Passport Expiration Question

[girlgummy]

My son's passport expires in January 2024, <6 months from our Aug 20th cruise (closed loop, from NYC to FL, Bahamas and Bermuda). I was planning to bring his birth certificate just in case, but the NCL website says that govt issued ID is not required in conjunction with birth certificate for anyone less than 16 years old. Problem is, he turns 16 on Aug 20th, the day we board the cruise ship and he doesn't have any other govt issued ID. Can I use his passport that expires in less than 6 months as a govt issued ID? At this point, I'm hearing about long delays for passport renewal and we actually need his passport for the cruise we are taking in June, so I don't want to do to mail renewal and risk not getting it back in time for the August cruise. Has any adult successfully done a closed loop cruise to Bahamas/Bermuda with a passport that expires in less than 6 months? Advice appreciated! Thank you!

[shof515]

Bermuda and Bahamas does not have the 6 month expiration requirement. the passport will be fine for the cruise

[BirdTravels]

16 minutes ago, girlgummy said:

My son's passport expires in January 2024, <6 months from our Aug 20th cruise (closed loop, from NYC to FL, Bahamas and Bermuda). I was planning to bring his birth certificate just in case, but the NCL website says that govt issued ID is not required in conjunction with birth certificate for anyone less than 16 years old. Problem is, he turns 16 on Aug 20th, the day we board the cruise ship and he doesn't have any other govt issued ID. Can I use his passport that expires in less than 6 months as a govt issued ID? At this point, I'm hearing about long delays for passport renewal and we actually need his passport for the cruise we are taking in June, so I don't want to do to mail renewal and risk not getting it back in time for the August cruise. Has any adult successfully done a closed loop cruise to Bahamas/Bermuda with a passport that expires in less than 6 months? Advice appreciated! Thank you!

 

Since your child is under 16, he will have to apply for a new passport (i.e., can not renew). Expedited service is quoted as 7-9 weeks. Is your son going to Singapore also? If so, a new passport is the way to go. Otherwise, he should be fine with his old passport (with the birth certificate as backup). 

Edited May 28, 2023 by BirdTravels

[ChiefMateJRK]

17 minutes ago, girlgummy said:

Problem is, he turns 16 on Aug 20th, the day we board the cruise ship and he doesn't have any other govt issued ID.

Does you state issue photo IDs for non-drivers?  I thought that many/most to, but I really haven't checked.

[Davechipp74]

It has been my understanding that one can not  travel  with a passport that expires within 6 months is merely a strong suggestion and not a law, based on my past experiences. 

Edited May 28, 2023 by Davechipp74

[jimsig]

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

 

Since your child is under 16, he will have to apply for a new passport (i.e., can not renew). Expedited service is quoted as 7-9 weeks. Is your son going to Singapore also? If so, a new passport is the way to go. Otherwise, he should be fine with his old passport (with the birth certificate as backup). 

 

What's funny is they call it a new passport application for a child but they want the old passport sent in just like when you renew an adult passport.  Basically the same steps just called a new application.  

[jimsig]

1 hour ago, Davechipp74 said:

It has been my understanding that one can not  travel  with a passport that expires within 6 months is merely a strong suggestion and not a law, based on my past experiences. 

It's not a suggestion.

 

This is from State Department Frequently Asked Questions

 

"If you were age 16 or older when your passport was issued, your passport is valid for 10 years. If you were under 16 when your passport was issued, your passport is valid for 5 years.

The Issue Date of your passport can be found on the data page of your passport book or on the front of your passport card.

Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six months beyond the dates of your trip. Some airlines will not allow you to board if this requirement is not met. 

Check our Country Information to learn about entry and exit requirements for the country or countries in which you are traveling.  

To learn about returning to the United States after your travel, visit the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's website."

 

For those visiting the US:

 

The US Requires a passport be valid for 6 months beyond the period they intend to stay.  However there are some exceptions that allow you to only have a passport valid for their intended period of stay and can be found here US Customs And Border Protection

[curlstravel]

2 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

 

Since your child is under 16, he will have to apply for a new passport (i.e., can not renew). Expedited service is quoted as 7-9 weeks. Is your son going to Singapore also? If so, a new passport is the way to go. Otherwise, he should be fine with his old passport (with the birth certificate as backup). 

We got our expedited passports in 3 weeks 2 months ago