Another Passport Question.........

[klfhngr]

I'm sending my mom and Step Dad on a cruise in Oct., Pacific Coastal. His passport expires in March, will that be a problem? I'm aware of the SIX month 'rule', but he'll be at the 5 month point before it expires.

[Cruise Raider]

22 minutes ago, klfhngr said:

I'm sending my mom and Step Dad on a cruise in Oct., Pacific Coastal. His passport expires in March, will that be a problem? I'm aware of the SIX month 'rule', but he'll be at the 5 month point before it expires.

It really shouldn’t be a problem assuming it starts and ends in the same US port, what is referred to as a closed looped cruise (not Vancouver to LA).  If he has a certified copy of his birth certificate and a license, he should take it with him along with a government issued ID, such as a driver license.  If not, he should try to obtain one from the county recorders office in which he was born.  

Edited August 17, 2022 by Cruise Raider

[klfhngr]

18 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

It really shouldn’t be a problem assuming it starts and ends in the same US port, what is referred to as a closed looped cruise (not Vancouver to LA).  If he has a certified copy of his birth certificate and a license, he should take it with him along with a government issued ID, such as a driver license.  If not, he should try to obtain one from the county recorders office in which he was born.  

Los Angeles to Los Angeles. He's from another country, but now a US Citizen. I'll see if he has his Naturalization papers. Was just curious if anyone has had any issues with the PP being less that 6 months from expiring.

[Daniel A]

1 hour ago, klfhngr said:

I'm sending my mom and Step Dad on a cruise in Oct., Pacific Coastal. His passport expires in March, will that be a problem? I'm aware of the SIX month 'rule', but he'll be at the 5 month point before it expires.

If the cruise is stopping in Mexico only, I don't think Mexico requires a 6 month expiration.  According to the U.S. State Department, the passport need only to be valid at the time of entry to Mexico.

 

Mexico International Travel Information (state.gov)

 

@Hlitner Can you verify this is correct information?  Thank you.

[klfhngr]

Most stops are in CA., last stop in Mex to meet the Jones Act thingy.

[PacnGoNow]

4 minutes ago, klfhngr said:

Most stops are in CA., last stop in Mex to meet the Jones Act thingy.

That foreign stop in Mexico was an important piece of information.

 

If it is only Mexico, then he is fine.  Mexico requires your passport to be valid at the time of your visit.

 

 

[PacnGoNow]

21 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

If the cruise is stopping in Mexico only, I don't think Mexico requires a 6 month expiration.  According to the U.S. State Department, the passport need only to be valid at the time of entry to Mexico.

 

Mexico International Travel Information (state.gov)

 

@Hlitner Can you verify this is correct information?  Thank you.

You are correct.  

[klfhngr]

Just now, PacnGoNow said:

That foreign stop in Mexico was an important piece of information.

 

If it is only Mexico, then he is fine.  Mexico requires your passport to be valid at the time of your visit.

 

 

It's valid, but expires in 5 months, as opposed to the 6 months, after he arrives back in the USA.

[PacnGoNow]

1 hour ago, klfhngr said:

I'm sending my mom and Step Dad on a cruise in Oct., Pacific Coastal. His passport expires in March, will that be a problem? I'm aware of the SIX month 'rule', but he'll be at the 5 month point before it expires.

Would be helpful in the future to give more information, it could have been a stop in Canada and that would have been different.  

 

1 hour ago, klfhngr said:

I'm sending my mom and Step Dad on a cruise in Oct., Pacific Coastal. His passport expires in March, will that be a problem? I'm aware of the SIX month 'rule', but he'll be at the 5 month point before it expires.

 

[blizzard44ca]

1 hour ago, klfhngr said:

Los Angeles to Los Angeles. He's from another country, but now a US Citizen. I'll see if he has his Naturalization papers. Was just curious if anyone has had any issues with the PP being less that 6 months from expiring.

What country is his passport issued by? That is critical information.  If it is US or Canadian - no problem.  Other countries may require greater than 6 months remaining by US or Mexico.

 

Check the government websites (US & Mexico) for accurate info and don’t depend on people here to give you accurate information.

