Photo Copy of birth certificate is valid?

I travel in two weeks from SJU PR arriving to same port. I dont have passport. Cant get an original birth certificate because take to long. I only have photo copy and drivers licence. Has anyone traveled with copy? Is it ok? :loudcry:

No. Original government issued WITH raised seal. Privately issued or some of these birth cert cards aren't accepted either. NCL.com has it all laid out. My apologies for being the bearer of this bad news.

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I travel in two weeks from SJU PR arriving to same port. I dont have passport. Cant get an original birth certificate because take to long. I only have photo copy and drivers licence. Has anyone traveled with copy? Is it ok? :loudcry:

I think the consensus answer will be no.

The certificate needs to be an original issued by the appropriate local government agency.

I agree with other posters. Has to be an original raised seal birth certificate.

Can you get an expedited passport? Your best bet if you have no way of getting an original birth certificate. Also, check with your cruiseline for their requirements. Some are now requiring a passport.

I travel in two weeks from SJU PR arriving to same port. I dont have passport. Cant get an original birth certificate because take to long. I only have photo copy and drivers licence. Has anyone traveled with copy? Is it ok? :loudcry:

Yikes.

Is there any way to get an expedited original birth certificate? You will need it to get an expedited passport.

I was born in PA and they have a delay of 4 months and cant get passport without birth cert.

I travel in two weeks from SJU PR arriving to same port. I dont have passport. Cant get an original birth certificate because take to long. I only have photo copy and drivers licence. Has anyone traveled with copy? Is it ok? :loudcry:

SOME cruise lines accept photo copies of birth certificates. For example Carnival says this:

Traveling with a Birth Certificate and Photo Identification

Birth Certificate Information

The following are acceptable:

• An original or copy of a birth certificate issued by a government agency (state/county/city) or the Department of Health and Vital Statistics
  
• A clear, legible copy of a birth certificate that was originally issued by a government agency (state/county/city) or the Department of Health and Vital Statistics. The copy does not need to be notarized or certified.
  
• Birth Certificate Card
  

You have to contact your cruise line and see what they say.

Our son was denied boarding with his original hospital issued birth certificate on a cruise to the Mexican Riviera out of San Diego and a return to San Diego . He needed one issued by the Govt.:(

Our son was denied boarding with his original hospital issued birth certificate on a cruise to the Mexican Riviera out of San Diego and a return to San Diego . He needed one issued by the Govt.:(

Those hospital issued birth certificates are just scrapbook fodder. Not official.

I was born in PA and they have a delay of 4 months and cant get passport without birth cert.

You can get a passport without a birth certificate. It is more complicated. There is a list of documents that can be substituted for a birth certificate on the passport office website.

Don't know where you live, but many major cities have same day passport offices. I am talking about actual federal offices - not companies charging a fee. My passport expired and I didn't renew - totally my fault. I had to go to Chicago to get renewed on the same day. I needed to travel immediately because of a death in family.

Check with your cruiseline. You may have to cancel. Hope you have insurance. Good luck.

Those hospital issued birth certificates are just scrapbook fodder. Not official.

Right, we learned the hard way, I tossed my son the car key's and said " see you in a week"

You can get a passport without a birth certificate. It is more complicated. There is a list of documents that can be substituted for a birth certificate on the passport office website.

 

Don't know where you live, but many major cities have same day passport offices. I am talking about actual federal offices - not companies charging a fee. My passport expired and I didn't renew - totally my fault. I had to go to Chicago to get renewed on the same day. I needed to travel immediately because of a death in family.

 

Check with your cruiseline. You may have to cancel. Hope you have insurance. Good luck.

Typically insurance doesn't cover cancellations if the cancellation was due to something the traveler didn't do.

Like not having the proper identification for the trip.

Right, we learned the hard way, I tossed my son the car key's and said " see you in a week"

Oh, OK. I was envisioning your son as young. Yeah, if that were me (adult child not having proper ID) I'd send them on their way and head for the the ship myself, also.

Now, if it was on me that he had the improper ID, I wouldn't penalize him any more than that.

SOME cruise lines accept photo copies of birth certificates. For example Carnival says this:

Traveling with a Birth Certificate and Photo Identification

 

Birth Certificate Information

 

The following are acceptable:

• An original or copy of a birth certificate issued by a government agency (state/county/city) or the Department of Health and Vital Statistics
  
• A clear, legible copy of a birth certificate that was originally issued by a government agency (state/county/city) or the Department of Health and Vital Statistics. The copy does not need to be notarized or certified.
  
• Birth Certificate Card
  

 

You have to contact your cruise line and see what they say.

Thank you.I travel with Royal caribbean. Do you know if they acept copy.

They do not. Link and info below:

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/beforeyouboard/travelDocumentation.do

"CRUISES FROM A UNITED STATES PORT

The following requirements are for sailings from a United States port to the Caribbean, Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada/New England, Hawaii, Alaska, Panama Canal and Mexico.

