passport expires jan.2012

[cinnamon123]

hello everyone,
we're cruising in nov.2011 to the eastern carib. r/t fll.
my passport expires in jan.2012. do i really need to
re-new before i leave?
thanks,
cinnamon:)

[love to cruz]

Yes, you will need a new passport. We had five months until our passport expired before our last cruise. When we tried to do the computer inputting of our pre-boarding information our passport information would not take. I called Princess and was told the immigration authorities out of the country will not accept a passport with less than six months left on it.

[cinnamon123]

i heard that but wasn't sure.
many thanks,
cinnamon123:)

[CtheW0rld]

at least you found out early enough that you won't have to use the expedited service.

[RalphWiggum]

Isn't this a closed loop cruise? I'd call HAL to confirm if its considered closed loop but a valid passport should suffice for a closed loop cruise as you only need to show proof of citizenship. I can't tell if your cruise qualifies as one though. Is it round trip from Florida?

[CruiserBruce]

Isn't this a closed loop cruise? I'd call HAL to confirm if its considered closed loop but a valid passport should suffice for a closed loop cruise as you only need to show proof of citizenship. I can't tell if your cruise qualifies as one though. Is it round trip from Florida?

Valid thought, but save yourself the grief and get it renewed.

[RalphWiggum]

I agree that if the OP was planning on renewing her passport in January, it might be best to just do so now. However, I just wanted to make sure the OP got a correct response to her question as to whether she needed to renew.

I cruised last summer to Bermuda on a passport with five months left on it.

[scm1848]

With the risiing costs of passports, what really gripes me is that they are now really 9 1/2 year passports, not truly 10!! Plus I always have to get extra pages, which used to be free and now have a charge as well.

[Gunther1]

This got me to thinking..what CAN a passport that expires in less than six months be used for ?

[lorekauf]

With the risiing costs of passports, what really gripes me is that they are now really 9 1/2 year passports, not truly 10!! Plus I always have to get extra pages, which used to be free and now have a charge as well.
Consider yourself lucky. In Canada our passports are only good for 5 years. The price is insignificant in my mind compared to the price of a trip. It is what it is.

[dpump]

Yes, need to renew. My husband just did his, they also have a neat passport 'card' you can also get (the size of a drivers lisc).

[sail7seas]

This got me to thinking..what CAN a passport that expires in less than six months be used for ?


I believe a U.S. citizen can use their U.S. passport to fly home from a foreign country up until the expiration date of the passport. A holder of a foreign passport might have to have six months validity remaining.

If the U.S. passport holder entered a country with six months remaining on their passport and stayed until two days prior to its expiration, I think they could fly back to the U.S.

[kazu]

Consider yourself lucky. In Canada our passports are only good for 5 years. The price is insignificant in my mind compared to the price of a trip. It is what it is.

and if we are cruising they are only good for 4 and 1/2 years since we have to have a passport with more than a 6 month expiry so count yourselves lucky where they last longer. It is what it is. It's a part of a cost of travelling and we are lucky to be doing it:)

[cinnamon123]

hi everyone,
thanks for all the info. a hal rep. told me i have to have to get
it re-newed. yes ralph, this is a round trip from ft.lauderdale.
it just seems so silly if i still have 2 months left on it. don't want
to start off on the wrong foot. just looking forward to a beautiful
cruise on the eurodam doing the eastern carib.
hope all of you enjoy yours!!
cinnamon123:)

[RetiredMustang]

Do not pass Go, do not collect $200, do not place yourself at the mercy of an immigration official, either in the U.S., or in the countries you visit; many do not accept a passport that will expire within 6 months, for various reasons.

Here's a point to ponder: do you want to risk the thousands you have spent for the cruise, the on-board expenses, the shore excursions, etc., because you did not spring for the fee for a new passport? My advice? Save the wear and tear on your nerves, and Just Do It.

