Passport changes, Again?

[lawsoncd3]

Hi everyone:
I was on the US Department of State researching the passport procedures, when the first paragraph I read is this:

New Requirements for Travelers



The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 requires that by January 1, 2008, travelers to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico and Canada have a passport or other secure, accepted document to enter or re-enter the United States. In order to facilitate the implementation of this requirement, the Administration is proposing to complete it in phases following a proposed timeline, which will be published in the Federal Register in the near future.
This is a change from prior travel requirements and will affect all United States citizens entering the United States from countries within the Western Hemisphere who do not currently possess valid passports. This new requirement will also affect certain foreign nationals who currently are not required to present a passport to travel to the United States. Most Canadian citizens, citizens of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda, and to a lesser degree, Mexican citizens will be affected by the implementation of this requirement.

So, here I am, planning my trip to the Caribbean and see the date... I'm going to get us all Passports anyway (they expire in 10 years, identification, etc), but wanted to pass this mesage on to the board. The web address is http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html if you would like more information.

I checked RCCL's website and they still list that passengers sailing in 2007 will ned passports. Has anyone any information about the 2008 date?

Dona

[JENANDGENE]

You probably missed this part..... it's under FAQ's, and as you can see it states that SEA travel will need passports by Dec. 31, 2006...so all sailings starting 2007.


When will the Travel Initiative be implemented?

In the proposed implementation plan, which is subject to a period of initial public comment, the Initiative will be rolled out in phases, providing as much advance notice as possible to the affected public to enable them to meet the terms of the new guidelines. The proposed timeline will be as follows:

December 31, 2006 – Requirement applied to all air and sea travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.
December 31, 2007 – Requirement extended to all land border crossings as well as air and sea travel.
I thought there was an additional phase to be implemented on December 31, 2005. Is this a change?

In April 2005, the Departments of State (DOS) and Homeland Security (DHS) announced a proposed plan to be implemented in three phases beginning on December 31, 2005 for the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. After further review and considering the delay in publishing the public notice in the Federal Register, DOS and DHS recognized that implementing the December 31, 2005, phase would be problematic for travelers during the upcoming winter tourism season. This change will simplify the implementation and provide a longer lead-time for travelers to come into compliance with the requirements.

[Sheffie]

Lawson, I made the same mistake a couple of months ago. JenandGene is correct, on this page http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2225.html it states:

The proposed timeline will be as follows:

December 31, 2006 – Requirement applied to all air and sea travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.
December 31, 2007 – Requirement extended to all land border crossings as well as air and sea travel.

We do need those passports for cruising by the end of this year.

[lawsoncd3]

Thank you all~ I was wondering what was going on. Sorry for the mishap. I guess it's never to early to start the passport thing, huh?

[cage keeper]

This is round two on this one. We went through this back in January. The US GOV. has not updated their website completly. The link you are refering to is under freguently asked questions. If you go to new laws and changes you will see that all dates have been moved back a year. Tell me, because I have asked this before, just how do you get to the Carribean by land crossing?

[rgnok]

I would stick to the Jan 1, 2007 date for sea travel.

Cage Keeper is right, this was debated in January, so I will skip the whole debate again, suffice it to say Cage Keeper is interpreting the information differently from me and from most people on this board. That is anyone's right, including mine and Cage Keeper. It should simply serve as a reminder that, for something as important as international travel documentation, you should RELY on information from those in authority, and leave boards like this for sharing thoughts and ideas.

[cage keeper]

rgnok, OUCH. I don't know why you like to insist I am wrong . I told you I was a nice person who just likes to research all info I can find to make sure I have the correct info. OK, so I called the state dept this morrning. It is Jan. 1, 2008. If you would like to call yourself, the phone # is 18774872778. I would never try to give the wrong info on such an important matter.

As to the sharing thoughts and ideas, this is why I read these boards all the time. This will be my first cruise and I have learned a ton of great information off of all the great people who post their expertease here. It's supposed to be fun, not insulting.

[gatour]

The law stated BY 2008 the regulations will need to be place. The agency decided to implement some of the earlier (first 2006, then later delayed to 2007 for cruises). In theory, they could have waited until the end of 2007 to require them accross the board, but did not choose to do so. I personally think it is a good idea to spread out the implentation as it spreads out the number of people applying at any one time.

[rgnok]

Cage Keeper -- I'm sorry you feel insulted - that is not my intent. I still disagree with you, but people can disagree without being insulting and I don't see anything I've said that seems insulting.

