passport with less than 6 months to go

I am leaving on a cruise to the Southern Caribbean on November 10th. Just looked at my passport and saw it expires in april 2008, That is only 5 months beyond my sail date. Somewhere I read it has to be 6 months. Does anyone know if I will have any trouble with this passport. Nervous if I have to renew it that I won't get it in time. Took my son 14 weeks and 1 day to get his. Don;t have that much time

 

Appreciate any help you can give me

 

Eileen

Hi,

 

Because you are sailing prior to January 1st, you will be fine. However, after the 1st, it has to be valid for 6 months after the cruise.

Hi,

 

Because you are sailing prior to January 1st, you will be fine. However, after the 1st, it has to be valid for 6 months after the cruise.

You have set my mind at ease. I will be getting it renewed right after the cruise since I have a Baltic Cruise next year but I have 8 months for it to come.

 

Thanks again

 

Eileen

I am leaving on a cruise to the Southern Caribbean on November 10th. Just looked at my passport and saw it expires in april 2008, That is only 5 months beyond my sail date. Somewhere I read it has to be 6 months. Does anyone know if I will have any trouble with this passport. Nervous if I have to renew it that I won't get it in time. Took my son 14 weeks and 1 day to get his. Don;t have that much time

 

Appreciate any help you can give me

 

Eileen

 

You should check on the countries you will be visiting and airlines you will be flying because:

 

Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six months beyond the dates of your trip and/or have two to four blank visa/stamp pages. Some airlines will not allow you to board if these requirements are not met.

 

from:

 

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/renew/renew_833.html

Good advice, but since she will be flying from New Jersey to FLL, it won't be necessary to have a passport. Also, none of the S.Caribbean islands she is visiting require visas or passports for travel by cruise ship yet.

We had the same problem on our recent Maasdam cruise which was roundtrip from Boston, Our passport expired 5 months after our Aug. 11 return. I called my TA, who called the Seattle office of HAL and was told that since we were not flying either to or from a foreign port it would be OK but that we must bring our birth certificates when we embarked. We did this but they never even glanced at the birth certificates and we had no problem

Until January 1, we can fly from to and from U.S. to Canada, Bermuda, Mexico and Caribbean and back. We need only government issued photo I.D. and because you are cruising, you need birth certificate.

 

Unless there is another extension, we will all need passports to fly to/from any place outside the U.S.

Hi,

 

Because you are sailing prior to January 1st, you will be fine. However, after the 1st, it has to be valid for 6 months after the cruise.

This information is absolutley incorrect. January 1st has nothing to do with the 6 month rule. The country you are visiting determines how long your passport must be vaild after your visit. You can check on the US State Dept website for each country you are visiting to find out. To the best of my knowledge there are no Countries in the Carribean which require the 6 month validity. I have only run into it on some Asian Countries and I believe the last time I went to South America there were a few down there which required the 6 months. If your cruise includes Venezuala you might check that one out also.

Does anyone know when you will need a passport to cruise? We are going in january from fort lauderdale. My son doesnt have a passport, and of course doesn't want to spend the money if he doesn't have to.

If he were my son, I would be telling him to spend the money. If he wishes to travel, he needs to get a passport. If he doesn't need it today, he'll need it tomorrow. It is taking months to get a passport application processed and receive passports. Anyone who wishes to leave (and return to ) this country ought to be getting a passport ASAP.

 

It is not incorrect. It is the cruise line that has inplemented that rule, not the country you are visiting.

Does anyone know when you will need a passport to cruise? We are going in january from fort lauderdale. My son doesnt have a passport, and of course doesn't want to spend the money if he doesn't have to.

Here is the statement from the HAL website.

 

As early as January 1, 2008, with the implementation of the final phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, all persons, including citizens of the United States, traveling between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda will be required to have and carry a valid passport to enter or re-enter the United States by air, land or sea.

 

You can read the entire statement from HAL at:

 

http://www.hollandamerica.com/guests/category.do?category=documentation&topic=passportrequirements

 

In my opinion if your son does not get a passport he may not be cruising with you.

Bruce is right. Encourage him to pay the regular fee now, otherwise he will have to pay the expedite fee later.

It is taking months to get a passport application processed and receive passports.

My DD's family members got their new (not renewal) passports in just over four weeks! They came in last week ... three one day and the other one four days later. I don't know which processing center she sent them to, but I was impressed with the turnaround.

They were fortunate, Jim.

 

We all heard loads of stories all summer about people who had to cancel trips because they didn't get their passports in time. The huge delay is the reason the authorities extended the deadline. They couldn't process all the applications in a timely manner.

 

Perhaps now that the summer travel crunch is winding down, they will be able to catch up on the backlog.

 

 

 

It is not incorrect. It is the cruise line that has inplemented that rule, not the country you are visiting.

 

Sungoddess...You are wrong...JLC & Bruce are correct! Many airlines will not board a passenger who does not have 6months left on their passport &/or 1/2 dozen free visa pages..The Airline I worked for was one of those Carriers..

