Heads up Birth Cert Crack Down

[cruisingnewyorkers]

In our area, upstate New York, our Post Offices are having passport days, my post office always has Saturday passport hours and many of our post offices are having passport days on Sundays. I just worked last Sunday at one. We are also going to be open this Monday, President's Day just for passports.

So there is no excuse for not getting a passport except that it cost a lot for a large family.

Also a notarized copy is not valid for getting a passport and may not be vailid for getting on a cruise ship.

[cruisingnewyorkers]

sorry double post

[minimartha]

I don't think we have passport days in NC where we live but if we did I would FOR SURE wait in line for that! I did go on the vital records website and order another birth certificate mailed next day air just to be safe though.

Is there a way to check and see if other states are having passport days??:confused:

 

The reason we waited is because we DO have a large family. 3 bio kids and 3 adopted, 2 foster kids. We were planning on doing one or two a month and then my husband decided JUST US at the LAST minute.

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

I just can't wait for this passport thing to be finally mandatory!!! ;) ;)

 

I hate to see anyone be denied boarding because they don't have the correct documentation. :eek:

 

***

[MsRavenFan]

I used to have a passport and when I sent it in to be renewed, I never got either one back. So now I am battling with the Passport people because I applied for a new one, because I was told there was nothing I could do about my old one....and now they don't want to give me a new passport because it looks like I was just issued one last year.....so after all of this battle.....I still may not have my passport in time for an April 9th sailing....hopefully, but we'll see. So, my reason not to have a passport is totally legit...and it makes me feel better that I could still go with my birth certificate in case I can't get this all resolved in time....

[minimartha]

I agree and if I had known we would have FOR SURE done it, its just expensive with alot of kids and we were planning to wait until after Christmas and start:(

 

The lady I talked to at RCI said the people being denied boarding are those trying to board with copies of their birth certificates etc. She said "You would NOT BELIEVE what people try to board with" . As long as its an "Official" Copy, and Official being the KEY word, you'll be fine!:D

[happyme101]

i would like to add my experience to this ..

 

3 years ago I was 1 hour outside of Galveston when I was reading my cruise material. It was then that I realized I had made COPIES of al of our BC's. I immediately called Carnival in a total panic and was told I would very likely be denied boarding as well as my DH and both children. We were sick with worry for the next 15 hours. I realized "how could I be so stupid to have misread that", but at this point I was powerless and could only pray. By the grace of God we were boarded, but I swear It's only because my DH was showing his military ID to the man and he started chating with him about the military. BIG LESSON LEARNED!

OK...so since we have cruised again we used our BC's again with no problem. A few days ago as I was reading cruise critic (I love these boards) I read a thread about a lady who said she was asked for her marriage cert. to prove her name change from her BC. Well, I have never brought mine......been asked for it....or even thought about that until I read that thread. I called RCCL who directed me to the Dept of immigration who pointed me to contact the Dept of state.....

Well, they told me I ABOSOLUTELY needed my marriage cert. and that I was lucky I had no problems before. I am at this point sick and went to the post office and paid to have an expedited passport.

I am shocked that at no time the cruise lines told me that this was a requirement. NO WHERE that I can find on the RCCL or Carnival website does it say a female needs her marriage cert.

So.....anyhow I am on the passport wagon now!

[diskris]

Thanks for the information. I will make sure we have the original BCs

 

There are 5 of us going on this cruise in August, and to pay $100+ each for a passport is pointless considering we don't frequently cruise, and we don't plan on leaving the country within the next 10 years. It's a lot of money, and if I don't have to spend it I don't plan on it.

[OHCruisinDad]

Well, I have 3 kids, I would have to pull them out of school 45 minutes because the post office stops everyday at 3. No weekend hours for new passports. They DO do the pictures- at 15 dollars each child. and 52 dollars for a 5 year passport. Kids are 6,9,11. the oldest one will be 16 when it's renewal time. But the other 2 will have to renew twice before the 10 year passport takes effect!

 

As for birth cetificates - go to your bank and have a notary public make copies of birth certificates and have them put a notary stamp on the copy.

The notary should be free at your bank with your account. Mine's at Bank Of America.

 

Hope this 'splains why I don't have have kids passports - YET! And how to use your bank for notary services.

 

I would be careful with the notary seal. If they examine it closely, they will see that it says Notary and not Dept. of Health or Vital Statistics or something similar. I've had a Notary license for years and have always been cautioned not to use it on BC's and similar governmental documents unless we are notarizing a signature.