[klfhngr]

18 minutes ago, blizzard44ca said:

What country is his passport issued by? That is critical information.  If it is US or Canadian - no problem.  Other countries may require greater than 6 months remaining by US or Mexico.

 

Check the government websites (US & Mexico) for accurate info and don’t depend on people here to give you accurate information.

USA

[cr8tiv1]

54 minutes ago, klfhngr said:

Most stops are in CA., last stop in Mex to meet the Jones Act thingy.

 

It is the Passenger Vessels Passenger Act (PVSA) not the Jones Act (for cargo).  No one has suggested renewing his passport.  That would be the best advice.  If you don't want the expense, then get a passport card.  

 

If not, he will need his naturalized. paper work along with his certified birth certificate.  Does he also have an enhanced driver's license?  

[1965]

3 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

  No one has suggested renewing his passport.  That would be the best advice.  If you don't want the expense, then get a passport card.  

 

 

My thoughts also. 

[klfhngr]

Thanks 1965 and cr8. No to enhanced DL. I'll make those suggestions. I'm hoping he has his naturalization papers, that was going to be my suggestion.

[SiliconCruiser]

4 hours ago, klfhngr said:

Los Angeles to Los Angeles. He's from another country, but now a US Citizen. I'll see if he has his Naturalization papers. Was just curious if anyone has had any issues with the PP being less that 6 months from expiring.

We did a San Francisco-Alaska closed loop in the middle of July and our passports expired in the first week of August. 

This may be another case of Princess contradicting themselves where they will require a passport to board, yet they also list a number of closed loop cruises as not requiring a passport at https://www.princess.com/cruise-tips-vacation-ideas/cruise-destinations/cruise-tips-advice-and-information/cruises-that-dont-require-a-passport.html .

I think I missed the part about your stepfather being a naturalized citizen.  But his valid passport will be fine.

Edited August 17, 2022 by SiliconCruiser

[PacnGoNow]

14 minutes ago, SiliconCruiser said:

We did a San Francisco-Alaska closed loop in the middle of July and our passports expired in the first week of August. 

This may be another case of Princess contradicting themselves where they will require a passport to board, yet they also list a number of closed loop cruises as not requiring a passport at https://www.princess.com/cruise-tips-vacation-ideas/cruise-destinations/cruise-tips-advice-and-information/cruises-that-dont-require-a-passport.html .

I think I missed the part about your stepfather being a naturalized citizen.  But his valid passport will be fine.

Exactly.  Op said step dad is a US citizen holding a valid US passport at the time of travel.  No need to renew it for this trip.

 

That’s clear in the PCL website also.

Princess always recommends you use your valid PP in case you get stuck or sick in a foreign country, you will need it to fly home.

 

Anyway, OP has her answer.  As always, I suggest you double check any info given with the Government website.

 

 

 

[prmssk]

1 hour ago, klfhngr said:

Thanks 1965 and cr8. No to enhanced DL. I'll make those suggestions. I'm hoping he has his naturalization papers, that was going to be my suggestion.

Naturalization papers cannot be used in place of a passport so I'm not sure it is worth having him dig them out.  The birth certificate alternative to a passport for certain closed loop US cruises only applies to US born citizens.

[Daniel A]

2 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

It is the Passenger Vessels Passenger Act (PVSA) not the Jones Act (for cargo).  No one has suggested renewing his passport.  That would be the best advice. 

@klfhngr  DO NOT RENEW THE PASSPORT NOW!!  When you renew your passport, you need to mail in your current valid passport as part of the renewal process.  Because of staffing issues at the State Department, it may take as many as three to four months for the new passport to arrive and during that time you will not have any passport at all!  Just have your step-dad bring along his current passport and he should be fine.

 

I posted the U.S> State Department's web page for Mexico in my previous post.  The best advice is to go to an official site for confirmation, not Cruise Critic.  This is why I gave you the government web page link.  Here it is again:

 

Mexico International Travel Information (state.gov)

 

Again, it is too close to sailing to get a new passport in time.  During normal times, the passport wouldn't come until the middle of October at the soonest and more likely it wouldn't come until November or December now.  Here is the link for the U.S. State Department describing passport processing times:

 

Processing Times for U.S. Passports (state.gov)

 

I hope they enjoy their cruise.  