Dave

[RalphWiggum]

cinnamon,

For peace of mind, pls by all means renew but the HAL rep was wrong. I got the same misinformation from a NCL rep last year. again, I sailed using a passport with five months left. (I did bring my drivers license and birth certificate just in case I had a problem at the pier).

You are on a closed loop cruise. You could just use a certified birth certificate and a drivers license as you only need proof of citizenship under the closed loop cruise exception. The passport is valid to prove you are a US citizen.

[ironin]

This got me to thinking..what CAN a passport that expires in less than six months be used for ?

Proof of citizenship while driving in the state of Arizona. Don't leave home without it. :D

Aside to scm1848:

Hi Connie! Regards to Len. Life is wonderful here. Hope all is well with you. ;)

[pms4104]

Agree with others here that you ought to renew the passport before your sailing.

But, I think it's a real hoot that the cruiselines seem adamant that the passport be valid for at least 6 months beyond the end of the trip ... whereas, a current driver license and birth certif also are valid for this type of closed loop cruise in lieu of a passport.

[cccole]

hi everyone,
thanks for all the info. a hal rep. told me i have to have to get
it re-newed. yes ralph, this is a round trip from ft.lauderdale.
it just seems so silly if i still have 2 months left on it. don't want
to start off on the wrong foot. just looking forward to a beautiful
cruise on the eurodam doing the eastern carib.
hope all of you enjoy yours!!
cinnamon123:)

It is common now that passports need to be valid for 3-6 months within your travel date. Will you post how long the renewal by mail takes? I hope you have a great cruise. Cherie

[Tamaracboy]

Yes, need to renew. My husband just did his, they also have a neat passport 'card' you can also get (the size of a drivers lisc).

Yes, the card is neat and sufficient for a closed loop in the Caribbean.
BUT, it is no replacement for the Booklet.
The card is ONLY useful for travel by sea in the Caribbean, and land travel to Canada and Mexico.
It is NEVER valid for air travel anywhere.
Just imagine you might need to fly home from your cruise for some unforeseen reason; without the booklet you could not !
So, ALWAYS get the booklet and treat the card as an add-on if you so wish.
(it is cheaper if you get it at the same time as the booklet)

I believe a U.S. citizen can use their U.S. passport to fly home from a foreign country up until the expiration date of the passport. A holder of a foreign passport might have to have six months validity remaining.

If the U.S. passport holder entered a country with six months remaining on their passport and stayed until two days prior to its expiration, I think they could fly back to the U.S.

Been there, done that ! ! ! :eek:

While living in Spain, I was due to travel home on the day before my passport expired.
Thus, I did not bother to renew it at the consulate, which takes 2 - 3 months.
Well there were significant delays on the flight; then when we arrived in MIA hours late, we were held on the plane for a long time due to too many flights being processed through BCI, and we had missed our time slot.
Long story short: it was 11:55 PM when I finally hit the passport check station.
The agent actually looked at his watch, smiled, and handed me back the passport.
WHEW !
Five minutes to spare :eek:
I do NOT advise this scenario for anyone ;)

Also: many countries strongly suggest that you have 6 months validity left on your passport for entry into their countries.
Some even technically require it.
I have found that this is rarely even looked at.
However, since you are filling in the forms on line, the software is probably programmed to enforce this, so there is no getting past the programming.
Even though, most likely, it would actually make no difference when presenting your passport to any foreign border agent.

So just think that your passport is actually valid for 9.5 years as opposed to 10.

r.

[HamburgAvonLady]

DH needs to renew his passport in the next few months. We currently have valid visas for Brazil (good for another 3 years which cost $ 130 each). I know we get his old passport back when the new one is issued. We would like to return to Brazil ---- so I am thinking that
we need to bring both with us ? Would the Brazilian authorities still
allow us to enter the country as the visa will NOT be stamped in the
new book.

