Real ID vs passport

[Blondilu]

A recent thread was discussing nightmares about cruising.  I mentioned that I had a nightmare after a cruise.  In my dream we had gotten to the port which is 3 hours away and I discovered I had forgotten my passport.  I didn't have my birth certificate either.

 

I started thinking about that crazy dream.  This morning I remembered that in the dream I was arguing with the woman at check-in that I had a California Real ID driver's license and that should suffice.  We went back and forth but she finally went away and asked someone and then let me on the ship.

 

But now I'm curious, is that true?  Would a Real ID work in place of a regular driver's license and a birth certificate?  In the dream we were doing a round trip out of San Francisco to Mexico.  Closed loop, right?  I tried to look it up and couldn't really find anything specific to cruising.  The thing is when I got the Real ID I had to show them all kinds of ID including my passport.

 

Again, just curious.  I doubt if I would ever forget my passport.  I'm the one who makes everyone "show me your passport" be we leave.

[njhorseman]

9 minutes ago, Blondilu said:

A recent thread was discussing nightmares about cruising.  I mentioned that I had a nightmare after a cruise.  In my dream we had gotten to the port which is 3 hours away and I discovered I had forgotten my passport.  I didn't have my birth certificate either.

 

I started thinking about that crazy dream.  This morning I remembered that in the dream I was arguing with the woman at check-in that I had a California Real ID driver's license and that should suffice.  We went back and forth but she finally went away and asked someone and then let me on the ship.

 

But now I'm curious, is that true?  Would a Real ID work in place of a regular driver's license and a birth certificate?  In the dream we were doing a round trip out of San Francisco to Mexico.  Closed loop, right?  I tried to look it up and couldn't really find anything specific to cruising.  The thing is when I got the Real ID I had to show them all kinds of ID including my passport.

 

Again, just curious.  I doubt if I would ever forget my passport.  I'm the one who makes everyone "show me your passport" be we leave.

No, REAL ID by itself is insufficient. You would still need proof you were a US citizen, such as an official birth certificate. 

 REAL ID drivers licenses do not confirm your citizenship. They confirm you are a legal resident and that you are who you say you are.

 

There's a lot of confusion of REAL ID licenses with Enhanced Drivers Licenses. EDLs are issued by only 5 US states as well as several Canadian provinces. The EDL does confirm your citizenship and is sufficient for a closed loop cruise.

Edited July 31, 2019 by njhorseman

[Blondilu]

5 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

No, REAL ID by itself is insufficient. You would still need proof you were a US citizen, such as an official birth certificate. 

 REAL ID drivers licenses do not confirm your citizenship. They confirm you are a legal resident and that you are who you say you are.

 

There's a lot of confusion of REAL ID licenses with Enhanced Drivers Licenses. EDLs are issued by only 5 US states as well as several Canadian provinces. The EDL does confirm your citizenship and is sufficient for a closed loop cruise.

Thank you.  That seems clear.  Silly dream.

[sparks1093]

I can't remember which forum it was on, probably CCL's, but the poster recounted the story of how his uncle showed up at the port with just his REAL ID and was flabbergasted that it wasn't sufficient for boarding. His boarding was denied until someone at home faxed his birth certificate to the port. A REAL ID compliant ID has a gold star on it, an EDL has both a US flag and a gold star on it (unless it's issued in Canada and then I suppose it has the Canadian flag).

[Ferry_Watcher]

If you were traveling from Pier 91 in Seattle that REAL ID would not be accepted (the Enhanced DL from WA, VT, NY, MI, MN would be).  You would have to work with a Pier 91 supervisor and have a copy of your birth certificate emailed/faxed.  Happens weekly at Pier 91.

[wwcruisers]

10 hours ago, njhorseman said:

No, REAL ID by itself is insufficient. You would still need proof you were a US citizen, such as an official birth certificate. 

 REAL ID drivers licenses do not confirm your citizenship. They confirm you are a legal resident and that you are who you say you are.

 

There's a lot of confusion of REAL ID licenses with Enhanced Drivers Licenses. EDLs are issued by only 5 US states as well as several Canadian provinces. The EDL does confirm your citizenship and is sufficient for a closed loop cruise.

 

Thank you! The best way I know to explain it is that the Enhanced Drivers' License is pretty much the same thing as a Passport-Card, under the Western Hemisphere Treaty Initiative. But, even here in Washington State, lots of folks opted not to go to the extra hassle and expense of getting an EDL. Now, they are faced with the additional hassle of having to get either a 'Real ID', OR an EDL, when the law changes.

[SimplyMarvie]

The EDL is probably sufficient to travel, but I'd be wary of relying on your EDL and not carrying your birth certificate. The EDL is not a State Department issued proof of citizenship, so if you get stuck overseas and only have an EDL you'd still need some sort of proof of citizenship in order to get an emergency passport to get home. That could mean waiting until someone overnights your birth certificate to you, in an extreme case. (Whereas if you lose a passport card or a passport the State Department can check their own records to verify that you've been issued a passport before, which can help confirm that you're a citizen in order to get an emergency passport.)

