Adopted child - papers needed for cruise

Usually these boards are super helpful when it comes to specific questions about a cruise or port or policy, 95% of the time with people who have experience in the area providing some great advice. So, I'm posting this question in hopes someone has a similar experience and can help us out.

My wife and I adopted our first child in November. He was born on 11/17/17, and 6 days later, became ours legally (as his guardians). However, due to adoption laws in NY (where we live) and Louisiana (where he was born), as well as the universal laws for domestic adoptions, he will not become our son until his 1st bday. And, we will not receive his birth certificate until that time. Also, even though we have the paperwork from both LA and NY stating we are his legal guardians and adoptive parents, his legal name remains what his birth mother named him in the hospital until he is a year old. His SS # is a temp one under his birth name, again until his 1st bday. All of this is standard procedure (atleast as far as we understand from our adoption attorneys both in NY and LA as well as the agency/consultant we worked with).

Anyway, we are frequent cruisers, and were planning on taking our son on his first cruise for his 1st bday later this year around Labor Day. We haven't booked yet or anything like that, but have begun looking at itineraries and ships. But in doing so, I realized we don't have a passport for him. Then it hit us....we don't have anything for him. We don't have a birth certificate. Heck, his name isn't even the name we gave him.

So how does this work with a cruise? Both in pre-booking and also in showing "ID" when checking in? Do you even need that for a child under 1 year old? Has anyone adopted a child and planned a cruise within a year/having permanent documents?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

Best piece of advice you will ever get....it doesn't matter if you take him on his actual bday or 2 months later he will never know nor care

But my mind wanders and wonders if you just want to be out of the country when the 1 year time limit comes?

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Maggie...are you insinuating that they want to be out of the country in case the birthmom wants the child back? If so, that's not how it works. No state has a year waiting period. Documents are different than parenthood.

Mr. Mike,

First, congratulations! We adopted our dd from the hospital when she was born. There was a 30 day waiting period before parental rights were permanently terminated but it took 9 months to get to court for finalization and it was well after her first birthday before we had an amended birth certificate. That was all just court, lawyer, paperwork jamming - no issues with the adoption. She didn't go on her first cruise until 22 months, so we had a birth certificate by then. From what I understand, it depends on if your agency is a true agency or if it's a law firm. We used a law firm that acts much like an agency with one huge exception. After parental rights are terminated you can be the legal guardian, but the legal responsibility belongs to someone else. In our case it was a lawyer. In a true agency's case, they hold the custody. In our initial research I was talking to an agency and they told me they would take custody until finalization and we'd be guardian. I even asked about taking the child out of the country before finalization and documentation. She said that she would be responsible for the child and we'd have to inform her of any travel plans like that. We didn't end up using them, but from that conversation I figured we'd need paperwork from her if we were to travel internationally. So, that's a long winded way of saying, contact your agency and find out who has legal custody for your son. If it's them, ask them about traveling paperwork. You can't be the first people to ask the question and I'm sure they have the proper answer. Each case would be different and I wouldn't trust anyone's advice on a board. Good luck and enjoy your son. A true blessing has been bestowed on your family!

Thank you Travelhound...for both the well wishes/congrats, and the very good advice. It truly has been amazing for my wife and I, and while we are far from religious people, we definitely do feel blessed to have him.

We worked with both an agency/consultant as well as a lawfirm. Based on the paperwork we have in hand, and your comments, I believe the lawyer in LA would act as having custody. But you're right in that I need to contact both parties to see what they have to say.

And Maggie...as Travelhound pointed out...one has nothing to do with the other. All rights have been terminated. He is our son. This is all just legal paperwork and process and dotting I's and crossing T's. We usually take 2-3 cruises a year. But with him being so young and germs and all that, we wanted to wait until he was closer to a year old before we took him on vacation. Which might not happen still...but wanted to be prepared.

Congratulations on the adoption of your son. I certainly understand what it is like to adopt a child although we adopted internationally. We had lots of paperwork issues once we arrived home right down to when we tried to get her it’s a social security number, the company told us that she never got off the plane in DC. Just a mixup and paperwork her paperwork never left the desk it was sitting on but it took quite a while to get all the paperwork figured out and then we got her a passport. We have traveled numerous times with her with her passport on cruises. Although I still find myself carrying copies of the adoption

Decree, her previous birth certificate and also her current birth certificate.

