passports for children?

[Cruisin'Col]

We are taking our children & six grandchildren on a cruise out of Galveston to Progresso & Cozumel. None of them has a passport. The parents plan to bring the birth certificates, but only the 16 yr. old has a picture ID. And no, the schools don't offer them. So is it necessary for them all to get a passport? Also, the father of one of them is taking his son, is it necessary for him to get a notarized letter from the divorced mother? Another thing, my daughter has a different last name that her daughter. The father died in a fire. Is it necessary for her to get the death certificate? Getting all those children passports would be pricey.

[seashinesunshine]

Yes it would be pricey, but worth it. Travel outside of the USA is not what it was a few years ago. You can go on a closed loop cruise without a passport, but it is not something I would do. The bottom line is, you cannot fly home without a passport. Even in an emergency.

You will find many different opinions on this. The issue has been brought up many times.

[JohninDC]

It's worth investing in passports for the children - too many horror stories on these boards of folks showing up for a cruise only to find out that one of the birth certificates they thought was good was not official/stamped/etc.:eek:

 

Besides the father needing authorization you may also need authorization along with a medical power of attorney for any of your grandchildren travelling without both parents -- the Carnival web site provides good guidance on what documentation is required. Good luck! :)

[Julienatul]

We always get passports for our kids. It may be a hassle but very worth it to have them. Then you know you can never be denied boarding.

[bunchesofun]

Both our children have passports (11 yo and 16 yo) but we went ahead and got them state issued non driver IDs. We intend on carrying photocopies of our passports and keeping the books in the cabin safe. Overkill perhaps, but cheap enough.

[yst347]

The children under 16 do not need photo Id for your cruise, just their birth certificates. The 16 year-old does need photo Id in addition to birth certificate.

 

Passports are a good idea and if you can afford them I suggest doing so, but they are not required.

[tattoos]

My grandson has been cruising with me since he was a young child and a Passport was the first thing I insisted my daughter obtain for him. I always bring a notarized letter from my daughter granting permission for my grandson to travel with me and also granting me the right to make any and all decisions for his care in a medical emergency. After all the planning and expense of a cruise, I cover all my bases when he cruises with me and leave nothing to chance or interpretation. A divorced parent should always obtain a notarized permission letter from their estranged spouse to take their child out of the country. Sometimes you will not be asked for these items but I have been asked more often than not. There is no way I want to be denied boarding because I don't have the correct documents.

[RoadTripFanatic]

Yes, your son will need a notarized letter from the child's mother stating he can take the child out of the country. It should also have the appropriate dates on the letter. As for your daughter's child who's father has passed away, your daughter needs to bring a legal copy of the death certificate. I'd rather be safe than sorry.

[screwsmcernst]

Both our children have passports (11 yo and 16 yo) but we went ahead and got them state issued non driver IDs. We intend on carrying photocopies of our passports and keeping the books in the cabin safe. Overkill perhaps, but cheap enough.

 

You may already know this, but photo copies of passports can not be used as identification. All it will prove is that you do have one, and it will help with getting it replaced at an embassy/consulate. And then you will still need a photo id also.

[silkhair1]

We got them for our kids and it has made travel a lot easier!

[lroche_nf]

I would get passports for everyone. You will need a letter for the single dad to travel with his child I think. Your daugther should bring the death certificate just in case. A friend's sister in law has a different last name then her kids and gets stopped all the time when she's travelling alone with them. She always has a letter with her.

[Jolimont]

I would get the passports. Imagine the father or mother of one of these children get hit by a bus and you need to get home in a hurry with a flight from Mexico or wherever outside the US. They will not let the children on a flight without a passport. Cruise lines have different rules for the time being, but if you need to fly home for any reason, you need the passports.

[crusinpsychRN]

An option might be passport cards, $30.

[lesters]

Its also very important for married parents to have the same letter authorizing them to be taking the child out of the country without the other parent.

 

On a recent trip from Canada into the US this summer for a dance convention one of the moms was travelling with her 16 yo daughter. They did not have a letter from her husband they the daughter was questioned privately about their travel plans and it was a bit of an ordeal to get them accross the US border.