 

My 2 cents is that I'd recommend getting the kids passports. Our two kids have two each (dual nationality) and have had them since they were just toddlers. We've used them for everything from SAT testing admission ID's to our periodic weekend trips to Niagara or Toronto, Canada. It makes life so much easier. :)

[ccletzgo]

I have a small (just a little bigger than a drivers license) laminated copy of my birth certificate. I have no idea where I got it from. Sounds like this won't work for me? I do have a passport, just gotta find it in my unpacked moving boxes. I wasn't in a rush to find it because I assumed that at least I had my birth certificate. But I guess I'd better get to looking for that passport.

 

 

Mine is wallet size also. It is official. Just because they are wallet size doesn't mean they are not official. They started issuing the wallet size about 5 years ago.

[ccletzgo]

i would like to add my experience to this ..

 

3 years ago I was 1 hour outside of Galveston when I was reading my cruise material. It was then that I realized I had made COPIES of al of our BC's. I immediately called Carnival in a total panic and was told I would very likely be denied boarding as well as my DH and both children. We were sick with worry for the next 15 hours. I realized "how could I be so stupid to have misread that", but at this point I was powerless and could only pray. By the grace of God we were boarded, but I swear It's only because my DH was showing his military ID to the man and he started chating with him about the military. BIG LESSON LEARNED!

OK...so since we have cruised again we used our BC's again with no problem. A few days ago as I was reading cruise critic (I love these boards) I read a thread about a lady who said she was asked for her marriage cert. to prove her name change from her BC. Well, I have never brought mine......been asked for it....or even thought about that until I read that thread. I called RCCL who directed me to the Dept of immigration who pointed me to contact the Dept of state.....

Well, they told me I ABOSOLUTELY needed my marriage cert. and that I was lucky I had no problems before. I am at this point sick and went to the post office and paid to have an expedited passport.

I am shocked that at no time the cruise lines told me that this was a requirement. NO WHERE that I can find on the RCCL or Carnival website does it say a female needs her marriage cert.

So.....anyhow I am on the passport wagon now!

 

 

all the cruises, I have never needed a marriage certificate. Do I have a marriage certificate?:eek:

[SheriNtexas]

I'm have a question for those w/o passports. Why do you not have one. Certainly the cost isn't that great when you figure they are good for 10 years. Also when you compare it to the cost of the vacation it seems fairly insignificant. I'm not bashing, I'm just curious.

 

 

The reason I don't have one yet is because I never traveled anywhere before, and had never planned on traveling anywhere!! BUT, my daughter and I are going on a tour with a group of people this June to Paris, Monoco, Vatican City, and some other places, and of course we have to have one! We are going this week to get our passports! :p

Sheri

[aqhacruiser]

Well, I have 3 kids, I would have to pull them out of school 45 minutes because the post office stops everyday at 3. No weekend hours for new passports. They DO do the pictures- at 15 dollars each child. and 52 dollars for a 5 year passport. Kids are 6,9,11. the oldest one will be 16 when it's renewal time. But the other 2 will have to renew twice before the 10 year passport takes effect!

 

As for birth cetificates - go to your bank and have a notary public make copies of birth certificates and have them put a notary stamp on the copy.

The notary should be free at your bank with your account. Mine's at Bank Of America.

 

Hope this 'splains why I don't have have kids passports - YET! And how to use your bank for notary services.

 

I'm not sure that a notary seal will work on a birth certificate as the notary date will be current. I believe they are looking for the original raised seal/watermark from the county and state with original date you were born in or otherwise they would just take a copy which they do not accept. I understand how expensive it is and also that it's a hassle to get passports for kids but I wouldn't travel without one now due to a passport needed for air travel. Ships do occasionally have mechanical problems and it may be neccassary to fly home because of that and other reasons including illness of a family member while onboard. We've read many times how someone will become ill or injured and they will take them to a port for hospital care and leave them there which would require them to fly home. Just something to consider. :o

[SheriNtexas]

i would like to add my experience to this ..

 

A few days ago as I was reading cruise critic (I love these boards) I read a thread about a lady who said she was asked for her marriage cert. to prove her name change from her BC. Well, I have never brought mine......been asked for it....or even thought about that until I read that thread. I called RCCL who directed me to the Dept of immigration who pointed me to contact the Dept of state.....