[cruiseryyc]

The easiest way to get around the worry if your driving license (or other ID) will be enough is to just get a passport!  I do not understand the push back from people about getting a passport - best ID you can have for travelling.

[sparks1093]

17 minutes ago, cruiseryyc said:

The easiest way to get around the worry if your driving license (or other ID) will be enough is to just get a passport!  I do not understand the push back from people about getting a passport - best ID you can have for travelling.

No dispute that it's the best ID for traveling but some people just don't need it for the travel they can do. I don't need to worry about whether or not my drivers license is enough because I know that it is. 

[wwcruisers]

1 hour ago, SimplyMarvie said:

The EDL is probably sufficient to travel, but I'd be wary of relying on your EDL and not carrying your birth certificate. The EDL is not a State Department issued proof of citizenship, so if you get stuck overseas and only have an EDL you'd still need some sort of proof of citizenship in order to get an emergency passport to get home.

 

Actually, the EDL (at least here in WA) IS proof of citizenship. It's not just the expense, involved in getting an EDL (as opposed to a 'regular' Washington drivers' license.) You have to prove that you are a US citizen. That's how folks routinely travel back and forth from Canada, using only that. You can cross any Western Hemisphere Treaty Initiative country's border using only an EDL, so long as it is a land or sea crossing. Just like the Passport Card, it will NOT get you on an airplane flight across any border.

 

The problem with trying to use an EDL for cruising would be that nobody -- outside of our immediate area (Canadian/Washington border) -- seems to know what it is, or how it works. Faced with the choice of traveling with a down-loaded copy of the WHTI (and trying to explain how it works) -- or just bringing your passport on a cruise -- I'd opt for the passport. Also, you'd need to consider the possibility that you might need to fly home, in an emergency. Without a regular passport, that can get very tricky!

[sparks1093]

22 minutes ago, wwcruisers said:

 

Actually, the EDL (at least here in WA) IS proof of citizenship. It's not just the expense, involved in getting an EDL (as opposed to a 'regular' Washington drivers' license.) You have to prove that you are a US citizen. That's how folks routinely travel back and forth from Canada, using only that. You can cross any Western Hemisphere Treaty Initiative country's border using only an EDL, so long as it is a land or sea crossing. Just like the Passport Card, it will NOT get you on an airplane flight across any border.

 

The problem with trying to use an EDL for cruising would be that nobody -- outside of our immediate area (Canadian/Washington border) -- seems to know what it is, or how it works. Faced with the choice of traveling with a down-loaded copy of the WHTI (and trying to explain how it works) -- or just bringing your passport on a cruise -- I'd opt for the passport. Also, you'd need to consider the possibility that you might need to fly home, in an emergency. Without a regular passport, that can get very tricky!

The security officer at the Manhattan terminal recognized my EDL from Vermont at a glance (the US flag makes it recognizable). The cruise personnel are trained to be able to recognize these things.

Edited August 1, 2019 by sparks1093

[wwcruisers]

29 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

The security officer at the Manhattan terminal recognized my EDL from Vermont at a glance (the US flag makes it recognizable). The cruise personnel are trained to be able to recognize these things.

 

Thanks -- that's encouraging to hear.

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, wwcruisers said:

 

Actually, the EDL (at least here in WA) IS proof of citizenship

The EDL is  proof of citizenship regardless of which state or Canadian province issued it.

[SimplyMarvie]

11 hours ago, wwcruisers said:

 

Actually, the EDL (at least here in WA) IS proof of citizenship. It's not just the expense, involved in getting an EDL (as opposed to a 'regular' Washington drivers' license.) You have to prove that you are a US citizen. That's how folks routinely travel back and forth from Canada, using only that. You can cross any Western Hemisphere Treaty Initiative country's border using only an EDL, so long as it is a land or sea crossing. Just like the Passport Card, it will NOT get you on an airplane flight across any border.

 

The problem with trying to use an EDL for cruising would be that nobody -- outside of our immediate area (Canadian/Washington border) -- seems to know what it is, or how it works. Faced with the choice of traveling with a down-loaded copy of the WHTI (and trying to explain how it works) -- or just bringing your passport on a cruise -- I'd opt for the passport. Also, you'd need to consider the possibility that you might need to fly home, in an emergency. Without a regular passport, that can get very tricky!

 

Right, but if you are stuck overseas is the Consular Officer at the Embassy or Consulate going to be able to recognize and accept it as a proof of citizenship without a birth certificate in order to replace a lost passport? If you have a passport or a passport card those records are in their systems and it's much, much easier to get your emergency passport and be on your way.

[sparks1093]

6 hours ago, SimplyMarvie said:

 

Right, but if you are stuck overseas is the Consular Officer at the Embassy or Consulate going to be able to recognize and accept it as a proof of citizenship without a birth certificate in order to replace a lost passport? If you have a passport or a passport card those records are in their systems and it's much, much easier to get your emergency passport and be on your way.

