Passport Question

[cherylandtk]

It's not the Caribbean nation that will stop you it's the CPB. Most airlines, cruise lines will not transport you without the proper documentation because if you are not admitted into the US, they are on the hook to take you back to where you came from. Just last year a family was put off the Majesty because of a sick child while they were docked in Nassau. They did not have passports and had to fork over some major $$ to get emergency issued passports for the flight home. These really are not scare stories, things happen, hopefully not to you, the passport just takes care of so many issues.

This is true, it is generally the carrier that will refuse to transport you without proper documentation. I would only add that the $$ spent by the Cortes family were exactly the same as if they had purchased passports in the first place. No extra charge, no expedite fee. And they had them and were back home within two days.

[cherylandtk]

Not the whole western hemisphere, just caribbean islands, Canada and Mexico. This is from the CBP website:

 

Q: What is the definition of closed loop in the context of modified processing of cruise passengers?

 

A: Closed-loop cruises are defined as U.S. based cruises with itineraries that both originate and terminate in the United States, returning from contiguous territories or adjacent islands.

 

Q: What does contiguous territories or adjacent islands mean?

 

A: Contiguous Territories are any country sharing a common boundary with the United States. Canada and Mexico are contiguous to the United States. Adjacent Islands as follows: Anguilla, Antigua, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Barbuda, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Marie-Galantine, Martinique, Miquelon, Montserrat, Saba, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Christopher, Saint Eustatius, Saint Kitts-Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Maarten, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, and other British, French and Netherlands territory or possessions bordering on the Caribbean Sea.

 

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/inspections_carriers_facilities/closed_loop_faq.xml

the section you quote here is specific to special handling of I-90 visa holders, ie. foreigners who enter the US and then take a trip to one of the contiguous countries, such as on a cruise ship and then return to the US. This does not apply to US citizens.

 

eta- here is the actual regulation from the WHTI:

title 22 § 53.2 Exceptions...(2)

When traveling entirely within the Western Hemisphere on a cruise ship, and when the U.S. citizen boards the cruise ship at a port or place within the United States and returns on the return voyage of the same cruise ship to the same United States port or place from where he or she originally departed.

[Sue L]

Now this statement is true since you added the 'closed loop', but that's not what you said the first time.

 

Not all cruises leaving and returning to the SAME US port are considered closed loop cruises for passport purposes. e.g. An around the world cruise.

 

 

YES they are, if it leaves and returns to the same US port it is A CLOSED LOOP CRUISE, there are no cruises that leave from the US currently returning to the same port even going to the Panama, Costa Rica etc that you would need a passport for. there are no round the world cruise that starts in a US port as embarkation and then disembarks in the US, they are segmented and start at point A end in point B and then start up again at point B and then at point C which now makes it a NON closed loop cruise.

[satxdiver]

An airline departing from a foreign airport and wishing to land in the US must send a list of all the passengers on the airplane and their passport information in advance before the US will allow the airline to enter US airspace. Not too many years ago an airline from the UK had to land in Canada because they were denied entry into US airspace and hence landing at a US airport. The reason was that after checking the manifest, the US determined that a pax was on the do not enter list. Now all cruise ships leaving the US have to submit a manifest with pax information before the ship is allowed to leave the port.

 

It is not the airline that determines if you can fly without a passport back into the US. It is US regulations allowing the airline to enter US airspace. We demanded protection after 9/11 and now we have it.

 

Also if you think you can waltz into a US Embassy/Consulate during regular business hours and walk out 15 minutes late with a temporary passport, then I have some nice beach front property to sell you.

