Travel documents for child turning 16

[sarmat1]

Just looking for confirmation of something I likely already know.

 

We've been cruising with the kids for the past 7 years.  While my wife and I use passports, we have always just used birth certificates (actually copies) for the kids.  For our upcoming summer 2021 cruise, I just realized our daughter will be 16.  It appears as if age 16 and over requires some form of government photo ID.  So I presume that we now need to get her either a passport or passport card to cruise this summer as a birth certificate by itself won't work?

 

Edit:  Looking at the Carnival site, it seems as if a picture school ID is acceptable.  Any thoughts/experiences on using a school photo ID in terms of cruises and/or airport security?

 

Photo Identification

A non-expired government-issued photo I.D. is required of all guests 16 years of age and older. The following are acceptable:

• Driver's License (a temporary Driver's License with photo is acceptable)
• Driver's Permit
• School/Student I.D. (acceptable for guests 16/17/18 years of age)
• Government-issued identification card including a U.S. Military I.D. with photo (city/state/federal)
• Government-issued Trusted Traveler Program Membership Card (NEXUS/SENTRI/FAST) - for photo identification use only

Edited October 9, 2020 by sarmat1

[klfrodo]

If flying, you'll need a "Real ID" also.

Open up the world to her. Get the passport book.

[sarmat1]

5 minutes ago, klfrodo said:

If flying, you'll need a "Real ID" also.

Open up the world to her. Get the passport book.

 

TSA site seems to indicate no picture ID needed for under 18, so picture requirement seems to be cruise-based.

 

If not for COVID, we would have booked the Legend to Norway next summer.  But not interested in International now until pandemic passes.  So, all in due time . . . 

Edited October 9, 2020 by sarmat1

[Pyxie]

37 minutes ago, klfrodo said:

If flying, you'll need a "Real ID" also.

Open up the world to her. Get the passport book.

 

Real ID was pushed back to October 2021 due to covid.

[sanger727]

I take it she’s not going to be getting a driver’s license at 16???

[Linda the Book Lover]

Thanks for sharing the interesting information about what a minor would needs as ID. My minor granddaughter who cruises with her mom and myself has always had a passport. Her mom had a passport at 7 (military family). In the end it's up to you the parents, but I think, (notice I said think) at 16 she might like the idea of traveling with a passport.

[Purvis1231]

3 hours ago, sarmat1 said:

Just looking for confirmation of something I likely already know.

 

We've been cruising with the kids for the past 7 years.  While my wife and I use passports, we have always just used birth certificates (actually copies) for the kids.  For our upcoming summer 2021 cruise, I just realized our daughter will be 16.  It appears as if age 16 and over requires some form of government photo ID.  So I presume that we now need to get her either a passport or passport card to cruise this summer as a birth certificate by itself won't work?

 

Edit:  Looking at the Carnival site, it seems as if a picture school ID is acceptable.  Any thoughts/experiences on using a school photo ID in terms of cruises and/or airport security?

 

Photo Identification

A non-expired government-issued photo I.D. is required of all guests 16 years of age and older. The following are acceptable:

• Driver's License (a temporary Driver's License with photo is acceptable)
• Driver's Permit
• School/Student I.D. (acceptable for guests 16/17/18 years of age)
• Government-issued identification card including a U.S. Military I.D. with photo (city/state/federal)
• Government-issued Trusted Traveler Program Membership Card (NEXUS/SENTRI/FAST) - for photo identification use only

In my state a non-driving teenager can purchase an official state picture ID. I would go this route rather than a school ID since the country you are visiting my not accept this. Enjoy your cruise.

[Elaine5715]

The school ID must be picture and from public school. It is cruise requirement 

[ninjacat123]

My daughter at the time was 16  and she had a driver's Permit then her license.  I wanted to wait till both my girls were 16 then we got passports because then they don't expire for ten years, unlike children's passports which expire in 5 years.

 

[Elaine5715]

3 hours ago, sarmat1 said:

Just looking for confirmation of something I likely already know.

 

We've been cruising with the kids for the past 7 years.  While my wife and I use passports, we have always just used birth certificates (actually copies) for the kids.  For our upcoming summer 2021 cruise, I just realized our daughter will be 16.  It appears as if age 16 and over requires some form of government photo ID.  So I presume that we now need to get her either a passport or passport card to cruise this summer as a birth certificate by itself won't work?

 

Edit:  Looking at the Carnival site, it seems as if a picture school ID is acceptable.  Any thoughts/experiences on using a school photo ID in terms of cruises and/or airport security?

 

Photo Identification

A non-expired government-issued photo I.D. is required of all guests 16 years of age and older. The following are acceptable:

• Driver's License (a temporary Driver's License with photo is acceptable)
• Driver's Permit
• School/Student I.D. (acceptable for guests 16/17/18 years of age)
• Government-issued identification card including a U.S. Military I.D. with photo (city/state/federal)
• Government-issued Trusted Traveler Program Membership Card (NEXUS/SENTRI/FAST) - for photo identification use only

 

3 hours ago, klfrodo said:

If flying, you'll need a "Real ID" also.

Open up the world to her. Get the passport book.

While is a just a cruise requirement, as a high school student she may have an opportunity for some type of overseas study.  I know since myself and all of my friends, none of us had passports as kids , we never ever considered applying for anything that involved out of country travel. I now wonder if we had had passports, I bet we would have at least applied.

[1025cruise]

It would not occur to me to travel internationally without a passport book for everyone in my party.

