passports for kids? mexico?

[melika091900]

we will be traveling on carnival pride to mexico in november, i was wondering if children need passports or just a birth certificate? this is our 1st cruise with our 5 year old daughter,, any info id appreciate...

thank you

melissa

[StacyandTim]

As of December 31, 2007 all persons traveling out of the United States will require passports.

 

You will be fine for November!

 

Be sure to get them some passports though once you get back from your vacation.

 

:)

 

Smooth sailing....

 

Stacy

[StacyandTim]

BTW ~ make sure the children's birth certificates are the 8.5x11 type with a raised seal.

[melika091900]

Thanks for the info,, do we need the Birth certificate only??? to travel with her ???

have a great cruise tomorrow , and happy birthday

[StacyandTim]

Yes, birth certificates alone are sufficient. My daughter went on a cruise with my sister last May and all I packed was her birth certificate and a letter for her to authorize medical treatment if necessary.

 

You're all set!

[StacyandTim]

Because it is YOUR child, you will just need her birth certificate.

 

Have fun!!

[melika091900]

thanks :)

 

you too.!!!!!!! have a great time !!!

[kanyon24]

Just make sure its a certified copy of the birth certificate not all counties use raised seal birth certificates.

[artemese]

As of December 31, 2007 all persons traveling out of the United States will require passports.

 

You will be fine for November!

 

Be sure to get them some passports though once you get back from your vacation.

 

:)

 

Smooth sailing....

 

Stacy

 

isn't it dec. 31, 2006??? i think that is what you meant... it is what i have heard anyway:)

[Cuizer2]

I would recommend that you do get a passport. However, here are the current passport requirements from the Carnival web site ...

 

What are the new passport requirements?

 

On 9/2/05, the U.S. State Department revised the original proposed "Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative." The proposed rules will require ALL U.S. and Canadian Citizens to carry a passport (unexpired) for travel to or from certain countries/areas that were previously exempt. This includes children and infants.

 

The proposed implementation is as follows:

 

* December 31, 2006 - Passport required for all air and sea travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda. Note: This will affect guests traveling on cruises that return to the U.S. after 12/30/06.

 

* December 31, 2007 - Passport required for all land border crossings as well as air and sea travel. Note: This will affect guests traveling on cruises that return to the U.S. after 12/30/07.

 

Once the proposed rules are finalized - either in their current form or a modified form - the cruise industry will communicate that information to our travel agent partners and guests. In the meantime, individuals with future travel plans that would be affected by the proposed new rules are strongly encouraged to obtain a passport now.

 

You may print a passport application or get additional information from the government on this subject by visiting: http://travel.state.gov/passport

 

Please check back on our web site for future updates.

[Darkkskyzz]

BTW ~ make sure the children's birth certificates are the 8.5x11 type with a raised seal.

 

Just a quick note on this....because I did get a passport for my daughter and I thought this same thing and got a little tweaky...

I was looking at mine and my husbands birth certificate and we are both born in Massachusetts...and they are 8.5X11...but my North Carolina born daughter's is a funny size (still with the raised seal). After multiple calls to the court house in NC...come to find out that this state ONLY has the one size form...no long or short form...just the one I had. OK...went and applied for the passports no problem. Did bring the courthouse number with me just in case.

SO...moral of the story....birth certificates are different sizes and shapes for different states.

My last 3 cruises I used my short form...size of an index card...still with the raised seal, just fine. I got a long form for passport purposes.

Sorry for the novel! :)

[candigirl41]

When we travelled with birth certificates in the past they did not need to be 8.5 x 11. The state issues them a certain way if they are certified you should have no problem.

 

Candi

[pickpart2]

Mellissa,

 

The passport might not be necessary for many travelers now that the United States is planning to introduce a new "travel card" similar to a driver’s license that would allow U.S. citizens to visit Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. Currently only Twenty-three percent of U.S. citizens, or 62 million people, hold U.S. passports. Personally I will wait until they make up their minds.

 

You may also want to read the US department of state requirements for a minor.

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/minors/minors_834.html

 

Published: 01.18.2006

 

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration, bowing to grumbling from U.S. border communities, announced plans on Tuesday to enable U.S. citizens to crisscross U.S. borders with Canada and Mexico with a new $50 "travel card" similar to a driver's license rather than requiring a $97 U.S. passport. The cruise industry, with popular routes from U.S. ports to the Caribbean and Mexico, could be especially hurt if passport regulations deter vacationers. A $399 cruise could turn into a $496 cruise with the added cost of a passport.

 

 

President Bush signed the measure into law on Dec. 17, 2004. Asked about the controversial passport requirement four months later, Bush expressed surprise that passports would be required for U.S. citizens and said he hoped to find "a better way to expedite (the) legal flow of traffic and people."

[spookwife]

just out of curiosity, for how long would this 'travel card' be good for?

 

Passports are good for ten years, and unless things have changed over the last five, a renewal is less expensive than getting a new one. of course, when we got ours in 2003 for our move to Japan, they were only like $60 and not the current $97....

 

The requirement for Mexico and Canada has been pushed back to the end of this year as opposed to the beginning...second thing our TA asked us was did we have passports. We booked our cruise over the holiday period last year. her first question was where did we want to go, second was to make sure if we didn't , we'd have to order them immediately to make sure they got to us in time.

