EDL & GEC ARE NOT VALID for International Travel

[TylerRose]

We have just returned from a family reunion cruise that was nearly destroyed by an embarkation fiasco.

2 cruisers left passports behind, and 2 were sure their Enhanced Driver's Licence (EDL) & Global Entry Cards (GEC) would be sufficient identification.

Please do not judge... but read this posting as a reminder and advice to not make our mistakes.

 

You MUST have a passport or a birth certificate and government-issued photo ID for embarkation on any cruise ship that will leave the United States. This includes closed-loop cruises beginning & ending in the same port.

EDL & GEC ARE NOT VALID for International Travel.

We were separated from our "carded" family & seated off to the left side of the ships terminal… (I shall call it from here on: “the wall of shame”)

We then participated in a time sensitive attempt to obtain a copy of birth certificates to be emailed to the person in charge.

A photo sent of a passport or passport cards are not acceptable- their photos can be altered?

 

Next, the emailed documents must print out. The print out must read clearly- only then can the copy of the birth certificate be considered for acceptance or denial.

 

We were fortunate to have a family member able to get to our home, obtain birth certificates, & get them sent off.

Another in our group hired a lawyer to obtain his documents. (I have no idea what he could have done had it been on the weekend or a holiday.)

 

We were attempting to board a Carnival Cruise Ship sailing out of Orlando where their Internet was very poor. Limited internet access added to the stress of emails…

2 more hours passed before the files were repeatedly printed & finally accepted.

 

We sat on “the wall of shame" from 10:45- 3:58!

My husband pacing frantically- making phone calls… sending email after email… checking for updates at the securities desk.

We were the very last to board.

We carried all our own luggage on board…& on to lifeboat drill currently in progress.

 

Thankfully... it was smoother sailing from there...

[Krazy Kruizers]

Oh My -- I feel so bad that this happened to you. And you were so close to not being able to take your cruise.

Glad you got everything straightened out.

Hope others read this -- and hope you post it on the Carnival Board -- as well as the "ASK a cruise question" board.

Did you enjoy your cruise?

[DeeniEncinitas]

OMGOSH😨After all said and done I hope your cruise was enjoyable.

Thank you for posting and it is a huge reminder for all of us to

Never forget our passports. It can happen to anyone.

Denise:)

[drowelf]

OMGOSHAfter all said and done I hope your cruise was enjoyable.

Thank you for posting and it is a huge reminder for all of us to

Never forget our passports. It can happen to anyone.

Denise:)

 

And to add to that point. Always have copies of your passport available too. If your passport is ever lost or stolen, having a copy of the main page will make getting a replacement much easier. I took both mine and the DW passport to the local Office Depot and made multiple (color) copies of the info pages. Some I reduced down to credit card size. Once I returned home I put hers and mine back to back and laminate them. The CC Sized ones go into our wallets and the others are carried in our cruise documents. Now both of us are carrying copies of our passport info at all times. We also carry extra passport photos, just in case.

 

Now while thats not sufficient for Country Entry/Exit, it insures we have the info, if needed. It actually came in handy once in Argentina. At the official Money Exchange they wanted my passport info. We had not carried our passports out with us, but the copies worked just fine.

 

Also, if your going to cruise, get a passport, its worth the money and they are good for 10 years.

[thinfool]

EDL's are valid for closed loop cruises, however, licenses that are RealID compliant are not.

 

Very few states offer EDL's.

 

The OP leaves out a lot of details that would make it easier to understand what exactly was happening.

[TylerRose]

EDL's are valid for closed loop cruises, however, licenses that are RealID compliant are not.

 

Very few states offer EDL's.

 

The OP leaves out a lot of details that would make it easier to understand what exactly was happening.

 

 

We were boarding a 3 day cruise from Port Canaveral (Orlando) with a single port stop in Nassau, Bahamas aboard the Carnival Liberty. Family members residing within the state of Florida were sure their EDL & GEC would be fully accepted & they were not.

I was forced to depart Texas a day early due to an ice storm and forgot our passports at home after departing abruptly.

 

I have shared this information of our dilemma only as an assistance to others. I am hoping I won't (once again) come to regret sharing my experience on CC.

[ger_77]

Oh my gosh, I just realized that I was holding my breath while reading your story! I'm so glad it worked out for you - and just in the nick of time, too. We're leaving Friday morning at the "crack of dark", so I'm going to put our passports in my travel purse right now - that way there's no chance we'll be having to deal with the things you did.

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

[chengkp75]

As I posted on your other thread about this, Florida does not issue EDL's. Florida issues "Real ID" compliant licenses.

