Passports -- it is really necessary?

[sparks1093]

Give me $25 and a ride to Kinkos and I can produce a birth certificate - in one hour - that looks better than the real one you have, including a raised seal.

Anybody can get a US Drivers License. Take the fake birth certificate to the local State Agency, take a driving and written tests that any moron can pass, pay the $20 fee and have them mail it to a friends home address.

In a sense you are right. I can produce a fake birth certificate in one hour and absolutely establish anyone in the world as a US Citizen.

 

And your point is? Government regulations state that when travelling on a closed loop cruise a birth certificate and drivers license is all that is needed for a US citizen. Does that mean that someone can travel anywhere in the world on a birth certificate? Absolutely not, although those two documents are necessary to apply for a passport with which one can travel the world. (And if anyone read my comments to say that a birth certificate establishes US citizenship anywhere in the world then you've read too much into what I've said.)

 

DHS enacted the exception because the threat to the national security posed by US citizens travelling under these circusmstances is low. Someone could do what you say is easily done, but why would they risk it? Presumably they aren't a US citizen, which means they don't have sufficient travel documentation to take a cruise, so they are going to fake all of this documentation in order to leave the US so that they can come back into the US and hope they don't attract the attention of the authorities. Yep, that makes sense to me;). As DHS determined the risk of someone doing all of this is low.

[sparks1093]

If a person has to wait until an opportunity presents itself to travel internationally, than that person will be able to go only on trips that are planned well in advance, because it takes time to get a passport.

 

That's how most people travel, by planning well in advance. Few people are able to travel, particularly international, at the drop of a hat. And FWIW one of my sons just obtained his passport. Got it in under 7 days:).

[Amberle3]

Actually there are a LARGE number of people who book cruises and AI vacations with less than a week's notice. It might not be the majority of people, but it's a significant number. Having a passport allows them to take advantage of the incredible deals that come along now and then.

[sparks1093]

Actually there are a LARGE number of people who book cruises and AI vacations with less than a week's notice. It might not be the majority of people, but it's a significant number. Having a passport allows them to take advantage of the incredible deals that come along now and then.

 

And they have analyzed their own individual needs and decided that a passport best fits those needs. At this point in my life I cannot travel that way so obtaining a passport does nothing for me.

[spookwife]

Get the passport card if you are on a budget, it is cheaper and smaller than the BOOK, and has all the valid uses and YES, i've used it at airports and have had no problem, TSA prefers it.

 

a PP card is only good for international LAND travel between Mexico and Canada and was designed for people who travel frequently by car to and from those countries and the US.

 

it is NOT valid for any other form or type of international travel. to use it at an airport as a form of ID you are flying domestic.

[mlsully]

We are a family of four and we debated on whether or not to get passports (our cruise was closed loop and didn't require). In the end, we determined it was just another fee for "insurance" in case we needed it. I applied for all four on April 16th and received them on April 28th. Very fast - and while it's not required, we have it should we need it. I would have been SOOOO mad at myself should something have happened to us and we needed them and we didn't have them.

[sparks1093]

a PP card is only good for international LAND travel between Mexico and Canada and was designed for people who travel frequently by car to and from those countries and the US.

 

it is NOT valid for any other form or type of international travel. to use it at an airport as a form of ID you are flying domestic.

 

Here's the direct quote from http://travel.state.gov/passport/ppt_card/ppt_card_3926.html :

 

"The U.S. Passport Card can be used to enter the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda at land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry and is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book. The passport card cannot be used for international travel by air."

[surrocruiser]

I think it depends on your situation. As a travel agent, I am in the minority in saying not everyone will benefit from a passport and insurance. (I'm sure there are many people on these boards who will disagree with me)

 

Weigh the pros and cons, be aware of the consequences of getting them or not and be prepared in any way you can. Then enjoy your trip.

[EdmPair]

Calm down. Its a forum so the act of posting a question invites answers. Its how this works. Reread the OP and part of the concern was saving money. I do not now consider my comment off topic in the least and did not when I posted it.

[TxDiamondCruiser]

We never sail with a passport (Caribbean closed loops!)....your BC and DL will be just fine. In the event of some emergency, you WILL get home...no fear. It may be a bit of a hassle, but none of those countries will allow you to stay...so home you will go.

 

FINALLY...a voice of reason.

Thank you for being kind and not assuming that I was just being cheap. I realize if something happens it will be a pain in the butt to get home but I am confident we will be fine and will get home.

[calliopecruiser]

FINALLY...a voice of reason.

 

LOL! Most posters have offered voices of reason.....they just didn't tell you what you wanted to hear so you thought they were unreasonable!

[janice2348]

Resounding yes! That's the first thing they ask you. It really is easier.

[Kamloops50]

Depends on where you're going. Driving to and from Canada works with a birth certificate. Flying in and out of a foreign country requires a passport. If it's a closed-loop cruise to Mexico, however, embarking and disembarking from the same U.S. port, you can get by with a birth certificate. Even then, though, if you need to fly home from a port in a foreign country for emergency reasons, you will need a passport. Everything you need to know is here:

 

http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html

 

The best thing to do is follow the advice of your cruise line, airline, and country you are visiting.

 

Personally, in this day and age, I wouldn't travel out of the country without one, and I think it's well worth the expense. At least you know you're prepared for anything.

 

Currently you might be requested to produce a passport when you drive back into the US from Canada . We have friends that live in the US near Portland Or . They are asked for there passports every time the cross the border back to the US. Passports are recommended for travel to and from Canada but are not required. Now if you fly out of Canada into the US you will be required to produce a passport to board the plane.