[BillB48]

I'm sure everyone would agree that, for any good government reg to be completely successful it needs to be interpreted in at least two different ways. Usually the more contradiciting the better;). I would like to take what SueL has stated as being the correct version but I have read CBP page (http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/inspections_carriers_facilities/closed_loop_faq.xml) that doesn't exactly spell it our as clearly as I would like. This all has to do with ships stopping in Belize, Panama and Costa Rica. It does not address if a ship includes one of those stops, does it then become a non-closed loop cruise? Conversely if it includes a "contigous/adjacent" stop does it then become a closed looper? The problem is compounded by a paragraph from this website, (http://cruiseislandtravel.suite101.com/article.cfm/cruises_that_do_not_require_a_passport ) the paragraph in question is this;

 

"A passport is also required if the cruise itinerary visits ports that are not contiguous territories such as Costa Rica, Belize or Panama (neither of these share a border with the U.S.). This rule also applies even when the port of embarkation and disembarkation are the same U.S. port, in the case of some Panama Canal cruises."

 

Of course we all know that you can believe everything we read on the internet, specially when it's on Cruise Critic....;):D! I don't have a dog in this fight whatsoever, just would like to find out what the last word is. I must have been a low level bureaucrat in another time:eek:.

[jahcruiser5]

Official BC with raised seal, and a government issued photo ID will be fine for that. Worst case scenario would be that he had to leave the ship in The Bahamas and fly home, and might have some explaining to do when he got back to the US.

While this seem like splitting hairs, and it's really coming down to semantics here, this is slightly incorrect.

 

If you are going to use your birth certificate and driver's license (or other laminated photo ID issued by federal, state, or local government) as your travel documentation, the birth certificate must be the original or a certified copy. The raised seal is not necessary, as my certified copy (that I used to obtain a passport) did not have a raised seal, just a stamped (as in stamped in ink) seal. I'm pretty sure no one can get his or her original birth certificate, so any birth certificate being used is a copy. It just has to be a certified copy.

 

Now, that being said: GET A PASSPORT! The mere convenience of a passport makes it worth the money (it's valid for 10 years, so that's something like $10 a year you end up paying for it), and these days the turn around is a few weeks.

 

When my wife and I were waiting in line to check in for our cruise a while back, we got stuck behind the "I know I put the birth certificates and photo IDs in this huge carry-on bag somewhere" lady. She eventually stepped out of line to locate her things while I reached into the front pocket of my book bag and whipped out our passports. The most trouble I had to go through was actually opening the passports to see which was mine and which was my wife's.

 

Also, now that we have passports, we're not as hesitant to plan trips where we will actually need them. It's very freeing, really.

 

- J

[Mustang1956]

We just realized our passports expired in March. We are leaving on Liberty OTS on June 27. If we are at the passport office on Tuesday will we get our passports in time?

[Silque1964]

Now, that being said: GET A PASSPORT! The mere convenience of a passport makes it worth the money (it's valid for 10 years, so that's something like $10 a year you end up paying for it), and these days the turn around is a few weeks.

 

When my wife and I were waiting in line to check in for our cruise a while back, we got stuck behind the "I know I put the birth certificates and photo IDs in this huge carry-on bag somewhere" lady. She eventually stepped out of line to locate her things while I reached into the front pocket of my book bag and whipped out our passports. The most trouble I had to go through was actually opening the passports to see which was mine and which was my wife's.

 

Also, now that we have passports, we're not as hesitant to plan trips where we will actually need them. It's very freeing, really.

 

Yeah, that's great for you. But we're planning a surprise cruise for my step-son's 18th birthday. He knows we cruise. If we trot him off to get the pictures, and then run off to the passport office, he's going to figure it out. Kind of defeats the "surprise", ya know? ;)

[rxmurphy]

Yeah, that's great for you. But we're planning a surprise cruise for my step-son's 18th birthday. He knows we cruise. If we trot him off to get the pictures, and then run off to the passport office, he's going to figure it out. Kind of defeats the "surprise", ya know? ;)

Unless he lives with you and you know for sure, better make sure he doesn't already have one. And if he does not you can just say that all adults need one, so here you go. No need to give a reason beyond that.

[TPKeller]

The government sure makes this harder than it has to be. The problem is that the "Closed Loop" status applies to countries that are defined to be within the "Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative" area, which they can define to be anything they want it to be, and change whenever they see fit.