Well, they told me I ABOSOLUTELY needed my marriage cert. and that I was lucky I had no problems before.

 

When i sailed on Carnival back in October i was never asked about a marriage certificate, but last week, on RCI, when i checked in, the guy asked me if i had my marriage cert. I said, "NO!!:( He said i may want to start bringing it! Well YIKES, I just got a divorce and the last thing i want to do is carry that marriage cert. around, lol! Oh, and just to make my situation different, when I was in 3rd grade, my dad changed our last name so I have the birth certificate paper AND a copy of the legal changing of our last name! I think a passport will be a lot less hassle! ;)

Sheri

[Tigergenesis]

I Just called RCI about the birth certificate thing because I too have one that looks like a credit card. They said it HAD to have a seal somewhere AND be an original but nothing has changed about their procedure, its the same as it always has been. I used the one I'm using 18 months ago on a RCI cruise and she said it was fine. I called my mom and she said the kind I have is all she's EVER had. She said they had been getting calls all day about this so people must have seen this post and were worrying.:o

 

For the one who asked why not? a Passport. My husband decided at the last minute he wanted us to go on a cruise for our anniversary and we did not have time to get one yet. Had no intention of cruising for another year, so I thought I had more time. We'll have to do it as soon as we get home in case he decides he wants to jump on a ship at the last minute again! :)

 

Thank you! Just in case I searched for my passport last night and finally found it. :)

[wdrl]

[quote name='Armatha']Well, I have 3 kids, I would have to pull them out of school 45 minutes because the post office stops everyday at 3. No weekend hours for new passports. They DO do the pictures- at 15 dollars each child. and 52 dollars for a 5 year passport. Kids are 6,9,11. the oldest one will be 16 when it's renewal time. But the other 2 will have to renew twice before the 10 year passport takes effect!

As for birth cetificates - go to your bank and have a notary public make copies of birth certificates and have them put a notary stamp on the copy.
The notary should be free at your bank with your account. Mine's at Bank Of America.

Hope this 'splains why I don't have have kids passports - YET! And how to use your bank for notary services.[/quote]

Notarized copies are not certified copies of birth certificates. I don't know if the cruise line will accept a notarized copy when they want a certified copy of your birth certificate. Having worked for the US government agency that required a certified copy of people's birth certificates I had to explain that certified is not a notarized copy over and over again. Glad I'm retired.:D

Also Walgreen's takes passport photos for $8. Just got our passports back that we renewed on January 2nd. It took 42 days for the renewals.

[happyme101]

Your right...I have never been asked for my marriage cert. before either, but according to the person I spoke to it IS a requirement. Scary, huh....since no one has ever said that before. I did call to try to get my Marriage cert. and was told they are not issuing them at this time....I was married in New Orleans. Anyhow, I didn't need a copy to apply for my passport.

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

Not sure about other states but here in AZ notarizing a BC is not legal. I know cause I use to be a notary, BC is a public record and public records can not be notarized. A notary is nothing more than verification of your signature, you didn't sign the BC. When you get something notarized, you have to show 2 forms of ID and sign the notary's book, but where is your signature on the BC? So this is confusing to some who are getting BC's notarized. :confused:

***

[aliceluvsbubba]

We have 3 kids also, ages 16, 10, 8. We bit the bullet and paid for the passports, never know when they are going to need them. Pictures were taken at Walgreens, I did those a couple of weeks before we went to the USPS. We took the kids on one of those snow days that we have had so many of recently, but the original plan was to take them on a teacher workday. The hardest part was finding a day when dh and I were both off from work as well as the kids being out.

I will warn you though, it took about 6 weeks to get the passports here as there is such a rush on them now. We have them now and I don't have to worry about that end of boarding now. Was really easy to do the pre-registration on line with the passports, so that part was nice.

My two cents worth, I'm glad to have them so that is one less thing I have to worry about. With three kids, the packing nightmare is hard enough to handle, so I am grateful to have one less thing to worry about.

okay...now climbing off soap box. :)

[wolfcathorse]

My nephew was born in Canada (mom a US citizen). He was naturalized when his dad was in St Croix. Dad's papers got filed, nephews got lost. Fast forward 26 years to last week. Nephew can't get passport, records show he's not a resident and has 30 days to get a visitor visa or face deportation. He wants to cruise Carnival. So he goes to the dock, and when asked for his ID gives them his Canadian BC. They asked for the papers, him and his wife pull the "I thought you had it" routine, they're allowed to board cuz the check in agent told him getting back into the US was between Immigration and nephew. Nephew didn't care about that! They come back...at the Immigration, he pulls the "I left it in the car" routine, they let him back into the country. I warned him the first month or so after the new passport requirement they would be lenient, but he'd better trace and find his naturalization stuff and get settled up with good ole Uncle Sam cuz it won't happen that way again!