[Tamaracboy]

DH needs to renew his passport in the next few months. We currently have valid visas for Brazil (good for another 3 years which cost $ 130 each). I know we get his old passport back when the new one is issued. We would like to return to Brazil ---- so I am thinking that
we need to bring both with us ? Would the Brazilian authorities still
allow us to enter the country as the visa will NOT be stamped in the
new book.

Since the Passport No. and the validity dates will be different from the original Brazilian paper work, I would seriously doubt it.

Brazil has taken the OFFICIAL position that if the U.S. makes them jump through so many hoops to get a visa; then they are more than justified in doing the same.
NOTE: they do NOT do this to EC citizens, so it is definitely "Tit For Tat" ! :mad:
Truly, when you look at their National Debt and ours, they are not without reason, as to just who needs international tourist dollars more.
So, since they are predisposed to giving Americans a rough time, I would prepare for any/all eventualities.

Just imagine how this is going to play out during the Olympics in Rio.
Especially given that the Olympics are virtually single-handedly suported by US television, and the vast majority of ticket sales are to Americans.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

cinnamon123, DH and I are in the same boat as you :D Both of our passports expire in January and we cruise to Hawaii in October so my project for next month is to get the pictures and paperwork done to send in to renew ours.

Beside the money and the new picture what else do we need to send in for the renewal?

[cccole]

cinnamon123, DH and I are in the same boat as you :D Both of our passports expire in January and we cruise to Hawaii in October so my project for next month is to get the pictures and paperwork done to send in to renew ours.

Beside the money and the new picture what else do we need to send in for the renewal?

I'm sure you already know this but...you can request the return of your old passport with your new one. Sometimes the stamps from various countries and ports are memorable. Cherie

[aussiedisneyfan]

Whe you get annoyed by "losing" the six months off your passport, just think how much that really costs. Ten years at $110 equates to $11 per year or a "whopping" $5.50 for that missing six months. Our Aussie ones cost us $200 for ten years and we always have to have the six months on it as we have family overseas we may have to rush to in an emergency.

[SF49erfan]

Thanks for the information. Our passports expire in April 2012. We are cruising over Thanksgiving and then again Chrismas/New Year. We better get a move on then!

[BumperII]

This thing had me wondering, because we did the online checkin for our 14 day collectors cruise on the Ryndam out of Tampa on November 20. The HAL online check in accepted our passports that expire in April of 2012. That is inside the six month limit.

IIRC, we have to send in the old passports to get new ones, so we really do need to get that matter addressed PDQ.

[cherylandtk]

For cruises that fall under the WHTI Round trip exception, and for which you could instead take a BC and DL, you do not have to have a six month validity remaining. The online check-in systems will accept your passport expiration date.

For cruises that are one-way, or which leave the Western Hemisphere and do not fall under the round trip exception, the system will expect a 6 month validity.

[lorekauf]

Whe you get annoyed by "losing" the six months off your passport, just think how much that really costs. Ten years at $110 equates to $11 per year or a "whopping" $5.50 for that missing six months. Our Aussie ones cost us $200 for ten years and we always have to have the six months on it as we have family overseas we may have to rush to in an emergency.
I'm always amazed when people complain about that. Thanks for painting a clearer picture then I did in my post. It's such an insignificant amount.

[Tamaracboy]

For cruises that fall under the WHTI Round trip exception, and for which you could instead take a BC and DL, you do not have to have a six month validity remaining. The online check-in systems will accept your passport expiration date.

For cruises that are one-way, or which leave the Western Hemisphere and do not fall under the round trip exception, the system will expect a 6 month validity.

Highlight added

There is no such possibility any more !
For 2 years now there are NO foreign trips of any sort (WHTI or not) where anyone can use just a Birth Certificate and/or Drivers License.
Those days are long gone.
A Passport is now required, with a few & limited circumstances where the Passport Card would be sufficient, but the application requirements are the same for the card.

[HamburgAvonLady]

cinnamon123, DH and I are in the same boat as you :D Both of our passports expire in January and we cruise to Hawaii in October so my project for next month is to get the pictures and paperwork done to send in to renew ours.