[stellarose]

I would not travel anywhere with out a passport. we took the teens on the breeze December 2019. DD was almost 16, DS was almost 18.  both had new passports made November 2019 (realized their old ones had expired )

[Moviela]

What the cruise line accepts and what foreign authorities accept can be very different. If everything goes smoothly, what the ship requires is fine. However, if there is any dust up with authorities, or you need to take a flight, or need embassy assistance,

things will go smoothly if you have a passport. Forget the passport card, it is worthless as a screen door on a submarine. 

 

You need a real ID to enter any government building now, and in 10/21 it will be needed everywhere. A passport is "Real ID." 

[Linda the Book Lover]

5 hours ago, Moviela said:

What the cruise line accepts and what foreign authorities accept can be very different. If everything goes smoothly, what the ship requires is fine. However, if there is any dust up with authorities, or you need to take a flight, or need embassy assistance,

things will go smoothly if you have a passport. Forget the passport card, it is worthless as a screen door on a submarine. 

 

You need a real ID to enter any government building now, and in 10/21 it will be needed everywhere. A passport is "Real ID." 

I agree a passport is the way to go. As another poster mentioned child passports are good for only 5 years but when traveling out of the country with one of my granddaughters, I sure love that she has one. A Military ID card is also on the ok list for entrance into government buildings as well as my trusty Passport. 

[sparks1093]

On 10/9/2020 at 3:33 PM, klfrodo said:

If flying, you'll need a "Real ID" also.

Open up the world to her. Get the passport book.

Most of the world is closed right now so if it were me I'd wait on the passport book (especially since if it is issued at age 15 it is only good for 5 years and when it's time to renew you have to apply in person just as if you are a first time passport holder). 

 

OP, only you can decide what works best for you in your situation. My kids used their learners permits at 16 but as you note Carnival does accept school IDs (which they couldn't do if they weren't accepted by the US and the countries being visited). 

[Luke gs Daddy]

On 10/9/2020 at 6:42 PM, Purvis1231 said:

In my state a non-driving teenager can purchase an official state picture ID. I would go this route rather than a school ID since the country you are visiting my not accept this. Enjoy your cruise.

 

This, 6 bux for the state ID in OH    IO   

We got our son a state ID at 14

[stellarose]

again, these days.. I would not chance not taking a passport.  Its a better "just in case" document to have on hand. 

[ninjacat123]

Yeah, my DDs are not traveling internationally anytime soon, so not a factor for them.  In the seven years we cruised with the DDs using their birth certificates, then after turning 16 using their driver license as well, we never had need for a passport for them.  With the current state of affairs, get a passport for your child if you will be travelling internationally or on a plane. Let's hope we can all get back to international travel soon!

[stellarose]

watch!!!

 

[sparks1093]

1 hour ago, stellarose said:

watch!!!

 

First, I've never noticed a difference between processing time with and without a passport, although in some ports this could be different. I wouldn't spend hundreds of dollars to save a bit of time at the end of the cruise. Second, the things she mentions about birth certificates, while true enough as it is, is irrelevant. CBP runs everyone through a multitude of databases while the cruise is ongoing and that includes checking birth records, so there is no need for the CBP officer clearing you to even worry about it since this has been taken care of for him or her. 

 

As for her second point while it might be a little more complex one can certainly make it home without a passport if one needs to. The regulations do contain provisions for waiving the passport requirement for emergencies and for humanitarian reasons. This is not something that the passenger would do but would be worked out between the cruise line (probably the port agent) and the authorities. Certainly if there is someone back home that one would return in a moment for if something went wrong that is a consideration, and some people will consider it and decide that it's worth the risk.

 

Getting injured on a cruise is also something that could happen but again, there are provisions in the regulations to get passengers home. There will be some delay and it's not as easy as having a passport but the governments involved aren't going to leave people stranded. Again, a judgment call.

 

Finally, I stopped watching when she said without the passports they couldn't have "done this", but without knowing where they were it's hard to say. I have certainly done similar things without a passport. If one has the money having a passport does provide more travel options, but again that's only if one has the money. She said that passports are $110 and are good for 10 years. Nope, not necessarily. With fees and everything else a first time passport is around $150 and while that isn't a huge amount it does add up when traveling with a family. Also, if the holder is below 16 when the passport is issued it's only good for 5 years.

 

For my family it would have cost in the neighborhood of $850 for passports, which was almost half of what the cruise itself cost. We had no plans for future travel other than possibly by closed loop cruise and could not afford to travel anywhere by air (with or without the kids). So after looking at the risks involved we decided that getting passports for a 4 day cruise wasn't worth it. The passport is certainly the king of travel documentation but that doesn't mean that they are for everyone. Everyone should analyze their situation and use the best travel document they can that meets their needs.

 

 

[stellarose]

I was just trying to help.  I am in the passport camp. I have a child with severe food allergies and do not want to get stranded in an hospital in a foreign country. 

[ninjacat123]

Kinda on topic but not, if you ever want to watch a movie about getting your family out of a bad situation in a foreign country, watch "No Escape".  Yikes!

[sparks1093]

1 hour ago, stellarose said:

I was just trying to help.  I am in the passport camp. I have a child with severe food allergies and do not want to get stranded in an hospital in a foreign country. 

Then that means that you've analyzed your risk factors and made the best decision for you and yours. 

[stellarose]

yup and for some families a passport is not the choice.  all good.  🙂

[doctordi]

When my son was 16 and didn't have a driver's license or permit, I was concerned about him clearing security at the ports. I was afraid that a school ID, while fine with Carnival, wouldn't be sufficient at the ports, and that kind of information is really hard to find out on line ahead of time. Some ports check IDs against the name on the ship card closely. Other ports just want to see that you have the ship card. I made sure to carry his passport with me as a photo ID, but I usually presented all the ship cards together, and since he was accompanied by a parent, it was never an issue.