Adoption is such a wonderful experience for those of us that choose to set our sights on taking that journey with the such a special child. Congratulations again

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I would call NCL. This is what their website says, it looks like it says all minor children must have a birth certificate.

https://www.ncl.com/freestyle-cruise/cruise-travel-documents#domestic-air-travel-ID

Thank you Harpat. And yes, knowing my wife, she is going to carry every piece of document we have for him on every trip we take until he turns 18 lol

Packer - I was going to eventually call NCL, if/when we decided to book. But, while we love NCL cruises...their customer service dept leaves a little something to be desired. And even if we did get some sort of answer on the phone...that might not actually be the correct answer and work at the cruise port lol. I trust you guys on here more than the NCL 800 number when it comes to questions.

Maggie...are you insinuating that they want to be out of the country in case the birthmom wants the child back? If so, that's not how it works. No state has a year waiting period. Documents are different than parenthood.

 

 

 

Mr. Mike,

 

First, congratulations! We adopted our dd from the hospital when she was born. There was a 30 day waiting period before parental rights were permanently terminated but it took 9 months to get to court for finalization and it was well after her first birthday before we had an amended birth certificate. That was all just court, lawyer, paperwork jamming - no issues with the adoption. She didn't go on her first cruise until 22 months, so we had a birth certificate by then. From what I understand, it depends on if your agency is a true agency or if it's a law firm. We used a law firm that acts much like an agency with one huge exception. After parental rights are terminated you can be the legal guardian, but the legal responsibility belongs to someone else. In our case it was a lawyer. In a true agency's case, they hold the custody. In our initial research I was talking to an agency and they told me they would take custody until finalization and we'd be guardian. I even asked about taking the child out of the country before finalization and documentation. She said that she would be responsible for the child and we'd have to inform her of any travel plans like that. We didn't end up using them, but from that conversation I figured we'd need paperwork from her if we were to travel internationally. So, that's a long winded way of saying, contact your agency and find out who has legal custody for your son. If it's them, ask them about traveling paperwork. You can't be the first people to ask the question and I'm sure they have the proper answer. Each case would be different and I wouldn't trust anyone's advice on a board. Good luck and enjoy your son. A true blessing has been bestowed on your family!

Well the op posted that he will not become their son until his 1st birthday in post #1.

Regardless they need his Bc to travel so again....the baby will have no clue if he is on the ship on his actual bday or not. I don't understand why you would even take a cruise on the actual day in your situation knowing you need the bc. Just wait. Have cake on the real day and cruise afterward.

However since the cruise is for the parents of course there must be a reason you want that particular cruise be it price itinerary schedule vacay time or whatever

But again....wait until you have the bc in hand to cruise even if that means not cruising on your personal schedule. Parenthood requires sacrifices and this is one of them but certainly not the first of them

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Mike,

I agree with not relying on NCL's customer service. Once you get your new birth certificate with your names on it and a passport with his, you will feel much more secure. We only travel with dd's passport now. Cruising is one of our favorite vacations and this March will be her 8th cruise. For future planning, take as many trips as you can before kindergarten. School really puts the brakes on long travel.:)

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Usually these boards are super helpful when it comes to specific questions about a cruise or port or policy, 95% of the time with people who have experience in the area providing some great advice. So, I'm posting this question in hopes someone has a similar experience and can help us out.

 

My wife and I adopted our first child in November. He was born on 11/17/17, and 6 days later, became ours legally (as his guardians). However, due to adoption laws in NY (where we live) and Louisiana (where he was born), as well as the universal laws for domestic adoptions, he will not become our son until his 1st bday. And, we will not receive his birth certificate until that time. Also, even though we have the paperwork from both LA and NY stating we are his legal guardians and adoptive parents, his legal name remains what his birth mother named him in the hospital until he is a year old. His SS # is a temp one under his birth name, again until his 1st bday. All of this is standard procedure (atleast as far as we understand from our adoption attorneys both in NY and LA as well as the agency/consultant we worked with).