Beside the money and the new picture what else do we need to send in for the renewal?

Your current passport.

[NMLady]

This got me to thinking..what CAN a passport that expires in less than six months be used for ?

LAND travel into Canada and/or Mexico.

[chrispb]

Seems rip-off Britain isn't soo bad then. I had to renew mine with around 1 1/2 years left on it as there was insufficient blank pages but at least they add the amount that's unexpired onto the new one so mine was then valid for almost 12 years.

[sail7seas]

cinnamon123, DH and I are in the same boat as you :D Both of our passports expire in January and we cruise to Hawaii in October so my project for next month is to get the pictures and paperwork done to send in to renew ours.

Beside the money and the new picture what else do we need to send in for the renewal?


You need to send current passport, two current photos, completed and signed application form and payment. It's a very easy procedure.

[scdreamer]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gunther1 http://boards.cruisecritic.com/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=29392411#post29392411)
This got me to thinking..what CAN a passport that expires in less than six months be used for ?

LAND travel into Canada and/or Mexico.

That's not completely true. I just returned from a trip to the Yucatan - flew in and back from the USA - with my passport having less than six months left before expiration. I had been traveling outside the USA a few months earlier and knew I wouldn't have a guaranteed receipt of a new passport in the few weeks between trips, so I researched my situation before I decided to wait until I got back from my last trip to renew.

According to Mexican immigration, it is not required that a passport have a minimum period before expiration unless the time one will be applying to be in Mexico exceeds the period of time until expiration.

There is a caveat to this - apparently any airline could have the right to disallow travel into Mexico (or any other country) on a passport with less than 6 months left if they wish to do so. This is because if the country of entry refuses the passenger entry, the airline will have to transport them back to the country of origin and then try to collect the fare.

I entered all my passport info, including expiration date, with the airline website (US Airways) at the time I booked the flight, and there was no problem. There was also nothing in their website "small print" that referred to passport expiration / six months.

I had absolutely no problems - in fact at check-in at the US airport on my way out to Mexico the agent smiled and commented on how many stamps I had in my passport and said something about it looking like I'd have to get a new one in a few months.

I am not suggesting that anyone go out of their way to avoid renewing until the last minute, but if one is traveling to Mexico by air and has a few months left, it should not be a problem.

BTW, I have applied for my passport renewal and am now awaiting its arrival. I always hate to be without a passport - I have no trips planned for the immediate future, but you just never know when that unexpected opportunity might arise!

[scdreamer]

You need to send current passport, two current photos, completed and signed application form and payment. It's a very easy procedure.


Actually, to renew, you need send only one photo, not two, in addition to your old passport, the renewal form and payment

[RalphWiggum]

Highlight added

There is no such possibility any more !
For 2 years now there are NO foreign trips of any sort (WHTI or not) where anyone can use just a Birth Certificate and/or Drivers License.
Those days are long gone.
A Passport is now required, with a few & limited circumstances where the Passport Card would be sufficient, but the application requirements are the same for the card.

The closed loop exception is still in place. I don't know how to add links but pls check the HAL site that discusses documentation requirements. HAL discusses the closed loop exception and also has a link to the state dept page that discusses the WHTI. If you click on the link for "Exceptions and Special Circumstances", a pop up for special groups appears and one such group is for those on closed loop cruises.

I concede I might be wrong, but if I am, then so is the State Dept website. However, it would nice if someone who disagrees can actually point to source material.

[sail7seas]

Actually, to renew, you need send only one photo, not two, in addition to your old passport, the renewal form and payment


Did that change with the newest passport rules?
Seems to me we had to send two photos for all our renewals.

[kgbeast]

I had a passport expire when I lived overseas one time. I simply went to the Embassy in Roma and got a new one in about 15 minutes. And this was post 9/11.