NOT AN OPTION FOR FLYING.

[Gonzo70]

LOL! Most posters have offered voices of reason.....they just didn't tell you what you wanted to hear so you thought they were unreasonable!

 

Well said. I would NEVER leave the US without my passport. The vast majority of people on this thread seem to feel similar. At least a few of us must be reasonable. :D

[njhorseman]

Currently you might be requested to produce a passport when you drive back into the US from Canada . We have friends that live in the US near Portland Or . They are asked for there passports every time the cross the border back to the US. Passports are recommended for travel to and from Canada but are not required. Now if you fly out of Canada into the US you will be required to produce a passport to board the plane.

NOT AN OPTION FOR FLYING.

 

Not "might". You will be requested to produce a passport, or WHTI compliant document such as a passport card or Enhanced Drivers License when driving between the US and Canada in either direction. A birth certificate has not been acceptable for several years. The misinformation provided by the poster you are quoting was corrected immediately after the post was originally made days ago...and the poster even subsequently acknowledged they were wrong.

[njhorseman]

Well said. I would NEVER leave the US without my passport. The vast majority of people on this thread seem to feel similar. At least a few of us must be reasonable. :D

 

I wouldn't go out of the country without my passport either, but that doesn't mean you're not permitted to take a closed loop cruise using a proper birth certificate and drivers license...and it's quite reasonable to acknowledge that fact and confirm to the OP that it's perfectly legal to do so.

 

What I find unreasonable is the constant holier-than-thou preaching by many posters whenever this question is asked. I'm willing to assume that the person asking the question is an intelligent adult capable of making their own decisions when presented with the facts, not someone who needs a finger wagged at them as if they're an unruly child.

[Algebralovr]

The other reason to have passports is simply speed at getting through Customs at the end of your cruise. On the last 2 cruises I've taken, we had passports. What I saw was that everyone US citizen who had a passport was pretty much waived on through after a quick glance. The people who were traveling on DL and BC were often looked at more closely. Particularly those with minor children traveling only on a BC. I also believe the passport is easy insurance. We bought them for all 4 of us about 4.5 years ago and they don't hurt anything.

[sparks1093]

I wouldn't go out of the country without my passport either, but that doesn't mean you're not permitted to take a closed loop cruise using a proper birth certificate and drivers license...and it's quite reasonable to acknowledge that fact and confirm to the OP that it's perfectly legal to do so.

 

What I find unreasonable is the constant holier-than-thou preaching by many posters whenever this question is asked. I'm willing to assume that the person asking the question is an intelligent adult capable of making their own decisions when presented with the facts, not someone who needs a finger wagged at them as if they're an unruly child.

 

Very well said.

[Amberle3]

I'll also point out that any country can change their entry requirements at any time without notice. It doesn't happen often, but it does happen. At least twice in the last few years I've seen alerts from DFAIT on countries changing their entry requirements with little to no notice.

 

Is it *really necessary* to have a passport? No, in that it's not required. But it's not required to have travel insurance either, just like in some places it's not required to have homeowners or renter's insurance. But "not required" doesn't mean it's not a good idea to have it anyway.

[calliopecruiser]

Is it *really necessary* to have a passport? No, in that it's not required. But it's not required to have travel insurance either, just like in some places it's not required to have homeowners or renter's insurance. But "not required" doesn't mean it's not a good idea to have it anyway.

 

That's exactly the way I thought of it.......what would have been the response if someone posted to ask if travel medical insurance was really necessary when leaving the country on vacation?

[njhorseman]

That's exactly the way I thought of it.......what would have been the response if someone posted to ask if travel medical insurance was really necessary when leaving the country on vacation?

 

A correct answer would say that you should check whether your health insurance covers you when you're outside the country...which some policies do. So, if your insurance covers you when outside the country it's possible you may not need or want to buy travel medical insurance, but you should know that in most cases you will have to pay for any medical expenses up front and then seek reimbursement from your insurer later. (There are actually some health insurers that also have agreements with some hospitals in foreign countries, and would be accepted abroad...although this isn't that common.)

[calliopecruiser]

A correct answer would say that you should check whether your health insurance covers you when you're outside the country...which some policies do. So, if your insurance covers you when outside the country it's possible you may not need or want to buy travel medical insurance,

 

Actually, the answer in that case is that you already have travel medical insurance as part of your current policy.......not the same as saying you don't need or want it.

[njhorseman]

Actually, the answer in that case is that you already have travel medical insurance as part of your current policy.......not the same as saying you don't need or want it.

 

No, you have medical insurance that provides coverage out of the country, not "travel medical insurance." In both common parlance and terminology normally used in the insurance industry, the term "travel medical insurance" refers to a specific type of coverage that is sold separately or as part of a trip insurance package policy (or in some cases possibly provided through another source such as a credit card) that is not a part of your health insurance.

 

I plead guilty to being a bit pedantic for making this distinction, but my response is driven by the years I spent in the insurance and travel industries.

[sparks1093]

That's exactly the way I thought of it.......what would have been the response if someone posted to ask if travel medical insurance was really necessary when leaving the country on vacation?

 

My answer would be the same- it is not necessary and is contingent upon your personal level of risk as analyzed by yourself.

[calliopecruiser]

My answer would be the same- it is not necessary and is contingent upon your personal level of risk as analyzed by yourself.

 

Absolutely - you can answer with such a comment that basically says "I'm not going to offer you my opinion", but others may choose to offer their opinions in answer to the OP's question.