[richwmn]

As of 2017, an Enhanced Drivers License is available to U.S. citizens resident in the states of Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, and Washington. As of 2013, an Enhanced Driver's Licence was available to Canadian citizens resident in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec.

[cccole]

I have a travel folder that includes birth certificates with raised stamps, pass ports with 2 copies, and copies of drivers' licenses and credit cards. I try to cover all bases in case something is lost or forgotten. And, this folder is kept in our evacuation bag that can be grabbed on the way out of the house in case we need it. I think what is and is not needed for travel has become confusing to a lot of us so it is better to have everything that could be needed. So happy that OP had smooth sailing after suffering the "wall of shame." Cherie

[iancal]

It is a complete mystery to us why anyone would assume that a passport is ot required for international travel.

 

EDL's, military ID,s, Nexus cards are meaningless when it comes to international travel. Not at all certain why someone would assume otherwise.

[TylerRose]

I took time to write this post on CC to warn others- based on OUR experience. There were many seated beside us with similar issues holding up their boarding- and if my posting helps even one person... it served its purpose.

But I wish I had not bothered and could remove my posts! It is not worth the condemnation.:mad:

[Stratheden]

It is a complete mystery to us why anyone would assume that a passport is ot required for international travel.

 

EDL's, military ID,s, Nexus cards are meaningless when it comes to international travel. Not at all certain why someone would assume otherwise.

 

I totally agree. I cannot understand the no passport travel from the US.

 

I am really sorry that the OP had such a horrendous experience.

[chengkp75]

It is a complete mystery to us why anyone would assume that a passport is ot required for international travel.

 

EDL's, military ID,s, Nexus cards are meaningless when it comes to international travel. Not at all certain why someone would assume otherwise.

 

Actually, EDL's are not meaningless when it comes to certain types of international travel. For a closed loop cruise out of the US, or a land border crossing from the US to Canada or Mexico, it is the only document required.

[cccole]

I took time to write this post on CC to warn others- based on OUR experience. There were many seated beside us with similar issues holding up their boarding- and if my posting helps even one person... it served its purpose.

But I wish I had not bothered and could remove my posts! It is not worth the condemnation.:mad:

\

 

I, for one, was happy to see your thread because it reminded me to make sure all our documents are in order. As I previously said, what documentation is needed to travel via air, ship, train, or car is a bit confusing. I know I have friends who think their GEC is good for everything. Not so. Thank you for your thread and reminding travelers to have the proper identification for their type of travel. Cherie

[Stratheden]

I took time to write this post on CC to warn others- based on OUR experience. There were many seated beside us with similar issues holding up their boarding- and if my posting helps even one person... it served its purpose.

But I wish I had not bothered and could remove my posts! It is not worth the condemnation.:mad:

 

Please don't take what has been said as condemnation. I think many are as confused as you were. Those that pointed out the various technicalities of the documents were only pointing out some incorrect assumptions that many people may have. 😊

 

My post was merely to say that I don't understand how any country allows travellers to cruise to another country without a passport.

[cccole]

It is a complete mystery to us why anyone would assume that a passport is ot required for international travel.

 

EDL's, military ID,s, Nexus cards are meaningless when it comes to international travel. Not at all certain why someone would assume otherwise.

 

But they do. And it is because the type of identification needed for different types of travel can be contradictory and confusing. I am in the camp of "why not have a passport" but a passport has not always been needed for certain types of travel and things have changed. What you say are meaningless I.D.s are not meaningless to those who have them and have been under the impression that these i.d.s cover them for international travel. CC fortunately provides helpful information for ALL of us. JMO Cherie

[richwmn]

It is a complete mystery to us why anyone would assume that a passport is ot required for international travel.

 

EDL's, military ID,s, Nexus cards are meaningless when it comes to international travel. Not at all certain why someone would assume otherwise.

 

I totally agree. I cannot understand the no passport travel from the US.

 

I am really sorry that the OP had such a horrendous experience.

 

Since the relevant agencies have decreed that one may take closed loop cruises using a birth certificate and a proof of identity, the documents listed have meaning in international travel.

 

 

Many people are on their first cruise and think that they are never going to do it again, so why bother with a passport when they don't have to. For myself, I had taken 9 cruises before I realized I was hooked and got my passport. Around the Caribbean it didn't matter that much.

 

 

It has been a lot easier with a passport and I will be renewing it next year, but I understand why many people wish to cruise without one.

 

To the OP, I am also glad you started this thread to remind people to check their documents. Don't let a couple of the people posting get you down.

