Passports

I was wondering if anybody has applied for a passport lately. My elderly uncle will be traveling on a cruise to Bermuda in May. I believe he will need a passport. I am trying to decide if I should pay the extra money to have it expedited quicker or if we have enough time to just submit it and keep our fingers crossed that it comes on time. We have four full months.

Thanks for any thoughts.

No need to expedite it for May. Usual time is four to six weeks.

Agreed!

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FYI, we applied for passports for our children the first week of January. We were told that we should expect the passports the week of Feb. 14. (in plenty of time for our March sailing). To our surprise, just got the passports on Saturday! About a three week turnaround. Incredible!

My wife recently got the new passport card. It arrived in about a month.

My wife recently got the new passport card. It arrived in about a month.

Why did she get a passport card instead of a passport?

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According to the U.S. Dept of State (and as most people have mentioned based on their first-hand experience) it's taking 4-6 weeks to get a new passport.

I was wondering if anybody has applied for a passport lately. My elderly uncle will be traveling on a cruise to Bermuda in May. I believe he will need a passport. I am trying to decide if I should pay the extra money to have it expedited quicker or if we have enough time to just submit it and keep our fingers crossed that it comes on time. We have four full months.

 

Thanks for any thoughts.

I applied for mine without expediting and it was back in two weeks.

There is no need, but you could always call them and find out if there is a back-up. May is for sure far enough away that you will have plenty of time.

Just remember Passport cards are only good for North America travel!

Last Tuesday as I rummaged through documents I picked up my passport and noticed the darn thing expires March 6th, 2010, a day before I am scheduled to return from my cruise March 7th.

I downloaded the application, prepared and mailed it and chose not to expedite it ($60 additional)

I called and spoke to someone at the Passport Agency and of course got the corporate line "4-6 week processing" time period.

A few co-workers renewed by mail and all said it theirs arrived within 2 to 3 weeks after mailing. I am a little worried but the expedited fee is almost as much as the renewal fee. :eek::eek:

The Passport rep did mention that if I did not receive it within two weeks of travel, I can then call and pay the expedited fee ......so....that will be my Plan B. :D:D

FYI, we applied for passports for our children the first week of January. We were told that we should expect the passports the week of Feb. 14. (in plenty of time for our March sailing). To our surprise, just got the passports on Saturday! About a three week turnaround. Incredible!

That is great news. :)

Me and 4 others from my family applied for passport cards and got them in 3-4 weeks.

We chose the passport cards for a few reasons. Easy to carry (fits in your wallet), we're unlikely to need a regular passport because I don't see us flying internationally or cruising anywhere outside North America, and they were cheaper.

Me and 4 others from my family applied for passport cards and got them in 3-4 weeks.

 

We chose the passport cards for a few reasons. Easy to carry (fits in your wallet), we're unlikely to need a regular passport because I don't see us flying internationally or cruising anywhere outside North America, and they were cheaper.

The passport card is good for land border crossing. Although Mexico is part of North America if you intent to fly there you will need a passport. Likewise if you are on a cruise and must return home by air from Mexico, Grand Caymen, Belize, Bahamas, Jamiaca and several other popular cruise ports you will need a passport.

Passport cards are nice because they are easy to carry but don't be mislead into thinking they are completely sufficient for travel in North America and on cruises.

My boyfriend applied on Jan. 5th and we got it back on Jan. 23rd. Less then three weeks turn around.

Not to stir up the pot here, but on our cruise between the past holidays, we only had to present our passports 2 times. Once before we got onboard at Port Canaveral (done by RCCL employees), and then at the end of the cruise when we got off of the ship (done by US Customs). I was extremely surprised that nobody ever checked passports in Jamaica, Grand Cayman, or Cozumel. I just handed my seapass card over and they put it into the machine and sort of checked my picture. My wife commented on how bad security was on each of the reboardings. The Royal Caribbean people seemed more concerned about catching booze coming aboard than anything else. Anybody else notice this?

Not to stir up the pot here, but on our cruise between the past holidays, we only had to present our passports 2 times. Once before we got onboard at Port Canaveral (done by RCCL employees), and then at the end of the cruise when we got off of the ship (done by US Customs). I was extremely surprised that nobody ever checked passports in Jamaica, Grand Cayman, or Cozumel. I just handed my seapass card over and they put it into the machine and sort of checked my picture. My wife commented on how bad security was on each of the reboardings. The Royal Caribbean people seemed more concerned about catching booze coming aboard than anything else. Anybody else notice this?

You don't necessarily need a passport to enter some of those countries. You need one to get back into the United States. It our laws that require the passport.

Also, many countries have special agreements with the cruise lines. For example if you fly into Mexico you must have a tourist visa and when visiting by ship this requirement is waived.

You don't necessarily need a passport to enter some of those countries. You need one to get back into the United States. It our laws that require the passport.

 

Also, many countries have special agreements with the cruise lines. For example if you fly into Mexico you must have a tourist visa and when visiting by ship this requirement is waived.

ENOUGH - FALSE INFO....

If you are leaving and entering thru the same port in the USA. You only need a birth certificate and legal ID (drivers licences or other government id).

The passport card is good throughout the Western Hemi -- for land and sea entry. It is not valid for air.

HOWEVER -- in case you miss your cruise departure at a port, or you need to return home via air in case of an emergency YOU MUST HAVE A PASSPORT.

ENOUGH - FALSE INFO....

 

If you are leaving and entering thru the same port in the USA. You only need a birth certificate and legal ID (drivers licences or other government id).

 

The passport card is good throughout the Western Hemi -- for land and sea entry. It is not valid for air.

 

HOWEVER -- in case you miss your cruise departure at a port, or you need to return home via air in case of an emergency YOU MUST HAVE A PASSPORT.

Granted on closed loop cruises a passport is not required but only advised because of the potential to have to fly back to the USA.

However I was responding to jpodds remarks which concerned only passports. Jpodds was commenting that they only had to show their passport twice.

I remarked that many Caribbean countries do not require passports for entry and that special agreements between some countries and the cruise lines negated visa requirements. Those remarks are true!

If my comment that it was our government that required the passport was misleading I apoligize. We agree that besides the passport there are special provisions for cruise passengers and for land and sea border crossing that allow documentation other than a passport. However it is still our government that issued and enforces the identification requirements.

Sorry if I muddied the issue!

I applied for mine on Decmeber 28 and got it last week. It took exactly 3 weeks.

I renewed mine at the beginning of Dec. and got it 3 weeks later. The old ones ame in the mail the next day.

Also, I got a good deal on passport photos at CVS. 6 photos and found a $2.00 off coupon on line for CVS.

You don't necessarily need a passport to enter some of those countries. You need one to get back into the United States. It our laws that require the passport.

 

Also, many countries have special agreements with the cruise lines. For example if you fly into Mexico you must have a tourist visa and when visiting by ship this requirement is waived.

Don Pedro....I wonder why countries waive the entry requirements? It was scary to see how easy someone could get onboard at a foreign port. I think that my 15 yr old could have gotten by security without much problem, and if he could, imagine what someone with malicious intentions could do. Also, once onboard, there are countless areas to hide out.

Thank you all for your responses. I really appreciate it. I hated to waste the money to expedite it, especially in this economy. Will check CVS out for the photos.

. For example if you fly into Mexico you must have a tourist visa and when visiting by ship this requirement is waived.

Is that a new requirement? I flew into Cabo in May '08 and did not need a tourist visa.

It is not really a visa (which is entered in your passport) it is a tourist card which you were given on the plane and which was stamped when you entered the country at the airport.

http://gomexico.about.com/od/entryrequirements/f/tourist_card.htm