6 month passport requirement??

[newdinndo]

We sail on March 22 on Beyond, my spouses passport expires in September…we are US Citizens, sailing from FLL and back to FLL. We just read that passports must be valid for 6 months after sailing, is this true? Will my spouse not be able to board the cruise?

[Alakegirl]

Do you have an original birth certificate (not photocopy.) that plus a US driving license will be sufficient

[markeb]

What are your ports of call? Do any of them require 6 months? That’s really the only question. You can reenter the US (essentially) on the day your passport expires as a US citizen. There are a handful of port stops that will require a 6 month expiration. Most of them will also require a passport so the birth certificate and ID won’t work.

 

Edited: Celebrity and their lawyers like to imply “must” when the actual guidance is “recommended “. 

Edited March 12 by markeb

[newdinndo]

Ports are Antigua, Barbados, St Kitts, St Marten and St Lucia

[Charles4515]

2 minutes ago, newdinndo said:

Ports are Antigua, Barbados, St Kitts, St Marten and St Lucia

Your spouse does not need 6 months after for that itinerary. Only a valid passport.  

[1Virgo]

check with each country/island requirements.    A passport can be expedited. 

[Alakegirl]

Closed loop Caribbean so birth cert and Driving License are sufficient to cruise

[Liao]

43 minutes ago, newdinndo said:

We sail on March 22 on Beyond, my spouses passport expires in September…we are US Citizens, sailing from FLL and back to FLL. We just read that passports must be valid for 6 months after sailing, is this true? Will my spouse not be able to board the cruise?

It's only March, just go and get it renewed now, there is plenty of time.

[markeb]

Just now, Liao said:

It's only March, just go and get it renewed now, there is plenty of time.

 

They sail in 11 days...

[Liao]

Just now, markeb said:

 

They sail in 11 days...

LOL, my bad 🧐I read it as November, they both have a r.

[Jim_Iain]

Like other would suggest you check with each country.   

 

I assume if the cruise qualifies as a Closed Loop you don't officially need a passport except if you for some reason had to leave the ship and fly home in which case the 6 month doesn't apply.    Just make sure all your ports are open for closed loop. 

[Jim_Iain]

1 minute ago, Liao said:

LOL, my bad 🧐I read it as November, they both have a r.

LOL-- I thought you were being humorous...  Like you have all the time in the world.

[Liao]

3 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

LOL-- I thought you were being humorous...  Like you have all the time in the world.

Time to listen to my opthamologist and cataract be gone!

[markeb]

28 minutes ago, newdinndo said:

Ports are Antigua, Barbados, St Kitts, St Marten and St Lucia

 

Those are all Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) nations and you're on a closed loop cruise. I'd normally tell you to go to travel.state.gov and look up the requirements, but Antigua and St. Kitts would just confuse you (and me). The information from the State Department is for air travel and private sea travel, with caveats for cruises. Antigua and St. Kitts WOULD require six months if you weren't arriving by cruise ship. But you can cruise to them with a birth certificate and a valid state or federal ID. For Antigua, you need 6 months on your passport to get a visa, but a US citizen arriving and departing the same day on a cruise ship doesn't require a visa and they go silent at that point on passports. Didn't look at St. Kitts. There's no time issue for Barbados, St. Marten, or St. Lucia even if arriving by air.

 

Not an immigration lawyer and haven't done this myself. There are people (including on this thread) who have. Look at the US state department sites for the countries your visiting and the sites for the countries themselves. There's usually a separate, and frequently unobvious, section for arriving by cruise ship. I'm pretty sure you're fine. If you're really concerned and have a certified copy of her birth certificate, take it as well. Belts and suspenders kind of thing.

 

 

[abbydancer2003]

I'd also recommend her renewing it ASAP after the cruise.  

DH's expires in January.  In 2 weeks we head to Singapore for B2B2B, and get home May 6.  On May 7, he's renewing.  I was away with my sister February and one of his assignments was to prepare the application.

[newdinndo]

Thank you all for the wealth of information. We really appreciate it.

 

We will also bring the original BC and DL so we are covered on all ends. 
 

And yes, he will be renewing as soon as we arrive home.

Thank you all, again!

[abbydancer2003]

6 hours ago, newdinndo said:

Thank you all for the wealth of information. We really appreciate it.

 

We will also bring the original BC and DL so we are covered on all ends. 
 

And yes, he will be renewing as soon as we arrive home.

Thank you all, again!

Have a great trip!

[Itchy&Scratchy]

14 hours ago, abbydancer2003 said:

I'd also recommend her renewing it ASAP after the cruise.  

why hurry? You don't even know if she has another cruise or international travel planned any time soon.

[abbydancer2003]

15 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

why hurry? You don't even know if she has another cruise or international travel planned any time soon.

No, but you never know if a great offer comes up, and you can't go.  Or processing times will go back up.  I guess my personal thinking is that when the passport gets to 6 months, it's a good idea to renew.  

Edited March 12 by abbydancer2003

[Itchy&Scratchy]

4 minutes ago, abbydancer2003 said:

No, but you never know if a great offer comes up, and you can't go.  Or processing times will go back up.  I guess my personal thinking is that when the passport gets to 6 months, it's a good idea to renew.  

oh. We don't have that "problem". 🙂 We can only go during school breaks which we know of well ahead.

[Charles4515]

23 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

why hurry? You don't even know if she has another cruise or international travel planned any time soon.

When a passport gets less than a year is a good time to renew. They should renew when they get back. Also one never knows when an opportunity comes up or when the passport office backs up again. 

Edited March 12 by Charles4515

[youngm02]

Apparently, I may have the same issue. We leave March 23rd and just got the 6 month warning for my son's passport (age 11) as I was checking us in. It expires in about 5 months. Does anyone know if this would be a problem? I can bring his birth certificate as well but he clearly has no license! We go to San Juan, St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Domican Republic. TIA!

Also completely separate but do you have to adhere to the embarkation time they give you if you are a suite guest? They are telling us 2pm but I don't remember ever having to "wait" for a set time when booked in a suite? Thx

[Itchy&Scratchy]

23 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

When a passport gets less than a year is a good time to renew.

it took 2 weeks without expediting in December 2023. It took 8 weeks in August 2023.

I think I'll wait a bit and not lose a year of passport validity.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

1 minute ago, youngm02 said:

It expires in about 5 months. Does anyone know if this would be a problem? I can bring his birth certificate as well but he clearly has no license! We go to San Juan, St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Domican Republic. TIA!

will NOT be a problem.

[Charles4515]

Just now, youngm02 said:

We go to San Juan, St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Domican Republic.

You don't need 6 months with that itinerary. Also a DL or other government issued photo ID is not needed for an 11 year old.