In any case -- I called the number you listed, selected option #5, then option #2, then pressed 0 to speak to a person.

When connected, I said this:

"I'm needing information on passport requirements for cruising in the Caribbean and Mexico next year. I'm getting conflicting information as to when I will need a passport for a cruise that will leave from Galveston, Texas and visit Cozumel, Mexico and Ocho Rios, Jamaica, so I thought I should just go straight to the source."

The answer I got was, if I am a US Citizen cruising from the US to the Caribbean and Mexico, I will need a valid US Passport beginning on January 1, 2007.

This answer, togther with the newer document on the passport web site, together with Royal Caribbean's travel information, together with Carnival Cruise Lines travel information, together with Princess Cruiselines' travel information, together with the opinion of most every other user on this and any other cruise board I read, together with my own interpretation of all of this information is why I continue to feel the way I do.

One other note -- if the cruise line says you need a valid passport, it doesn't make a bit of difference what any law, the state deparment or anyone else says -- you won't get on the ship without one! And, right now, every major cruise line continues to say you need a valid passport for travel in the Caribbean and Mexico beginning January 1, 2007.

Again -- I'm sorry if I've insulted you, but I do believe just as firmly that I am right on this one as you obviously believe you're right. Given this, I will continue to assert this whenever the question comes up.

[rjg41]

Cage Keeper you did not apparently ask enough/the right questions. I understand it is confusing the way they have it worded and I am sure some of the people at the phone banks don't understand the nuiances.

It is clearly Jan. 1, 2007 for all land and sea travel. True, that still could be changed. Last year they changed their minds in April. Also, it is air and sea travel to Canada as well, so all Alaskan and New England cruises in 2007 will require a passport as well as the Caribbean and Mexico. Hawaii will also require one since all cruise lines stop in Mexico, of course, except the two US registered NCL ships.

[negc]

Originally Posted by rgnok

if the cruise line says you need a valid passport, it doesn't make a bit of difference what any law, the state deparment or anyone else says -- you won't get on the ship without one! And, right now, every major cruise line continues to say you need a valid passport for travel in the Caribbean and Mexico beginning January 1, 2007.
.

No cruise line, if it wishes to remain competitive, will institute passport requirements earlier or more stringent than those established by the US government. They obviously could do so, but only at the risk losing passengers who will decide to travel on similar itineraries on cruise lines which follow the US requirement.
If you reread the regulations carefully, you will see that the January 1,2007 deadline in US government regulations applies to all sea travellers (primarily cruise passengers). There is no conflict at this time between what the US and what the cruiselines say. Full implementation of the new travel requirements is currently scheduled for January 1, 2008, but cruisers are required to have passports on and after January 1, 2007.

[rgnok]

Originally Posted by negc

No cruise line, if it wishes to remain competitive, will institute passport requirements earlier or more stringent than those established by the US government. They obviously could do so, but only at the risk losing passengers who will decide to travel on similar itineraries on cruise lines which follow the US requirement.
If you reread the regulations carefully, you will see that the January 1,2007 deadline in US government regulations applies to all sea travellers (primarily cruise passengers). There is no conflict at this time between what the US and what the cruiselines say. Full implementation of the new travel requirements is currently scheduled for January 1, 2008, but cruisers are required to have passports on and after January 1, 2007.

negc,

You are absolutely right that it would be foolish for a cruiseline to implement more stringent requirements than needed, I was just pointing out to Cage Keeper that, regardless of what any other authority might say, what the cruise line says is all that matters when it comes time to board!

No need for me to re-read the regulations -- if you look at the thread, you will see that I am saying exactly the same thing that you are -- it is Cage Keeper that believes cruise passengers do not need a passport until Jan 1, 2008. You, me, and every other source I can find all agree cruise pax needs passports starting Jan 1 2007.

[Treven]

Originally Posted by lawsoncd3

Thank you all~ I was wondering what was going on. Sorry for the mishap. I guess it's never to early to start the passport thing, huh?

Just get your passport(s) and get it over with. You're going to need them before too long anyway; plus it will be one less thing you'll need to worry about preparing for your cruise.

[cage keeper]

I simply told the gentelman on the phone that I was looking into a cruise going to St. Thomas and St. Martin in June of 2007, and did I need a passport and he said no. Of course I am crusing in 2006, but just wanted the answer. He told me the State Dept pushed back the date and he did not know why there were conflicting dates on the website, but he would suggest someone look into this.