[CaveDiving]

Highlight added

There is no such possibility any more !
For 2 years now there are NO foreign trips of any sort (WHTI or not) where anyone can use just a Birth Certificate and/or Drivers License.
Those days are long gone.
A Passport is now required, with a few & limited circumstances where the Passport Card would be sufficient, but the application requirements are the same for the card.

Hi Tamaracboy,

I'm afraid what you say is not quite true. The following is from the present U.S. State Dept. website.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)

"Closed Loop" Cruises: U.S. citizens who board a cruise ship at a port within the United States, travel only within the Western Hemisphere, and return to the same U.S. port on the same ship may present a government issued photo identification, along with proof of citizenship (an original or copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular report of Birth Abroad, or a Certificate of Naturalization). Please be aware that you may still be required to present a passport to enter the foreign countries your cruise ship is visiting. Check with your cruise line to ensure you have the appropriate documents.

Scott & Karen

[scdreamer]

Did that change with the newest passport rules?
Seems to me we had to send two photos for all our renewals.


I'm not sure if it recently changed, since it's been close to ten years since I last renewed. Actually I had two photos made and then when I checked the State Dept passport FAQ page, it says just one, attached to the application with four staples.

I rechecked it today, because I was beginning to second-guess myself after reading this thread, but again, it says just one.

[Tamaracboy]

The closed loop exception is still in place. I don't know how to add links but pls check the HAL site that discusses documentation requirements. HAL discusses the closed loop exception and also has a link to the state dept page that discusses the WHTI. If you click on the link for "Exceptions and Special Circumstances", a pop up for special groups appears and one such group is for those on closed loop cruises.

I concede I might be wrong, but if I am, then so is the State Dept website. However, it would nice if someone who disagrees can actually point to source material.

1st: Love Ralph Wiggum
2nd: I did leave out one nuance: the slightly different requirements from what State/Homeland Security have to say about a US Citizen re-entering this country, and what most other countries say about US Citizens entering their territory.
So, IF you never get off the ship in the Caribbean, the technical requirements would be different.
3rd: There are a FEW islands/countries that do not require you to have a passport to enter, but I did not go through the entire list on the website below to ascertain which these would be.
Mexico has rather lengthy and specific requirements.

Hi Tamaracboy,

I'm afraid what you say is not quite true. The following is from the present U.S. State Dept. website.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)

"Closed Loop" Cruises: U.S. citizens who board a cruise ship at a port within the United States, travel only within the Western Hemisphere, and return to the same U.S. port on the same ship may present a government issued photo identification, along with proof of citizenship (an original or copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular report of Birth Abroad, or a Certificate of Naturalization). Please be aware that you may still be required to present a passport to enter the foreign countries your cruise ship is visiting. Check with your cruise line to ensure you have the appropriate documents.

Scott & Karen

Scott & Karen,
Thank you.
I've cut & pasted the full two paragraphs (with some highlighting) about this exception from the State Dept. website and included the link to the site below.
As above: Requirements regarding re-entering & leaving the USA on a "closed loop" cruise may be one thing technically, but entering the various Countries & Territories along the way are quite another.
Granted, one does always have the option of never getting off the ship.

I tried and tried to educate one friend about this (after 6/1/09), but she insisted she had the correct information, and had her original Birth Certificate and Drivers License in hand.
End result: She was left standing on the pier in Port Everglades as the ship sailed away !
And, yes, it was a "Closed Loop" cruise just to the Bahamas & back.

Old saying: "A word to the wise . . . ."

From the US State Dept. website:
ENTRY / EXIT REQUIREMENTS: All U.S. citizens traveling outside of the United States are required to present a passport or other valid travel document to re-enter the United States. This requirement was extended to all sea travel (except closed-loop cruises), including ferry service on June 1, 2009. Travelers must now present a Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) compliant document such as a passport or a passport card for entry to the United States. While passport cards and enhanced driver’s licenses are sufficient for entry into the United States, they may not be accepted by the particular country you plan to visit; please be sure to check with your cruise line and countries of destination for any foreign entry requirements.