United States and Canadian Citizens:

You MUST have one of the following:

• A valid United States or Canadian passport. For additional United States passport information visit the United States Department of State travel information website or the Passport Canada website. Visa Central is the passport and visa service that we recommend, should our guests need passport and visa assistance. You may contact Visa Central for all your passport needs. Visa Central can obtain passports in as little as one day. US Residents, please contact VisaCentral online at www.visacentral.com/royalcaribbean, email rci@visacentral.com or call 800-858-8579, and be sure to reference Royal Caribbean account 44988 for reduced service fees. Canada residents, please contact www.visacentral.ca/royalcaribbean, email rci@visacentral.com or call 8888-665-9956, and be sure to reference Royal Caribbean account 10026 for reduced service fees.
  

- OR -

• Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) or Trusted Travel Documents. Click here for a list of all approved documents.
  

Exceptions:

• United States citizens on cruises that begin and end at the same port in the United States can use a original government-issued picture ID (i.e. driver's license) AND an original government-issued birth certificate or original Naturalization Certificate.
  
• Minors under the age of 16 will be able to present either an original government-issued, original or certified copy of his or her birth certificate; a Consular Report of Birth Abroad Issued by DOA; or Certificate of Naturalization issued by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
  

Note: Baptismal papers and hospital certificates of birth are NOT acceptable. Military identification cards, voter registration cards or Social Security cards are NOT considered proof of citizenship.

United States Permanent Residents:

You MUST have the following:

• United States Permanent Resident Card. Click here for additional information.
  

- AND -

• A passport from your home country is strongly recommended."
  

Thank you.I travel with Royal caribbean. Do you know if they acept copy.

They might - but they should not. You never can tell with a person processing documents.

If you live anywhere near the city, town or county where you were born, you should consider gathering whatever supporting material you might have and showing up in person to get sealed original.

That is what I did - at New York City hall in Manhattan - it took me two hours (plus the two hour travel time) but worth a try ----- "takes too long" is not going to make boarding processing clerk look the other way.

At the very least, contact the line - and if they say a copy is OK, ask them to confirm by email so you can print it and show it.

Thank you.I travel with Royal caribbean. Do you know if they acept copy.

No, I don't.

EDIT: I went to the Royal Caribbean website and found this:

• United States citizens on cruises that begin and end at the same port in the United States can use a original government-issued picture ID (i.e. driver's license) AND an original government-issued birth certificate or original Naturalization Certificate.
  

So it looks like you're out of luck. Also found this:

No refunds will be given to individuals who fail to bring proper documentation.

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/beforeyouboard/travelDocumentation.do?cS=NAVBAR&pnav=4&snav=5#usport

Some of these questions about documentation make me wonder if there are some people who go buy a car without having a drivers license. I do not recall an auto dealer ever asking me if I had a license before accepting payment - and I do not suppose travel agents are certain to make requirements clear before selling a cruise.

Some of these questions about documentation make me wonder if there are some people who go buy a car without having a drivers license. I do not recall an auto dealer ever asking me if I had a license before accepting payment - and I do not suppose travel agents are certain to make requirements clear before selling a cruise.

That's assuming that Travel Agents even know the requirements. Each cruise line is different.

I know, when we used a TA, we had to sign a paper that the TA had told us it was up to us to check what the requirements were.

Contact the county or city office where you were born and ask them to expedite a notarized copy of your birth cert. ASAP. You may have to pay an extra (well worth it) fee. Good luck!

Contact means: CALL tomorrow and BEG nicely, explaining your situation.

That's assuming that Travel Agents even know the requirements. Each cruise line is different.

 

I know, when we used a TA, we had to sign a paper that the TA had told us it was up to us to check what the requirements were.

I wasn't talking about a TA - who is mainly interested in making a sale - like a car salesman -- I was talking about the customer who is paying hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars for a cruise outside of the U S --- without wondering what might be involved in leaving and returning to the U S.

I wasn't talking about a TA - who is mainly interested in making a sale - like a car salesman -- I was talking about the customer who is paying hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars for a cruise outside of the U S --- without wondering what might be involved in leaving and returning to the U S.

Obviously, yes, they do.

Many reports of people showing up for, say, a cruise to Brazil without visas and being denied. Also reports (like OP here) posted with a month of cruising asking if their ID is OK.

Contact means: CALL tomorrow and BEG nicely, explaining your situation.

OP already reported that they've been told it takes 4 weeks to get the birth certificate. (post #6).

OP already reported that they've been told it takes 4 weeks to get the birth certificate. (post #6).

Yes, but OP didn't actually know if the copy was going to suffice, so s/he probably didn't ask if an original/certified copy could be expedited. My guess is it can be expedited for an enormous sum of money :o , and I also hope OP updates us. These threads may be repetitive, but they are also good for learning how things can turn out in an emergency situation.