One month left on passport?

We are traveling on Royal Caribbean RT from Seattle to Alaska, June 5-12. My 17 year-old son's passport expires 7/20/15 and his 18th birthday is 7/16.

My question is must we renew his passport before we go, or will it be okay to have about 5 weeks left on it when we travel? I'd prefer to wait and renew it after his birthday in July, as then he can get a 10 year passport as opposed to a 5 year one, but I don't want to run into trouble on our trip either.

You can use it up to the expiration date for travel to Canada.

As long as it is VALID for the cruise it doesn't matter if it expires a day after you get back.

For your trip the passport is valid up to and including the day of expiration. A full adult passport (10 years) is issued to persons age 16 and older, so there is no need to wait until he is 18, either.

I thought it was only International travel where the 6 month rule applied.

I thought it was only International travel where the 6 month rule applied.

The 6 month rule depends on the country you are entering.

Thank you, these posts have been helpful. I had read some places stating that 6 months was required and didn't know the requirements, since at least one port will be in Canada on this cruise. Will that make a difference?

I thought it was only International travel where the 6 month rule applied.

At least one port is in Canada.

I would send the question to Royal Caribbean to get an answer in writing from the cruise line.

At least one port is in Canada.

However it's a port stop not an emb/disemb point...The OP's son's passport will be valid during his Canada port stop.

As long as you can get a 10 year passport now, why wait? Doesn't hurt to have it done! :)

We are traveling on Royal Caribbean RT from Seattle to Alaska, June 5-12. My 17 year-old son's passport expires 7/20/15 and his 18th birthday is 7/16.

 

My question is must we renew his passport before we go, or will it be okay to have about 5 weeks left on it when we travel? I'd prefer to wait and renew it after his birthday in July, as then he can get a 10 year passport as opposed to a 5 year one, but I don't want to run into trouble on our trip either.

Only RC knows for certain if there will be problems. Have you contacted them?

DON

Renew your son's passport now.

For some reason, I was thinking he wasn't eligible for a 10 year passport until he was 18. Since it is only 16, I will probably just go ahead and renew before we go. However, I have placed an email to RC just to clarify the requirements.

I would send the question to Royal Caribbean to get an answer in writing from the cruise line.

Good idea.

Only RC knows for certain if there will be problems. Have you contacted them?

 

DON

Bad response. It would be the Canada government that knows the answer.

And a US passport is good until the expiration date for Canada.

For some reason, I was thinking he wasn't eligible for a 10 year passport until he was 18. Since it is only 16, I will probably just go ahead and renew before we go. However, I have placed an email to RC just to clarify the requirements.

Cruise reps are not the best people to ask. They don't always know and just say what they think, sometimes incorrectly.

Canada is not one of the countries that requires passport to be good for six months beyond travel.

It is not necessary to renew the passport now, but there is certainly no reason the OP shouldn't, especially if it makes her feel better or eliminates stress.

Canada will accept a U.S. passport up until expiry, but Canada does not require a passport of US citizens on cruise port stop. Even when legally entering Canada, Canada only requires US citizens to have the appropriate documentation to return to the USA. OP's son will be fine with the current passport.

http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/travel-voyage/td-dv-eng.html#_s1a

For some reason, I was thinking he wasn't eligible for a 10 year passport until he was 18. Since it is only 16, I will probably just go ahead and renew before we go. However, I have placed an email to RC just to clarify the requirements.

Technical note ... you can't actually "renew" this passport. A new application must be made.

When dd needed a new passport having a "child" passport which was expiring ... (she was heading to Roatan for an internship) an "adult" passport application had to be processed as a NEW application, not a renewal

from: http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/renew.html

Renew by Mail if All of the Following are True

Your Most Recent U.S. Passport:

Is undamaged and can be submitted with your application;

Was issued when you were age 16 or older;

{there's more}

<<p.s. a person 16 or under must appear in person for a renewal too so this is not really a biggie

All minors age 15 and under who have or have not had a passport in the past must apply in person >>

So, no renewal by mail, ds must "appear" at a place that can accept applications and figure your costs accordingly ... original documents (birth certificate) must be presented {not required for a renewal}

You still have plenty of time to do this, and can find a place to take the application at http://iafdb.travel.state.gov/

the site is reporting turnaround of 4 to 6 weeks, my recent experience has been 2 to 3 weeks.

********

more questions?

To speak to a customer service representative, please call between the hours of 8:00 am to 10:00 pm Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

From the U.S. 1-877-487-2778

********

b4 any argues the renewal vs new application terms lets just agree that it is semantics. Renew by mail is not an option and if you have to appear at an acceptance facility, that is the same as a NEW application

It is not necessary to renew the passport now, but there is certainly no reason the OP shouldn't, especially if it makes her feel better or eliminates stress.

 

Canada will accept a U.S. passport up until expiry, but Canada does not require a passport of US citizens on cruise port stop. Even when legally entering Canada, Canada only requires US citizens to have the appropriate documentation to return to the USA. OP's son will be fine with the current passport.

http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/travel-voyage/td-dv-eng.html#_s1a

If the OP wants to take an excursion that goes into Canada, a passport WILL be required for that excursion. You are right though that son's current passport will be fine.

First I wasn't aware of the 6 month rule so thanks to the OP. Second and final here is a great article.

http://traveltips.usatoday.com/countries-require-six-months-passport-validity-100788.html

Ask RCI. I couldn't check in with another cruise line with 5 months left, even though I could have travelled to all the ports until the final passport day.

It's the cruise line which makes its own rules....

Only RC knows for certain if there will be problems. Have you contacted them?

 

DON

I don't want to be picky, but only Canada knows for certain whether the passport will be accepted. RC doesn't determine what governments do, and may not be up-to-date about what is required by the government of Canada or any other country. Especially in these days, when terrible events may cause changes in border requirements.

The Government of Canada has a good website, and you can use Google to help you find the requirements stated on that site.

Ask RCI. I couldn't check in with another cruise line with 5 months left, even though I could have travelled to all the ports until the final passport day.

It's the cruise line which makes its own rules....

This means that no one was allowed to board without a passport? They were not allowing anyone to use only a BC and DL? Must have been a cruise that including a place like Brazil.

Second, I think there is someone from Homeland Security at the port when boarding that would have the final say and not the cruise company.

This means that no one was allowed to board without a passport? They were not allowing anyone to use only a BC and DL? Must have been a cruise that including a place like Brazil.

 

Second, I think there is someone from Homeland Security at the port when boarding that would have the final say and not the cruise company.

You're wrong. The cruise lines are required at a minimum to enforce the requirements for each country on the itinerary, but they are permitted to create their own requirements that go beyond the legal minimum. For example, it's not uncommon for upscale and luxury cruise lines ( Azamara and Regent are examples) to require passports of all passengers, even US citizens on a closed loop cruise departing from a US port, where DHS rules only require an official birth certificate and ID. Those requirements are stated on the cruise lines' websites and in their passenger ticket contracts. In other cases, cruise lines require all passports to have 6 months remaining validity, even if none of the countries on the itinerary actually require it. It's pretty common for airlines to also require 6 months remaining passport validity for passengers, even if it's technically not required of the destination country.

DHS has no say in the matter, and they have no authority to overrule the cruise lines' requirements.