 

Anyway, we are frequent cruisers, and were planning on taking our son on his first cruise for his 1st bday later this year around Labor Day. We haven't booked yet or anything like that, but have begun looking at itineraries and ships. But in doing so, I realized we don't have a passport for him. Then it hit us....we don't have anything for him. We don't have a birth certificate. Heck, his name isn't even the name we gave him.

 

So how does this work with a cruise? Both in pre-booking and also in showing "ID" when checking in? Do you even need that for a child under 1 year old? Has anyone adopted a child and planned a cruise within a year/having permanent documents?

 

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

first of all: congrats on being parents to a wonderful new baby. We are the parents of 2 adopted and 1 biological child. Though they are adults now with kids and even grandkids of their own, I will never forget the day they were placed in my arms and the day we went to court to make everything 100% legal. I agree with the poster who said, you little one will never know or remember anthing about his first birthday or first cruise, so i think if it were me, I would just wait until that birth certificate arrives. Then he is 100% yours.

Packer - I was going to eventually call NCL, if/when we decided to book. But, while we love NCL cruises...their customer service dept leaves a little something to be desired. And even if we did get some sort of answer on the phone...that might not actually be the correct answer and work at the cruise port lol. I trust you guys on here more than the NCL 800 number when it comes to questions.

Congrats!

And I agree. That's why I'm on here. I get much better answers on here than on the cruise line's own website or calling their agents.

My cousin adopted. From what little I've seen from them, I'd wait until you've got that official birth certificate before cruising. Is this your first child? Cuz by the time it's even just your second, most parents aren't all that concerned with celebrating on the actual day. Particularly with a risk of not being allowed boarding like yours. A month or two later isn't going to be any big deal.

Or this could happen. I would just wait until you have all the documentation with the BC. I would maybe even wait to get the valid passport, because you know what could happen if you are stranded with an infant in a foreign country with an emergency.....................

https://consumerist.com/2012/05/04/disney-ruins-family-vacation-by-not-letting-adopted-child-on-cruise/

Rather than risk any possible serious problems I would contact the people who enforce the rules. You may have to battle a little automated operator Ring around the Rosie but I would be persistent.

As for the cruise lines that would be their call.

Should you have any questions, please contact the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Information Center.

Office Hours:

Monday - Friday: 8:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST).

For General Inquiries call: 1-877-227-5511 (For United States and Canada Only)

Or this could happen. I would just wait until you have all the documentation with the BC. I would maybe even wait to get the valid passport, because you know what could happen if you are stranded with an infant in a foreign country with an emergency.....................

https://consumerist.com/2012/05/04/disney-ruins-family-vacation-by-not-letting-adopted-child-on-cruise/

Somehow I don't see Norwegian making things up to a family like Disney did.

Getting on the ship is one thing. (Again, wouldn't trust anything an NCL operator told me.) What I would be more worried about is taking a child out of the country without the proper clearance/paperwork/permission of the person that holds legal custody. You don't want to mess up anything on the adoption side. I for one know what you've been through to get this far.

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Just wanted to say Congratulations on your adoption! We adopted our 10 year old son from foster care when he was a baby. While adoption is not the easiest way to become parents, it is more than rewarding. We think we love our son more because he is adopted and everything we went through to become his parents.

Enjoy his 1st birthday celebration!

Congratulations! We adopted and successfully took our son on a cruise BEFORE finalization. :) Our situation was a little different in that we adopted from foster care. We got his original birth certificate through DHS (I think we had to pay them a fee), and a letter from the judge on the case explaining that DHS had legal custody, we were physical guardians, and that we had permission to travel with him. We had no issues whatsoever. I hope it all works out for you! :)

Thanks all...we have decided not to risk anything and will just wait until everything is done, official, documents finalized in hand. Rather be safe than sorry, not worth the risk for a dopey cruise.

And thank you even more for the congrats and kind words. Really has been an amazing 11 weeks and counting.

congrats! adoption is life changing for so many!

glad you opted to wait... it will be all that more special when you can go!

Congrats, I would wait till I had a passport for him, since being so young if something did happen and you ended up not being able to stay on ship, you could at least fly home.

I think waiting is the best decision too. That's why our dd was 21 months when we went the first time. Once you get that passport, ramp it up and go as much as possible until kindergarten.:)

In the meantime, just cherish every moment. It sounds so cliché, but it goes so fast. Every moment is uniquely different.

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