 

As noted, for the most part, if you are a US Citizen, returning to the same port from which you sailed, a Photo ID and certified copy of a birth certificate are fine. There are the fear mongers who will point out that you may end up stuck in a foreign country without a passport... you can see those folks when you cruise there, they are the ones living in tent cities right beside the pier. ;)

 

Everyone knows that having a passport is better. We don't need to state the obvious over and over again. There will always be people in circumstances for which a passport is either not possible, or not financially feasible. These are legitimate questions, and they deserve honest answers.

 

Theron

[MrsPete]

When my wife and I were waiting in line to check in for our cruise a while back, we got stuck behind the "I know I put the birth certificates and photo IDs in this huge carry-on bag somewhere" lady. She eventually stepped out of line to locate her things while I reached into the front pocket of my book bag and whipped out our passports.

In all fairness, it sounds like this person's problem wasn't the lack of a passport so much as a lack of organization. Regardless of what type of ID you're carrying, it only makes sense to store it in an outside pocket (or similar) so that it's easy to find it.

[MrsPete]

Yeah, that's great for you. But we're planning a surprise cruise for my step-son's 18th birthday. He knows we cruise. If we trot him off to get the pictures, and then run off to the passport office, he's going to figure it out. Kind of defeats the "surprise", ya know? ;)

You don't have to go anywhere to get the pictures made. Google "taking your own passport pictures".

 

I think you could do it on the sly without him knowing. If nothing else, pretend that you're having trouble with your camera's focus and ask him to be a subject for you.

[TahoeBob]

 

 

When my wife and I were waiting in line to check in for our cruise a while back, we got stuck behind the "I know I put the birth certificates and photo IDs in this huge carry-on bag somewhere" lady. She eventually stepped out of line to locate her things while I reached into the front pocket of my book bag and whipped out our passports. The most trouble I had to go through was actually opening the passports to see which was mine and which was my wife's.

 

 

- J

,You were blaming your delay the fact that the lady did not have a passport, The truth is a passport would not have helped het at all. If someone is so stupid not to know where there papers it would not have mattered if it was BC or a PP. there would have been a delay. I have been on 5 cruises all with a BC and a DL, I know where they are at all times.

I have had less trouble that you because my wife carries her dl and BC, and I carry mine, don't even have to look....

[danp]

Talking about Passports,we needed to renew ours,we sent our old one two weeks ago and received, our NEW ones with the new chip,today.Just two weeks.

[Leiriope]

You don't have to go anywhere to get the pictures made. Google "taking your own passport pictures".

 

I think you could do it on the sly without him knowing. If nothing else, pretend that you're having trouble with your camera's focus and ask him to be a subject for you.

 

You have to be careful though. I tried that, using a white sheet as my background, but there were some "wrinkles" in the sheet and the passport office wouldn't accept my pictures. The background has to be perfect, as does the coloring on the pictures.

[TPKeller]

You don't have to go anywhere to get the pictures made. Google "taking your own passport pictures".

 

I think you could do it on the sly without him knowing. If nothing else, pretend that you're having trouble with your camera's focus and ask him to be a subject for you.

You have to either know what you are doing, or get real lucky. The State Department has a whole set of guidelines for meeting the requirements for the photo:

 

http://travel.state.gov/passport/guide/guide_2081.html

 

Theron

[EVALUATOR]

You don't have to go anywhere to get the pictures made. Google "taking your own passport pictures".

 

I think you could do it on the sly without him knowing. If nothing else, pretend that you're having trouble with your camera's focus and ask him to be a subject for you.

 

He is still going to have to sign the application form. That might give him a clue.

[Silque1964]

He is still going to have to sign the application form. That might give him a clue.

 

Exactly. Which is why we're just using his BC & DL.

[waterbug123]

He is still going to have to sign the application form. That might give him a clue.

 

And he has to sign in the presence of the official at wherever you (he) are applying. No way to fake that.