Passport must be good for six months

[SaltwaterTwo]

I received my final statement from our TA for a Ryndam cruise in April.

In the middle of the statement the TA sent it states "Valid U.S. passport required for this trip. Passport must be valid at least 6 months beyond return travel date"

I told her we do not know why our current passports which do not expire until August of this year would not be valid through our return date which is 22 April. We intend to renew but not at this time.

She claims that this is a U.S. Gov. requirement. I am not so sure. Is this something required by HAL?

Has anyone else received this statement in their documents?

I understand that there is no requirement for a passport for sea departures and arrivals from Mexico until next year but is required for land and air transport.

[herb]

the rule that the passport must still be valid 6 months after re-entry into the US has been in effect for many years... it's not HAL's law; it's a US law

[Melys321]

This is a new requirement from the US Government that actually went into effect today. I've seen it on just about every news cast so far today.

 

Happy sailing!

[Druke I]

Some foreign governments require 6 months remaining on passport - in the event that someone gets sick there and has to remain "in country".

 

I don't believe the US Government has anything to do with that requirement, but the posters ahead of me don't agree.

[CDRMark]

"Some countries require that your U.S. passport be valid at least 6 months or longer beyond the dates of your trip. If your passport expires before the required validity, you will have to apply for a new one. Please check with the Embassy or nearest Consulate of the country that you plan to visit for their requirements."

 

http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/brochures/brochures_1229.html

Your cruise most likely includes an applicable country.

Chers

Mark

[whogo]

I think your travel agent is wrong. The Ryndam cruise only goes to Mexico. You don't even need a passport for Mexican or US authorities for ship travel between the countries. If you were flying to Mexico, it would now be a different matter.

 

The US does not require your US passport to be valid for 6 months after arrival back in the US. Some countries have the 6 month requirement. Other countries do not.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Not a new policy.

 

Since we cruised so much the last few years, we made certain that we renewed our passports (sometimes nearly 9 months before their expiration date) just to make certain that there wouldn't be any problems.

[whogo]

The HAL website makes no mention of a six month requirement. http://*****.com/qrzxn "For U.S. and Canadian citizens whose travel will terminate on or before January 1, 2008, and who are not entering or re-entering the U.S. by air, the following documents are permitted for Alaska, Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii or New England cruises: EITHER

1. A valid passport

OR

2. A U.S. or Canadian government-issued picture identification; plus an original or certified copy of a birth certificate from the state or province of your birth or a U.S. or Canadian Naturalization Certificate."

 

I think that Saltwatertwo's travel agent is confused or being overly cautious.

[sail7seas]

I think OP's TA is correct. Many countries require passports be valid for 6 months past the planned end of travel in their country. We renewed our passports in 2006 and did so about 6-7 months prior to their expiration. We had future travel planned and had to fit in a time period when we had enough time to be without them. I would never have let them get close to actual expiration date.

If you were to become ill and unable to travel while in a foreign country, you have to be sure you have an adequate cushion of time to allow smooth travel.

[Sunshine91]

Saltwater - Your TA may telling all clients about the new rules across the board - for all travel. It certainly can't hurt for him or her to have all bases covered.

Suppose you had to leave the ship & fly home from Mexico - you'd need a passport to return to the US, not just the photo ID & birth cert. Some countries require that your passport be valid for 6 mos. beyond your entry date.

Since your cruise isn't until Apr 22, right now you have time to renew. Just my opinion, but if it were me, I'd do it now. You just never know when you might need to have it. :)

[CDRMark]

What is the down side?

Get a new passport. You need one anyway.

Cheers

Have a great cruise

Mark

[wander]

My comments do not apply to Mexico, but the 6 month issue.

 

In the past two years I have personally had to apply for 9 Visas. (This does not include ones I got on board ships.) Anyhow, almost all, if not all, of the countries had a Passport must be valid for six months after travel requirement in order to get the Visa.

[Aussie Gal]

Every country that we have ever visited and we have now been to 56 countries at last count, insists on a Passport being valid for at least 6 months. If not, you need to get a new one before you travel. It is a simple as that and if you live in our country, Passports are good for 10 years so the cost is neither here nor there.

 

Jennie

[Chivalrygirl]

Every country that we have ever visited and we have now been to 56 countries at last count, insists on a Passport being valid for at least 6 months. If not, you need to get a new one before you travel. It is a simple as that and if you live in our country, Passports are good for 10 years so the cost is neither here nor there.

 

Jennie

 

Jennie we don't need our passports to be over six months to visit your country :) Do you remember when we could come and go betwen both countries with no passport? Those were the days.

However, you might check out what the current situation is in Aussie now, our new passports now cost double what they did and are only for five years, they have a chip inserted in them, they are flimsy and really ghastly. My neighbour just showed me hers as she was signing my application off for a new one as mine expires in June, I thought I may as well renew it now before my trip over to Sydney in March.

[Silverwing]

We live in England and have British passports. We have visited the US many times in recent years and have always been told that the US regulations required us to have over six months left on our passports. That reminds me I must get my husband's renewed soon ready for our Alaska cruise in July!

[whogo]

This is all alarmist nonsense. A passport is not required of US citizens for sea travel between Mexico and the United States. It may become a requirement in 2008 if it is not delayed yet again.

