 

Got me curious. I just counted and there are 21 stamps in my 8 year old passport. Went to a lot more countries thn that. Surprised Turkey which i di twice did not stamp my passport. All the stamped ones have exit stamps except my last trip. An entrance stamp for Fiumicino (Rome) but no exit stamp Fiumicino. So I guess they think I am still in the Schengen countries.

Edited January 4, 2016 by Charles4515

[ken_nyc]

The passport card is not valid for international air travel. However it is a valid form of ID for domestic US air travel.

 

Thank you Bob, you were very helpful as usual!! Just to double check I called TSA and the agent told me that it CAN be used for domestic travel because it does conform to the REAL ID standards. :)

[Charles4515]

Just because your state is compliant does not mean that all of the licenses they issue are REAL ID Act compliant. Vermont will issue both compliant and non-compliant licenses- if you come in to the DMV with the required paperwork (proof of citizenship, residence and identity) then you get a compliant license, if you mail your license renewal in or don't bring all of the required paperwork then you get a non-compliant license.

 

When you enter a Federal building the guard won't be consulting a list of compliant states or non-compliant states, he or she will be looking for the marks that clearly delineate that a license itself (and thus the license holder) is compliant. Same when you present your license to the TSA at the airport. If your license doesn't pass muster you don't get in.

 

Do you happen to have a link to the information that you read that said marking complaint IDs is optional?

 

I said it said the Gold Star was recomended but not required. It may have some other indicator but I don't have a clue to what that would be. I am not going to look up the link again. But all the pages say that drivers licenses from Real ID compliant states are acceptable. It does not say the licenses must have a special mark to be accepted. All the web site pages say to check the list to see if your state is compliant. None say to check if your license has a special mark. Maryland was one of the first compiant states and all Maryland licenses are compliant.

 

http://www.mva.maryland.gov/about-mva/press-releases/2012/122112.htm

 

As for bringing in documents, we did not have to do that. Maryland electronically verified identities. That method was accepted by the government. All Maryland licenses are compliant. Every one of them, and none have a Gold Star.

Edited January 5, 2016 by Charles4515

[Clarea]

Thank you Bob, you were very helpful as usual!! Just to double check I called TSA and the agent told me that it CAN be used for domestic travel because it does conform to the REAL ID standards. :)

I use it all the time now for domestic air travel. I know it's probably my imagination, but the TSA people seem to look at it for a shorter period of time than when they looked at my DL.