NOTE: Be aware that Caribbean cruises that begin and end in the U.S. (closed loop cruises) do not require that you travel with a valid passport. However, should you need to disembark due to an emergency and you do not have a valid passport, you may encounter difficulties entering or remaining in a foreign country. You may also have difficulty attempting to re-enter the United States by air because many airlines will require a valid passport before allowing you to board the aircraft. As such, we strongly recommend that you always travel abroad with your valid passport.


Here is the link to the US Dept. of State website for travel requirements:

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis_pa_tw_2223.html

Please note in the graphic, there is NO exception for "closed Loop", even though it IS explained elsewhere on the site, on another page, after searching.

Additionally: the State Department does make reference to EDL's (Enhanced Drivers Licenses) as one option for WHTI travel (technically only valid for re-entry to the US)
This is what EDL's were designed for.
However, this same site has a list of complying states that is very limited.
Just one example:
I know that Florida issues the EDL's, but Florida is not on the State Dept. list ! ? ! ?
So, does Florida count or not ? ?

Hope this clears things up, at least a little bit. :confused:

r.
PS: Just to be overly certain, I have also registered & completed the Homeland Security requirements for the GOES Program.

[cinnamon123]

hi everyone,
i re-newed. it was $110, extra $30 if i wanted the card also.
picture was $10, she gave me 2, one to mail. she gave me the priority envelope which she says costs $4.95 to mail.
i should have it in 4-6 weeks.
i'll let you know. thanks for all your input.
cinnamon123:)

[sail7seas]

Good job, Cinnamon.
Please let us know how long it takes to receive our new passport.

[xandersun@gmail.com]

Hi Tamaracboy,

I'm afraid what you say is not quite true. The following is from the present U.S. State Dept. website.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)

"Closed Loop" Cruises: U.S. citizens who board a cruise ship at a port within the United States, travel only within the Western Hemisphere, and return to the same U.S. port on the same ship may present a government issued photo identification, along with proof of citizenship (an original or copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular report of Birth Abroad, or a Certificate of Naturalization). Please be aware that you may still be required to present a passport to enter the foreign countries your cruise ship is visiting. Check with your cruise line to ensure you have the appropriate documents.

Scott & Karen

AND, to add to that, you don't need a passport with 6 months remaining, if you decide to bring a passport instead of a certified birth certificate and ID (which I don't understand anyone doing, since it is often just as much of a pain to get a certified birth certificate as it is a passport. Why not just get the one that will let you travel everywhere?). I was recently went on a Princess cruise in February 2011 to the Eastern Caribbean (Bahamas, Grand Turk, St. Martin, Virgin Islands). My passport expires in July and another person's expired in May -- but we were both able to board, no problem. Even though the Turks and Caicos state that all Americans must have 6 months on their passports, this doesn't apply to those on a closed loop cruise. In fact, you'll see that none of the islands even require you to show a passport. The REALLY important piece of documentation is your ship pass that they issue you when you get on the boat. That is all anyone ever wants to see once you set sail, be it the cruiseline or the customs control personnel.

[sail7seas]

..... Unless you have an emergency while traveling out of the country and must fly home. Officials will want to see your passport in order for you to board a plane.

[gte937k]

Technically, I believe a U.S. citizen can enter the country without a valid passport. Of course, if you try it... plan on not leaving immigration for a long while but it's totally up to the agent you meet.

Anyway, a friend of mine lost his passport on a flight back to the US and had no problems at immigration after begging forgiveness.

I believe a U.S. citizen can use their U.S. passport to fly home from a foreign country up until the expiration date of the passport. A holder of a foreign passport might have to have six months validity remaining.

If the U.S. passport holder entered a country with six months remaining on their passport and stayed until two days prior to its expiration, I think they could fly back to the U.S.

[w&k]

Our passports were due to expire in the middle of October, so I sent them off at the end of last month. It was the second renewal passport for me, first renewal for DH.