 

I just wish I could change the picture on mine now instead of waiting until 2013.. It was taken the day after I had 2 wisdom teeth removed.. talk about chipmunk cheeks...:eek:

[melika091900]

thank you all for the information :D

[karen116]

We went on the Legend in December and I got passports for all of us. Just keep in mind that the childrens passports are only good for 5 years, adult passports are good for 10 years. The cost was a little bit less but not much! After we got the passports we found out that we wouldn't need them for that trip, but after december of 06 they will be needed.

[newmexicoNita]

Just make sure its a certified copy of the birth certificate not all counties use raised seal birth certificates.

Kanyon, I am so glad you pointed that out. The term raised seal is so misleading. The travel agency I used to work for insisted we use that term: do you know how many people we dealt with who were almost in tears cause their state did not have raised seals? The word government issued or certified is the key. NMnita

[newmexicoNita]

isn't it dec. 31, 2006??? i think that is what you meant... it is what i have heard anyway:)

that's it: Jan 2007. NMnita ps: some cruise lines are starting to require them now.

[newmexicoNita]

Mellissa,

 

The passport might not be necessary for many travelers now that the United States is planning to introduce a new "travel card" similar to a driver’s license that would allow U.S. citizens to visit Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. Currently only Twenty-three percent of U.S. citizens, or 62 million people, hold U.S. passports. Personally I will wait until they make up their minds.

 

You may also want to read the US department of state requirements for a minor.

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/minors/minors_834.html

 

Published: 01.18.2006

 

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration, bowing to grumbling from U.S. border communities, announced plans on Tuesday to enable U.S. citizens to crisscross U.S. borders with Canada and Mexico with a new $50 "travel card" similar to a driver's license rather than requiring a $97 U.S. passport. The cruise industry, with popular routes from U.S. ports to the Caribbean and Mexico, could be especially hurt if passport regulations deter vacationers. A $399 cruise could turn into a $496 cruise with the added cost of a passport.

 

 

President Bush signed the measure into law on Dec. 17, 2004. Asked about the controversial passport requirement four months later, Bush expressed surprise that passports would be required for U.S. citizens and said he hoped to find "a better way to expedite (the) legal flow of traffic and people."

No matter what: a passport is always worth the cost. It is the only truely accepted form of ID throughout the world. Just for ease purposes. Do you have any idea what a pain it is to carry a piece of paper all folded up all over the Caribbean? NMnita

[joepeka]

No matter what: a passport is always worth the cost. It is the only truely accepted form of ID throughout the world. Just for ease purposes. Do you have any idea what a pain it is to carry a piece of paper all folded up all over the Caribbean? NMnita

Obligatory visit to the current 'passport' thread.

Get a passport and put all the questions and concerns about the right kind of BC and when/where passports are required behind you. Yes, the price of passports went up recently but the peace of mind is worth much more.

[Naismith]

Be sure to get them some passports though once you get back from your vacation.

 

I'm not so sure about this. Given how must faster the childrens' passports expire (only good for 5 years), I don't always keep a valid one for my children; instead, I wait until a few months before we are going to be doing another trip outside out the country.

 

Our children only travel abroad every 2-3 years, so it doesn't make sense for us to have one on general principle.

 

Of course, if you live near a border, or want to be prepared to take advantage of last-minute travel specials, that is a compelling reason.

[pickpart2]

No matter what: a passport is always worth the cost. It is the only truely accepted form of ID throughout the world. Just for ease purposes. Do you have any idea what a pain it is to carry a piece of paper all folded up all over the Caribbean? NMnita

 

For around the world the passport is the only accepted ID, HOWEVER lets remember HOW this thread was started.

"traveling on carnival pride to mexico in november"

Plus once your checked into the boat you Don't need to carry your birthcertificate with you on the islands of port.

[kanyon24]

Kanyon, I am so glad you pointed that out. The term raised seal is so misleading. The travel agency I used to work for insisted we use that term: do you know how many people we dealt with who were almost in tears cause their state did not have raised seals? The word government issued or certified is the key. NMnita

Yeah I went to get my birth certificate a couple weeks ago and when she handed it to me I notice it did not have a raised seal. I said I needed a raised seal one and she told me that the county of San Diego issues only the watermark kind, and it will be ok for travel.

[GE Mom]

I think the rules for Mexico are strict about ensuring that both parents are either present or have consented in writing (notarized) to the child's travel. If both parents are not going to be present, I would carefully check the rules. I would also go ahead and get passports -- although the deadline officially is December 31, I wouldn't want to be explaining this to someone at the pier who believes otherwise.

[newmexicoNita]

I think the rules for Mexico are strict about ensuring that both parents are either present or have consented in writing (notarized) to the child's travel. If both parents are not going to be present, I would carefully check the rules. I would also go ahead and get passports -- although the deadline officially is December 31, I wouldn't want to be explaining this to someone at the pier who believes otherwise.

you are right about Mexico; all countries want than letter, but Mexico is the strictest. Always, if traveling out of the country with a child under 17 make certain, if both parents are not traveling with the child you have a notorized letter from the parent or parents allowing the child to leave the country with whomever he/she is with. NMnita