There is no reason that they wouldn't be able to recognize it, it is recognized by the US government as proof of citizenship which is one thing that you need to provide when you are trying to get an emergency passport. Being in their system is irrelevant, they still need something that shows proof of citizenship. A copy of your passport suffices. If that does (and it does according to their website) I fail to see why an EDL wouldn't be accepted.

[Robinsoncruiseso]

On 8/1/2019 at 10:00 AM, sparks1093 said:

The security officer at the Manhattan terminal recognized my EDL from Vermont at a glance (the US flag makes it recognizable). The cruise personnel are trained to be able to recognize these things.

One short cruise, my dh and I only brought EDL (WA) and our NEXUS card. Not sure why we did not bring passport. Anyway, in Los Angeles, they would not accept either and said I needed passport. Well obviously, they were incorrect. I sent off an email to their superiors when I got home and they replied back and told me to carry a copy of their response stating EDL was compliant as well as the actual policy.  This was only a couple years ago, so not all agents know the acceptable documents. Now I bring my passport, NEXUS, EDL, boaters card, and Costco card 

just to be safe. 

[sparks1093]

7 hours ago, Robinsoncruiseso said:

One short cruise, my dh and I only brought EDL (WA) and our NEXUS card. Not sure why we did not bring passport. Anyway, in Los Angeles, they would not accept either and said I needed passport. Well obviously, they were incorrect. I sent off an email to their superiors when I got home and they replied back and told me to carry a copy of their response stating EDL was compliant as well as the actual policy.  This was only a couple years ago, so not all agents know the acceptable documents. Now I bring my passport, NEXUS, EDL, boaters card, and Costco card 

just to be safe. 

How did you board? Did you ask to speak to a supervisor? I know that the front line employees may not be aware of every acceptable document but I would expect the supervisors to know.

[evandbob]

11 hours ago, Robinsoncruiseso said:

One short cruise, my dh and I only brought EDL (WA) and our NEXUS card. Not sure why we did not bring passport. Anyway, in Los Angeles, they would not accept either and said I needed passport. Well obviously, they were incorrect. I sent off an email to their superiors when I got home and they replied back and told me to carry a copy of their response stating EDL was compliant as well as the actual policy.  This was only a couple years ago, so not all agents know the acceptable documents. Now I bring my passport, NEXUS, EDL, boaters card, and Costco card 

just to be safe. 

You can always use your Costco card to keep the A/C on in your cabin if their is a card power switch in your room!

[Robinsoncruiseso]

On 8/3/2019 at 5:50 AM, sparks1093 said:

How did you board? Did you ask to speak to a supervisor? I know that the front line employees may not be aware of every acceptable document but I would expect the supervisors to know.

My fault, I was not too clear. It was the immigration officers at the port who would no accept our documentation. You would thing they would know. It was in Los Angeles and I know they do not have EDL or NEXUS in California, but they do have SENTRIES, which is the southern boarders equivalent, so they. Should be aware of such entry documents.

[sparks1093]

4 hours ago, Robinsoncruiseso said:

My fault, I was not too clear. It was the immigration officers at the port who would no accept our documentation. You would thing they would know. It was in Los Angeles and I know they do not have EDL or NEXUS in California, but they do have SENTRIES, which is the southern boarders equivalent, so they. Should be aware of such entry documents.

Very weird indeed because you normally don't see a government official until after the cruise and even then it's a CBP officer. They should definitely be the ones to know what is acceptable, though.

[hallux]

On 7/31/2019 at 3:53 PM, sparks1093 said:

EDL has both a US flag and a gold star on it

Maybe your Vermont one does, my NY-issued EDL has a "banner" at the top that says "Enhanced" and the US flag in the lower right corner, no gold star...

[idraconis]

Just a thought, check your cruise lines FAQ web site. On CCLs web site they have a list of all acceptable documents needed for travel.  BTW make sure you have those doc are with you when checking in, and not in your luggage you just check. But that's a different thread. Cheers.

[chipmaster]

RealID etc. etc, in the end if you leave the country and need to re-enter why is there any discussion about not bringing and having your Passport, it is the only universally accepted document when traveling?

[calliopecruiser]

On 7/31/2019 at 2:02 PM, Blondilu said:

In my dream we had gotten to the port which is 3 hours away and I discovered I had forgotten my passport.  I didn't have my birth certificate either.

That happened to someone I met on the cruise, though she discovered it in the hotel the night before the cruise -- she had to call home, help someone get into her apartment, and send her passport to her via overnight courier.

 

Another benefit of arriving at the port city the day before your cruise.

[RocketMan275]

As of October 1, 2020, every air traveler 18 or older will need a Real ID-compliant driver's license or another accepted form of ID to fly within the United States.  A passport will suffice.