We sent them off by USPS Priority Mail from a mailing place, late morning on May 27th (Friday of Memorial Day weekend) and got them back on Tuesday, June 21st. So, 3 1/2 weeks, including a holiday.

The instructions said to staple one photo to the application, but I stuck the other one in there as well - I didn't really need another bad photo of me. ;)

We are AAA Plus members, so were able to get the passport photos for free at the AAA office... that just happened to have a mailing place two doors down. One stop and the whole thing was done.

A side note... It was unclear to me how to package both passports from the website. I called in on the passport questions number, and a very helpful lady told me to put each package in a separate envelope with separate checks, and not to fold the application.

So I did each form, expiring passport, photos and check in a light Manila envelope, and put both of those envelopes into the Priority Mail envelope.

I did check on the status of the passports via the website a couple of weeks ago, and saw that they were in process.

I really didn't expect them to come back so quickly, and on the same day (in different envelopes).

Now I can get us all registered up for the next trip!

Hopefully, everyone's experience will be as fast and uneventful as ours was.

Wendy

[scdreamer]

FYI - Just received my new passport in the mail today.

I sent in the renewal application on June 7 by certified mail, but did not request any other service (expedited process, certified return), so all in all, it took just over three weeks from the date I mailed in the application. Not bad - :)

Still haven't received my old book back, but I'm sure it will show up soon.

[VA07]

I also renewed my passport recently, this June. As people already said - you need to mail your current passport, application form, only 1 photo and a payment. Even though the web site said that it takes 4-6 weeks for routine service, it took only about 3 weeks. My old passport was not returned with the new one, but the web site says that the old passport can be mailed separately, so I am waiting.

Instructions are posted here - http://travel.state.gov/passport/forms/ds82/ds82_843.html

My passport was valid till end of Sept. 2011, so I had to "give up" 3 month of my passport. But I did not want any problems while travelling, since many countries do require passport to be valid for 6 month.

[RumRunner01]

Our passports were due to expire in the middle of October, so I sent them off at the end of last month. It was the second renewal passport for me, first renewal for DH.

We sent them off by USPS Priority Mail from a mailing place, late morning on May 27th (Friday of Memorial Day weekend) and got them back on Tuesday, June 21st. So, 3 1/2 weeks, including a holiday.

The instructions said to staple one photo to the application, but I stuck the other one in there as well - I didn't really need another bad photo of me. ;)

We are AAA Plus members, so were able to get the passport photos for free at the AAA office... that just happened to have a mailing place two doors down. One stop and the whole thing was done.

A side note... It was unclear to me how to package both passports from the website. I called in on the passport questions number, and a very helpful lady told me to put each package in a separate envelope with separate checks, and not to fold the application.

So I did each form, expiring passport, photos and check in a light Manila envelope, and put both of those envelopes into the Priority Mail envelope.

I did check on the status of the passports via the website a couple of weeks ago, and saw that they were in process.

I really didn't expect them to come back so quickly, and on the same day (in different envelopes).

Now I can get us all registered up for the next trip!

Hopefully, everyone's experience will be as fast and uneventful as ours was.

Wendy

Wendy, thank you for the tip on getting photos for free from AAA. I will be doing that this time around!

[RumRunner01]

Thanks for the info, everyone. I have back to back cruises March 2012 and realized my passport expires April 2012 but I'm going to Canada September 2011 so I was worried about timeframe to renew but it seems I will have time after my Canada trip to renew by mail and have the new passport back in time.

I will be sad to not have all the cool stamps of previous travels in my new passport book. I wish we got stamps when we cruised since I love to cruise, but I guess it just means I need to plan some lands trips in there too! LOL

[surfsidemary]

Just to confirm what others have said: Renewed my US passport very recently. Mailed the application, old passport, one photo and check for $110 to Philadelphia (expressmail, tracked) on 9 July and received my new one (same shipping method) on 5 August.