 

 

This is the State Dept. WEB site to look at...Under Notes:

 

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/renew/renew_833.html

 

this is the Quote:

 

Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six months beyond the dates of your trip and/or have two to four blank visa/stamp pages. Some airlines will not allow you to board if these requirements are not met.

 

Unquote

 

Loveallcruises...Suggest your Son apply for his passport now, or he will run into the long waits again in the fall..If he does not have a passport, he will not be boarded by any carrier..Betty

Now that the summer rush is over, passports have been coming out much more quickly. A friend got her regular (not expedited) passport in about 3 weeks after applying at the post office.

 

I would go for a new passport with a longer expiration --- I wouldn't chance it.

Rangeley, it is my understanding that come January 1, 2008, you will need a passport to cruise. I would definately encourage your son to get that passport so he's not left behind.

You need to start going about getting new ones. Prior planning now may not mess up a vacation later on...

 

Ruth & Jim

Does anyone know when you will need a passport to cruise? We are going in january from fort lauderdale. My son doesnt have a passport, and of course doesn't want to spend the money if he doesn't have to.

Not to beat a dead horse Rangeley but I just received my documents for my Oct 28th cruise and contained in side is a notice from HAL. It says "January 1, 2008 - Valid passport required for all travel (air, sea or land) into or out of the U.S.

This would mean that your son would be denied boarding if he does not have a passport.

Until January 1, we can fly from to and from U.S. to Canada, Bermuda, Mexico and Caribbean and back. We need only government issued photo I.D. and because you are cruising, you need birth certificate.

Wrong

 

 

Since Jan 1, 2007 all AIR TRAVEL to Canada, Bermuda, Mexico and the Caribbean requires a valid Passport for US Citizens.

 

However, effective June 8 - September 30, 2007 they have relaxed the re-entry requirements due to the ridiculous backlog of processing of passports.

 

During this time, anyone who has applied for a passport, but has not yet received said passport... can board planes to the above locations with a state issued ID and Department of State official proof of application for a passport. (click for link)

 

**However, you must meet the entry requirements of the destination country and ensure that the country you are visiting does not require US citizens to have a passport; some countries (ie Domincan Republic) changed their rules in response to our changes. (click for link)

 

So, while you can get back into the US with your ID and proof of applying for a passport, you can't get into the DR by air without a passport.

 

The rules are sticky; if you cruise in, you can use your birth cert. and ID. Go figure.

 

So, CCers... always go to www.Travel.state.gov for correct, up to date information. Many of us try to give correct information, but impart incorrect info because the rules keep changing. Do your due diligence and look for yourself.

Wrong

 

 

Since Jan 1, 2007 all AIR TRAVEL to Canada, Bermuda, Mexico and the Caribbean requires a valid Passport for US Citizens.

 

However, effective June 8 - September 30, 2007 they have relaxed the re-entry requirements due to the ridiculous backlog of processing of passports.

 

During this time, anyone who has applied for a passport, but has not yet received said passport... can board planes to the above locations with a state issued ID and Department of State official proof of application for a passport. (click for link)

 

**However, you must meet the entry requirements of the destination country and ensure that the country you are visiting does not require US citizens to have a passport; some countries (ie Domincan Republic) changed their rules in response to our changes. (click for link)

 

So, while you can get back into the US with your ID and proof of applying for a passport, you can't get into the DR by air without a passport.

 

The rules are sticky; if you cruise in, you can use your birth cert. and ID. Go figure.

 

So, CCers... always go to www.Travel.state.gov for correct, up to date information. Many of us try to give correct information, but impart incorrect info because the rules keep changing. Do your due diligence and look for yourself.

 

Thanks for the update; seems alot of incorrect info floating around. Folks really need to check for themselves.

Until January 1, we can fly from to and from U.S. to Canada, Bermuda, Mexico and Caribbean and back. We need only government issued photo I.D. and because you are cruising, you need birth certificate.

 

Unless there is another extension, we will all need passports to fly to/from any place outside the U.S.

 

Honestly, I'm not trying to be difficult or contradictory, but I believed that passports currently are required to return by air from the regions you mention, and that the upcoming passport requirement is for individuals returning by sea or land. Then again, since renewing my passport a year ago, I may have lost touch with what the Feds now mandate.

AGR8RN is correct.

 

What I wrote is correct as far as it went. I omitted adding that, during this temporary extension, you must provide proof you have applied for your passport (for air travel to/from U.S. and Canada, Bermuda, Mexico and Caribbean) and it is pending in addition to government issued photo ID and birth certificate for cruising.

 

Excellent advice for everyone to check and double check as to each location to which they are traveling.

 

 

 

Honestly, I'm not trying to be difficult or contradictory, but I believed that passports currently are required to return by air from the regions you mention, and that the upcoming passport requirement is for individuals returning by sea or land. Then again, since renewing my passport a year ago, I may have lost touch with what the Feds now mandate.

 

You may not be aware there has been a temporary extension issued because they simply could not keep up with all the applications for new passports and renewals.