 

As its pointed out numerous times on this board its better to be safe than sorry!!!

[hoop4321]

still can't fly with a passport card.

 

We have a passport for our son. We are cruising in july with friends and they asked me if they needed a passport. I said no, a birth certificate would do, but if there was an accident or they needed to return home quickly, and needed to fly they would be unable to with out the passport book. They applied ( and now have received) their passports, and they were very excited . I know it is a huge what if....but i would rather not gamble that i would need it. As a plus.....a passport is a powerful document. It cut out a lot of documentation my son needed to obtain his driving licence. Woot for us:) After a recent move, my office is still in boxes.....ick!

[Mary Ellen1]

An option might be passport cards, $30.

 

My understanding of the passport cards is they're more limited than traditional passports, but I think they'd work for a Caribbean cruise (not Europe or other areas, though). BUT, I don't think you can use the to fly home from a foreign port, should you ever need to.

 

My opinion re: the OP's question is contrary to most of the rest: For the price of passports for all those kids, you could probably take another cruise. You'll be fine with birth certificates, as long as you're sure they're the properly certified ones.

 

If you're ever in a situation where you *need* passports to fly home from a foreign port, then you've got bigger problems on your hands (and I'm sure you'll get insurance for that, right?). At that point, you could always obtain emergency passports from the nearest foreign consulate. But I think the chances of all that happening are pretty remote...

 

My humble $.02.

[Warm Breezes]

My understanding of the passport cards is they're more limited than traditional passports, but I think they'd work for a Caribbean cruise (not Europe or other areas, though). BUT, I don't think you can use the to fly home from a foreign port, should you ever need to.

 

My opinion re: the OP's question is contrary to most of the rest: For the price of passports for all those kids, you could probably take another cruise. You'll be fine with birth certificates, as long as you're sure they're the properly certified ones.

 

If you're ever in a situation where you *need* passports to fly home from a foreign port, then you've got bigger problems on your hands (and I'm sure you'll get insurance for that, right?). At that point, you could always obtain emergency passports from the nearest foreign consulate. But I think the chances of all that happening are pretty remote...

 

My humble $.02.

 

I agree. Passports are not required on a closed loop cruise and the chances you will need one to fly home is slim and came be overcome by going to the US Embassy.

 

To the OP, everyone without a passport needs a certified birth certificate from your state of birth's department of vital statistics. Everyone 16 and older need a valid government issued photo ID. A certified death certificate is needed for the father who is deceased. Notarized letters are needed from the parents not traveling with you. It is your responsibilty to make sure you have the proper documentation...which does not have to be a passport on a closed loop cruise.

[travelbumsboston]

Hubby and I take our grandson on cruises with us. We got him a passport, they last for 5 years for children. His father is also deceased and we bring a notarized letter signed by his mother (last names are different) indicating that we have permission to take him with us. We list the flight numbers and name of the cruise ship along with itinerary. We also add the authorization for us to seek medical attention etc for him if necessary. I also bring along a copy of his father's death certificate. Carnival never questioned anything except for the last cruise out of Baltimore and they just took copies of the authorizations and we were all set. We took him to Cozumel, Belize, Grand Cayman, Roatan and a few more islands and they never asked for any documentation other than the passports and sign and sail cards when getting back on board at these ports. While I realize it is an expense to get the passports I think its well worth it. You just never know what can happen. Give Carnival a call and ask them specifically what you need and then take it from there. The kids will love cruising and I bet will want to take along with you again.

[ocntscha]

We are taking our children & six grandchildren on a cruise out of Galveston to Progresso & Cozumel. None of them has a passport. The parents plan to bring the birth certificates' date=' but only the 16 yr. old has a picture ID. And no, the schools don't offer them. So is it necessary for them all to get a passport? Also, the father of one of them is taking his son, is it necessary for him to get a notarized letter from the divorced mother? Another thing, my daughter has a different last name that her daughter. The father died in a fire. Is it necessary for her to get the death certificate? Getting all those children passports would be pricey.[/quote']

Only kids 16 or over need government issued photo id in conjunction with a birth certificate. For the younger kids the birth certificate is all that is necessary.