Actually, my passport had about 15 months left on it, but I was out of blank pages and didn't see the point in spending $89 for new pages only to spend $110 on renewal 9 months later.

Re another post: I believe a 9 1/2 year old passport is good only for submission with the renewal application.

[Boytjie]

Isn't this a closed loop cruise? I'd call HAL to confirm if its considered closed loop but a valid passport should suffice for a closed loop cruise as you only need to show proof of citizenship. I can't tell if your cruise qualifies as one though. Is it round trip from Florida?

From HAL's website:
Do I Need A Passport?

Holland America Line highly recommends that all guests carry a passport that is valid for at least six months beyond the completion date of your travel. Having a passport will enable you to fly from the U.S. to a foreign port in the event you miss your scheduled embarkation or to fly back to the U.S. if you need to disembark the ship mid-cruise due to an emergency.


PLEASE NOTE: It is your sole responsibility to obtain and have available the proper travel documents that are necessary for your travel, including all costs related to arrangements to obtain entry to countries you visit and re-entry to your destination country. Boarding may be denied or fines may be levied against those guests without proper documentation. Payment of any fines levied is the responsibility of the individual guest.

[Boytjie]

Yes, need to renew. My husband just did his, they also have a neat passport 'card' you can also get (the size of a drivers lisc).

Which is only valid for border crossing from Mexico or Canada by land, or by ship. Don't try flying with that. Yes, it's a cruise so for a ship it may work, but not to fly back from a foreign port if there is a problem.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Thanks for the info, everyone. I have back to back cruises March 2012 and realized my passport expires April 2012 but I'm going to Canada September 2011 so I was worried about timeframe to renew but it seems I will have time after my Canada trip to renew by mail and have the new passport back in time.

I will be sad to not have all the cool stamps of previous travels in my new passport book. I wish we got stamps when we cruised since I love to cruise, but I guess it just means I need to plan some lands trips in there too! LOL

But you'll have room for lots of new ones!!!

I agree that it's sad to not have passport stamps from all my cruise ports. But not getting a stamp is a fair trade for being processed in advanced and allowed to simply walk off the ship.

[RumRunner01]

But you'll have room for lots of new ones!!!

I agree that it's sad to not have passport stamps from all my cruise ports. But not getting a stamp is a fair trade for being processed in advanced and allowed to simply walk off the ship.

True! Very True!

[kiwimum]

In June we took a 14 day roundtrip to Alaska out of Seattle. One passenger did not have her passport and was denied boarding. Flew home to obtain passport and joined ship at first port. We were required to show passports on return to Seattle at customs.

[Typhoon1]

Be sure to get it done with plenty of time to spare.

[Taxguy77]

This got me to thinking..what CAN a passport that expires in less than six months be used for ?

If you live near the Mexican or Canadian borders it can get you home from a trip to the drugstore and/or restaurant.

[DeirdreTours]

We are booked on an Eastern Carribean closed circuit for Thanksgiving week. My passport expires March 10. I just finished the online check in and may passport was accepted with no problem. I assume this means I am fine for the November 20-27 trip. Has anyone here ever been able to complete online check-in but then experienced an issue at boarding because of less than 6 months remaining on passport?

[cherylandtk]

Not a problem on closed loop cruises. People use less-than-six-months passports on them all the time.

[HoneyGV]

This got me to thinking..what CAN a passport that expires in less than six months be used for ?

I found this:


" Don’t ever throw away old, expired passports. They can be used as proof of US citizenship, establish your longevity as an American, and will help you in obtaining a new passport.

Keep expired passports in the same secure place you keep your Certificate of Naturalization (hopefully in a safe deposit box or a home safe). You may want to even consider keeping your expired passports in a secure place away from your Certificate of Naturalization (like a trusted relative or friend). They will act as a backup should your Certificate of Naturalization or current passport ever be lost or stolen."

http://www.newcitizen.us/passport.html