[OVgirl]

I took time to write this post on CC to warn others- based on OUR experience. There were many seated beside us with similar issues holding up their boarding- and if my posting helps even one person... it served its purpose.

But I wish I had not bothered and could remove my posts! It is not worth the condemnation.:mad:

 

Thanks for posting your experience here. It's a very good reminder how easy it is to forget something when we travel.

I'll make sure to have my 'list' ready and check everything off as I put it in my travel purse.

[Rmt1948]

OP, I thank you for reminding everyone why we need to be certain to have everything in order before leaving for a trip. We have a portfolio with our cruise documents and I will be sure to add our passports to the file.

 

Maury

[iancal]

Closed loop assumes nothing will happen to you, no interruptions that require a change in how or when one returns home.

 

Everywhere we travel our passports are scanned into the same unit plus many countries take a digital photo and either thumb prints or finger prints.

 

Sad commentary on the state of the world. Sorry that this happened to however it is highly preventable by doing just a small amount of research.

[elchichicuilote]

Here's the information from the United States department of Customs and Border Protection:

 

https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/western-hemisphere-travel-initiative

 

I snipped just a bit below. Read the link for all the context.

 

What types of documents are accepted for entry into the United States via land and sea?

• U.S. citizens can present a valid: U.S. Passport; Passport Card; Enhanced Driver’s License; Trusted Traveler Program card (NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST); U.S. Military identification card when traveling on official orders; U.S. Merchant Mariner document when traveling in conjunction with official maritime business; or Form I-872 American Indian Card, or (when available) Enhanced Tribal Card.
  
• U.S. citizens on closed-loop cruises (cruises that begin and end at the same U.S. port) are able to enter the United States with a birth certificate and government-issued photo ID. Please be aware that you may still be required to present a passport to enter the countries your cruise ship is visiting. Check with your cruise line to ensure you have the appropriate documents.
  

Note that the passport card or enhanced driver's license is OK even for cruises that aren't closed-loop. The requirements for closed-loop cruises are even less stringent, requiring only a birth certificate and government issued photo id.

Also note that individual cruise line may have more strict requirements than the US government have, so yes, a passport might be required by the cruise line even if it's not required by the US government. So check with the cruise line in advance.

An enhanced drivers license is not available in Florida, so I assume there was some confusion about the difference between an enhanced driver's license and a real-id compliant driver's license. An enhanced driver's license is processed by the US Department of State, and held to the same standards as a US Passport card. If you're going to pay the Department of State fee and submit the documentation for the EDL, you might as well get a passport book while you're at it.

 

And finally, as everyone knows, a passport is the only document that works for international air travel, so if you have to return home due to an emergency, you'll need that passport. It's probably a lot more convenient to get it in advance than to find an embassy or consulate and get one while you're abroad and in some sort of emergency situation.

 

I strongly recommend a passport as the simplest way to travel internationally. But there are other ways for US citizens to meet the requirements for Caribbean cruise travel.

Edited January 24, 2018 by elchichicuilote
Added paragraph on enhanced drivers license

[RMLincoln]

Wow, OP I'm sorry this happened to you and very glad you were able to resolve it. Leaving Texas in an ice storm, ahead of your plans, must have been very stressful. And then to discover you didn't have your passports... I think I would have given up and just stayed in a Ft Lauderdale hotel for a few nights. It's a lot to go through for a 3 or 4 night cruise!

As for those of your group who believed they had EDLs while they really had RealID licenses, well it's all horribly confusing. My state just started RealID licenses and I didn't realize they are different form EDLs. So I learned something important. Thank you.

Back in around 1981 I tried to fly to Nassau with a birth certificate and was told it wasn't a certified BC and told to stand aside while those with "proper documents" were boarded onto the plane. I remember the feelings well... I was allowed to board eventually, it was different world then. And for my first cruise, also to Nassau, with my parents at age 16, that same birth certificate worked just fine.

Now there are so many different forms of government ID.... well I'm glad you posted this to give us all an important reminder, and thank you to all those who provided information to help explain the rules. m--

And, oh, by the way, it's not always easy to get a passport - my mother was an orphan, adopted by an Irish immigrant, but mom had no birth certificate and it took years for her to get a passport, and when she did finally get one she never let it lapse, it was very precious to her.

[iancal]

We travel internationally several times a year.

 

Before leaving our home and turning the key in the lock we physically check to make certain that we have our passports, visas if required, credit cards, and iPads.

 

Then we turn the key and get into the car or cab. It has become habit for us.

[alwaysfrantic]

Along the lines of the person who carries copies of passports.....I email the color copies of the pages to myself so a copy could be printed anywhere in the world.