 

A phone call from the OP to her travel agent should easily clarify that the 6 month notice was either sent in error or that the travel agent does not what she is talking about. The OP may wish to consider whether the travel agent is capable of doing her job when new travel opportunities arise.

[GeriatricNurse]

I think your travel agent is wrong. The Ryndam cruise only goes to Mexico. You don't even need a passport for Mexican or US authorities for ship travel between the countries. If you were flying to Mexico, it would now be a different matter.

 

The US does not require your US passport to be valid for 6 months after arrival back in the US. Some countries have the 6 month requirement. Other countries do not.

 

 

Canada is one country that has the six month requirement.

[GeriatricNurse]

Not a new policy.

 

Since we cruised so much the last few years, we made certain that we renewed our passports (sometimes nearly 9 months before their expiration date) just to make certain that there wouldn't be any problems.

 

 

DW & I have done the same thing.

[GeriatricNurse]

What is the down side?

Get a new passport. You need one anyway.

Cheers

Have a great cruise

Mark

 

 

That is the fact. Well stated Mark.

[bishop84]

I believe the TA and cruise line are acting responsibly in the best interests of the OP. Whilst US citizens will not require a passport to enter the USA from a cruise until 2008, problems would occur if, for any reason, you have to fly back and you do need a passport or other US government ID and a birth certificate. Also bear in mind its a lot quicker going through the CBP immigration inspection is a lot quicker with a passport!

 

As for the 6 month rule I have found that is a standard requirement on my travels around the world. I know CBP require this for foreigners entering the US so maybe they are just adopting this standard for US citizens?

[whogo]

SaltwaterTwo received a notice from her travel agent saying "Valid U.S. passport required for this trip. Passport must be valid at least 6 months beyond return travel date" for a trip from San Diego to Mexico and back. She should not have received this notice. It is not true. A US citizen does need a passport to travel between the US and Mexico by sea. Mexican authorities do not require it. US authorities do not require it. HAL does not require it.

 

I recommend taking a passport. SaltwaterTwo's US passport expires three or four months after her cruise. SaltwaterTwo is quite safe waiting until after the cruise to renew her passport.

 

The government doesn't publicize the fact that it will allow US citizens back into the country without proper documents. From http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2225.html#12

"Q. What happens to U.S. citizens who attempt to re-enter the country without a passport or an alternative travel card? Under the law, the new documentation requirements may be waived under certain circumstances. These exceptions include individual cases of unforeseen emergency and individual cases based on “humanitarian or national interest reasons.” In addition, the State Department has processes to assist U.S. citizens overseas to obtain emergency travel documentation for those with lost or stolen passports.

For the general public, people who apply for entry but do not have appropriate documentation will be referred for secondary screening at the port. In secondary, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers will evaluate any evidence of citizenship or identity the individual may have and will verify all information against available databases. However, to prevent delay at the ports of entry, we would encourage all U.S. citizens to obtain the appropriate documents before they travel."

 

 

 

 

 

[kakalina]

Why on earth would anyone want to go through the trouble and expense of using emergency facilities and procedures when common sense dictates that just renewing ones passport would save all that trouble.

 

The OP's TA was not wrong, she was smart. Just because there is still one year before the requirement goes into effect for air travel it seems to me it would behoove those who travel out of the country to be prepared. We have known for quite some time that the requirements for travel would change.

 

I am pleased that my country is doing everything within its power to help limit and prevent terrorist activity here. I am more than willing to do my part and if that means taking a little time and getting my papers in order so be it.

 

Getting or renewing a passport is a simple procedure. There should be no reason not to just bite the bullet and go do it. Why wait? You can get them just about everywhere. The US Post Office, the print shops, etc.

[whogo]

The OP's TA was not wrong, she was smart. Just because there is still one year before the requirement goes into effect for air travel it seems to me it would behoove those who travel out of the country to be prepared.

So you think travel agents should lie to their customers instead of just giving them accurate facts? There is no six month requirement even after the new rules take effect. Should the OP be concerned that she will be routed through Albania, which has the six month rule, because of some emergency when traveling between the US and Mexico? The OP is taking a US passport that is valid for 3 or 4 months after her planned return. If there is an emergency that keeps SaltwaterTwo in Mexico that long, she will have much bigger worries than her passport.

[Navy_Chief]

Yes the passport has to be valid for 6 months IF your going to any other location than the one your going on. Right now, taking a cruise ship to Mexico and coming back, you can do with a driver's license and a Certified copy of your birth certificate. That won't be the case come July of 2008. With that said, the cruise my wife and I first did to the Western Caribbean in 2003 (and the rules applied to cruise ships have not changed), her passport did NOT have 6 months left on it and nobody batted an eyelash over it. If you think there may be a chance there will be a problem, carry a certified copy of your birth certificate with you as you don't have time to get a renewed passport now with all the backlog. I do agree with CDR Mark, there's no reason to wait until the last minute to get this done.

[Stevesan]

This is all alarmist nonsense. A passport is not required of US citizens for sea travel between Mexico and the United States. It may become a requirement in 2008 if it is not delayed yet again.

 

A phone call from the OP to her travel agent should easily clarify that the 6 month notice was either sent in error or that the travel agent does not what she is talking about. The OP may wish to consider whether the travel agent is capable of doing her job when new travel opportunities arise.

 

Absolutely correct. Of course, if you miss the ship you'll have a long swim or bus ride home because you need a passport to enter via air.