[klfhngr]

47 minutes ago, prmssk said:

Naturalization papers cannot be used in place of a passport so I'm not sure it is worth having him dig them out.  The birth certificate alternative to a passport for certain closed loop US cruises only applies to US born citizens.

That's odd, Carnival allows naturalization.

[klfhngr]

23 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

@klfhngr  DO NOT RENEW THE PASSPORT NOW!!  When you renew your passport, you need to mail in your current valid passport as part of the renewal process.  Because of staffing issues at the State Department, it may take as many as three to four months for the new passport to arrive and during that time you will not have any passport at all!  Just have your step-dad bring along his current passport and he should be fine.

 

I posted the U.S> State Department's web page for Mexico in my previous post.  The best advice is to go to an official site for confirmation, not Cruise Critic.  This is why I gave you the government web page link.  Here it is again:

 

Mexico International Travel Information (state.gov)

 

Again, it is too close to sailing to get a new passport in time.  During normal times, the passport wouldn't come until the middle of October at the soonest and more likely it wouldn't come until November or December now.  Here is the link for the U.S. State Department describing passport processing times:

 

Processing Times for U.S. Passports (state.gov)

 

I hope they enjoy their cruise.  

Thank you!

[wen_c82]

Hi

 

I was on Majestic Princess from Jan 21- Feb 5 , 2022 Mx Riviera Cruises w passport exp 6/19/2022 without any issues. 
 

passport with 5 months to expiration  is still valid for flying back to US.  

[prmssk]

36 minutes ago, klfhngr said:

That's odd, Carnival allows naturalization.

Interesting.  I see Carnival's website does indeed mention you can use naturalization papers.  Princess's website only mentions an original certified US birth certificate as an alternative.

[capriccio]

The 6 month validity requirement is not that of the US State Department.  A US citizen's passport is valid until the expiration date for re-entry into the US.  Six (or any other amount) month's validity is a requirement of the country visited. 

 

See this video - 

by the State Department posted upon their website:  https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/have-passport/renew.html

 

For specific country requirements see https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages.html.

 

For Mexico the entry reads:

 

PASSPORT VALIDITY:

Passport must be valid at time of entry

 

[PacnGoNow]

2 minutes ago, capriccio said:

The 6 month validity requirement is not that of the US State Department.  A US citizen's passport is valid until the expiration date for re-entry into the US.  Six (or any other amount) month's validity is a requirement of the country visited. 

 

See this video - 

by the State Department posted upon their website:  https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/have-passport/renew.html

 

For specific country requirements see https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages.html.

 

For Mexico the entry reads:

 

PASSPORT VALIDITY:

Passport must be valid at time of entry

 

Yes and the OP has been told that the Step dad is fine.  He has a valid US passport and it is valid for entry plus he has another 5 mos on it. No problem.

 

[polmcs]

5 hours ago, Daniel A said:

@klfhngr  DO NOT RENEW THE PASSPORT NOW!!  When you renew your passport, you need to mail in your current valid passport as part of the renewal process.  Because of staffing issues at the State Department, it may take as many as three to four months for the new passport to arrive and during that time you will not have any passport at all!  Just have your step-dad bring along his current passport and he should be fine.

 

I posted the U.S> State Department's web page for Mexico in my previous post.  The best advice is to go to an official site for confirmation, not Cruise Critic.  This is why I gave you the government web page link.  Here it is again:

 

Mexico International Travel Information (state.gov)

 

Again, it is too close to sailing to get a new passport in time.  During normal times, the passport wouldn't come until the middle of October at the soonest and more likely it wouldn't come until November or December now.  Here is the link for the U.S. State Department describing passport processing times:

 

Processing Times for U.S. Passports (state.gov)

 

I hope they enjoy their cruise.  

I applied for my first US passport in June (had to go to a post office in person as it was my first US passport) and I had my passport in hand within 5 weeks, OK, I paid for the expedited service and priority shipping, so that helped a little. A renewal should be quicker.