Expired Passport

[Torfamm]

13 hours ago, Mike07 said:

 

I looked for guidance from state.gov and didn't really get anywhere. But, I'm pretty sure I read a blurb that you ought to have your passport in order BEFORE booking foreign travel. So really, government running or government shutdown, State is giving valid advice on their site... right now.

 

 

 

From State... emphasis is theirs... not mine.

 

"well in advance"

 

 

"

We encourage all Americans to check their passport expiration date before making any definitive plans for international travel, and to take action to renew their passport well in advance of international travel this year. "

 

 

This is all well and good for people who travel once or twice a year but being without a passport for months with “expedited” processing has made life very challenging for frequent travelers.  It seems absurd in this day and age that people have to go to the trouble and expense of having two passports so that they can have time to renew.

[RedIguana]

On 9/23/2023 at 11:29 AM, Ken the cruiser said:

For those interested. 

 
https://www.us-passport-service-guide.com/countries-that-require-six-months-validity-in-a-passport.html

 

At least one of those countries you have listed, Belize, does not require 6 months post validity for cruise ship passengers. It does if you enter by another means. Often buried in the fine print on a countries passport validity site is an exemption for cruise ship passengers.

[RedIguana]

On 9/23/2023 at 8:54 AM, deliver42 said:

The birth certificate has to have the raised seal.

Most US birth certificates issued in the last 20+ years do not have raised seals. Watermarks have replaced the raised seals.

[RedIguana]

On 9/25/2023 at 7:50 AM, Torfamm said:

 It seems absurd in this day and age that people have to go to the trouble and expense of having two passports so that they can have time to renew.

And most people do not have a qualifying reason for a second passport.

 

 

Examples of cases when we may issue second U.S. passport books include:

• A foreign country will deny a visa or entry to you because your passport has stamps showing travel to certain countries. Example: an Israeli entry or exit stamp in some countries in the Middle East. 
• You need multiple visas on an ongoing basis because of frequent international travel. Example: you work for an international airline or a multinational company
• You need a U.S. passport for urgent international travel but your application for a foreign visa is delayed or cannot be processed in time for your travel. 
• When you need a special validation for travel to a restricted country or area.

 

 

I'm not sure frequent cruiser is a qualifying reason

[Ken the cruiser]

25 minutes ago, RedIguana said:

At least one of those countries you have listed, Belize, does not require 6 months post validity for cruise ship passengers. It does if you enter by another means. Often buried in the fine print on a countries passport validity site is an exemption for cruise ship passengers.

Just curious, what if someone became sick on the ship and was offloaded in Belize to an ambulance that subsequently took them to the hospital. Would they, to include an applicable spouse, run into passport issues if their US passport expiration date was within 6 months? That's where it might get a little iffy. But my opinion is strictly from over here in the peanut gallery, as we have no plans of ever going on a cruise and testing that issue where our passports were even close to expiring within 6 months.

[Torfamm]

37 minutes ago, RedIguana said:

And most people do not have a qualifying reason for a second passport.

 

 

Examples of cases when we may issue second U.S. passport books include:

• A foreign country will deny a visa or entry to you because your passport has stamps showing travel to certain countries. Example: an Israeli entry or exit stamp in some countries in the Middle East. 
• You need multiple visas on an ongoing basis because of frequent international travel. Example: you work for an international airline or a multinational company
• You need a U.S. passport for urgent international travel but your application for a foreign visa is delayed or cannot be processed in time for your travel. 
• When you need a special validation for travel to a restricted country or area.

 

 

I'm not sure frequent cruiser is a qualifying reason

I was talking more about business travelers who cannot stop working for two months while they wait for a passport to be renewed even if it is expedited.

[Mike07]

8 minutes ago, Torfamm said:

I was talking more about business travelers who cannot stop working for two months while they wait for a passport to be renewed even if it is expedited.

 

 

I raised the question once elsewhere considering that some travel weekly or every other week on international travel and somebody with knowledge claimed that companies will get them appointments at the State department offices for same day passport services. IDK the veracity of that though.

 

[Torfamm]

9 minutes ago, Mike07 said:

 

 

I raised the question once elsewhere considering that some travel weekly or every other week on international travel and somebody with knowledge claimed that companies will get them appointments at the State department offices for same day passport services. IDK the veracity of that though.

 

It may be possible to get through to an office and get an appointment, but it's still a huge hassle to have to travel to one. There aren't that many. Having to perhaps book a flight and lose at least a full workday to get to an appointment to renew a passport seems like a huge waste of time and money. I stand by my statement that it seems absurd to me that we can't improve this system.

 

[RedIguana]

16 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Just curious, what if someone became sick on the ship and was offloaded in Belize to an ambulance that subsequently took them to the hospital. Would they, to include an applicable spouse, run into passport issues if their US passport expiration date was within 6 months?

Not an expert, so just an opinion. I don't think there would be any issues within Belize, as I suspect getting a medical waiver if needed would not be a big issue, although it may be a big hassle. Not sure if they would be sticklers and list it as a deportation when leaving. Might be some extra hassle involved if flying out commercial returning to the US (airlines and their six month rule, not sure how they apply that to US citizens returning). From what I understand this is one of the functions of the US Dept. of State, to help solve these issues (hence some extra hassle involved). Personally, I just renewed this year. Sent out my renewal the day after I returned from my last cruise in June, took 8 weeks non-expedited. Like most frequent cruisers/travelers here, I am a big proponent of always having a valid passport when traveling. just removes questions like these from the equation.

[capriccio]

7 minutes ago, RedIguana said:

Might be some extra hassle involved if flying out commercial returning to the US (airlines and their six month rule, not sure how they apply that to US citizens returning).

Since the rule for US citizens re-entering the country is that the passport be valid (i.e., up until the date before it expires), it won't be a problem.

[LRCruzr]

On 9/23/2023 at 8:36 AM, 57eric said:

Reading about the couple who were recently denied boarding for a 15 day Crown Princess Hawaii cruise because the husband's passport was expired, I have this question: Why did they need passports?  As far as I can tell, this met all the requirements for a closed-loop cruise.  According to the CBP "U.S. citizens on closed-loop cruises will be able to enter or depart the country with proof of citizenship, such as an Enhanced Driver's License (EDL), a government-issued birth certificate (issued by the Vital Records Department in the state where he or she was born) or passport, and if 16 or older, a government issued driver's license, picture ID, denoting photo, name, and date of birth".  Unless he didn't have a driver's license either, what was the problem?

Maybe they were NOT US citizens???