 

I'm not sure if the notarized letters when both parent aren't traveling is a requirement but it is at least recommended. Notary fees are cheap to free.

 

Here's a form letter we used when we took our nephew that you can print out, fill out, and get notarized..

 

http://www.***************/permission_ltr.htm

 

Hmm, cruise critic is censoring that URL for some reason. Stupid.

 

take out the blanks..

 

http://www.c r u i s e d i v a.com/permission_ltr.htm

[orthonurse]

Our first cruise with kids last year and one of the first things I did was get them passports. It's the safest way to travel and ensure there won't be any issues. For kids under a certain age - 16 I believe, they are cheaper than the normal one because they are only good for 5 years. (which was my case with one of my daughters)

[salty dingo]

If something happens (like a medical issue) and you have to fly back, birth certificates are not accepted by the USA. The children without passports will not be automatically deemed to be US Citizens and you will be in for a hassle, and the children will probably will not be allowed to board the flight.

 

Insurance won't help, since "governmental regulation" are in the exclusions of all insurance policies.

 

Not worth the risk, IMHO.

[JennLuvs2Cruise]

I have to agree that it is worth having a passport. It will give you a sense of security in case an emergency occurs.

[cherylandtk]

We are taking our children & six grandchildren on a cruise out of Galveston to Progresso & Cozumel. None of them has a passport. The parents plan to bring the birth certificates' date=' but only the 16 yr. old has a picture ID. And no, the schools don't offer them. So is it necessary for them all to get a passport? Also, the father of one of them is taking his son, is it necessary for him to get a notarized letter from the divorced mother? Another thing, my daughter has a different last name that her daughter. The father died in a fire. Is it necessary for her to get the death certificate? Getting all those children passports would be pricey.[/quote']Depends on what you mean by 'necessary'. If you mean 'legally necessary' the answer is no. If you mean 'necessary in case of emergency' then the answer is yes.

 

If both parents are not traveling the parent who is should bring along notarized permission to travel or proof of death of the absent parent. In the case of GD with the different last name, she should bring along her BC and father's death certificate even if she gets a passport, to show both parentage and permission.

[zqvol]

We are taking our children & six grandchildren on a cruise out of Galveston to Progresso & Cozumel. None of them has a passport. The parents plan to bring the birth certificates' date=' but only the 16 yr. old has a picture ID. And no, the schools don't offer them. So is it necessary for them all to get a passport? Also, the father of one of them is taking his son, is it necessary for him to get a notarized letter from the divorced mother? Another thing, my daughter has a different last name that her daughter. The father died in a fire. Is it necessary for her to get the death certificate? Getting all those children passports would be pricey.[/quote']

 

Since no one is able or willing to actually answer your questions let me see if I can help.

 

Children under 16 are not required to have photo IDs. No need to worry about that at all.

 

The father should have approval from the mother before attempting to board the ship, in the form of a notarized letter authorizing the travel. While it is not always asked for, it might be and you can be denied boarding if you do not have it.

 

Same thing about the death certificate. It will probably not be needed but it is much easier to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.

 

There is no requirement that you buy passports, or passcards.

 

Get the two documents and go have a good time!

[zqvol]

Only kids 16 or over need government issued photo id in conjunction with a birth certificate. For the younger kids the birth certificate is all that is necessary.

 

I'm not sure if the notarized letters when both parent aren't traveling is a requirement but it is at least recommended. Notary fees are cheap to free.

 

Here's a form letter we used when we took our nephew that you can print out, fill out, and get notarized..

 

http://www.***************/permission_ltr.htm

 

Hmm, cruise critic is censoring that URL for some reason. Stupid.

 

take out the blanks..

 

http://www.c r u i s e d i v a.com/permission_ltr.htm

 

The URL is censored because that is a competitor.