[raina*faith]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=royalblue]I love this thread! I too am toting 3 kids on my cruise. I'm so totally confused right now, it's making me laugh.[/COLOR][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=royalblue][/COLOR][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=royalblue]1. Do I get the passports (300.00+pictures) and have them expire within the year only to have to get them again next year. (at 16 you get them for 10 years.) [/COLOR][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=royalblue][/COLOR][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=royalblue]2. Do I use the BC and pray they will let us on the ship??? What if we get denied. Even with the freggin raised seal? Would they deny us. [/COLOR][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=royalblue][/COLOR][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=royalblue]Note in the Caribbean booklet that RCCL has out it doesn't say that you can use your BC. It says that you must a passport. On the website and when I called they said you can use a BC. [/COLOR][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=royalblue][/COLOR][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=royalblue]We aren't leaving until Dec., but this is freekin' me out!![/COLOR][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=royalblue][/COLOR][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=royalblue][/COLOR][/FONT]

[Fam_Cruise]

Passports expire for those under 16 after 5 years. So if someone is 15 then their passport will be good until they are 20. They won't expire next year.

[sept10dsm]

I thought that a passport issued to a child was valid for 5 years. You shouldn't have to get them next year but in 5. The birth certificates s/b fine. Also, when are you returning? I believe the passport is necessary in 2008 but I'm not sure of the month.

[Sue L]

[quote name='*MotherHen*'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=royalblue]I love this thread! I too am toting 3 kids on my cruise. I'm so totally confused right now, it's making me laugh.[/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=royalblue]1. Do I get the passports (300.00+pictures) and have them expire within the year only to have to get them again next year. (at 16 you get them for 10 years.) [/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=royalblue]2. Do I use the BC and pray they will let us on the ship??? What if we get denied. Even with the freggin raised seal? Would they deny us. [/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=royalblue]Note in the Caribbean booklet that RCCL has out it doesn't say that you can use your BC. It says that you must a passport. On the website and when I called they said you can use a BC. [/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=royalblue]We aren't leaving until Dec., but this is freekin' me out!![/COLOR][/FONT]

[/quote]

If you child is 15 then they are good until they are 20 (5 years) they don't expire when you turn 16.

If your bc's are state certified you will have NO problems as long as your cruise is done before Jan 2008 (current date) The RCCL booklet was probably printed before they extended the passport requirements. The website is the current info.

Don't freak this is a well documented issue. Passports are required ONLY for flying right now not cruising.

[mollyeilis]

[quote name='Armatha']Well, I have 3 kids, I would have to pull them out of school 45 minutes because the post office stops everyday at 3. No weekend hours for new passports. They DO do the pictures- at 15 dollars each child. and 52 dollars for a 5 year passport. Kids are 6,9,11. the oldest one will be 16 when it's renewal time. But the other 2 will have to renew twice before the 10 year passport takes effect!

As for birth cetificates - go to your bank and have a notary public make copies of birth certificates and have them put a notary stamp on the copy.
The notary should be free at your bank with your account. Mine's at Bank Of America.

Hope this 'splains why I don't have have kids passports - YET! And how to use your bank for notary services.[/QUOTE]


Don't use the post office, really. If you belong to AAA, they'll take your pix for either free or $5, can't recall which one it was (but either way, lower than 15!). I know that around here there are county offices that are official passport places, so I know I don't have to go to the post office when we get our son his first passport. Now, since it's a county office, that does mean M-F, but I bet the line would be shorter than at the PO, which means perhaps it could just be a class or two missed for the kids, rather than several. If the kids are out at 3, that leaves time, too, yes? I just think that it's possible to get this done cheaper and perhaps quicker than you're thinkin'. :)

As for the notary? I am not 100% sure, but I'm fairly certain that BCs need to be "certified", which I just learned from the beginning of an adoption process, means that it's a state-notary...not just a bank person, but someone who is an official with your state. I'm not 100% sure that a notarized BC is going to do all that much, though I could be wrong.