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Birth Certificate or Passport?


NeilM

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We are leaving on a cruise, on Navigator or the Seas, in 2 weeks.  My wife and I both applied for a passport.  She received hers but due to a problem with my birth certificate, mine has been delayed.  I had to request a new birth certificate from the county I was born and it will be in tomorrow, but don't think I have enough time to get it back to the passport center and receive my passport before we leave.  I called Royal Caribbean and they said I would be ok with my Birth Certificate and Drivers License.  I feel pretty sure I will be ok but just seeing if anyone has had a similar situation.  We are leaving out of Galveston, Tx, cruising to Caribbean and back to Galveston.  My understanding is if you leave and return to the same Port, the Birth Certificate and D.L.' is  all I need.  Can anyone assure me that is the case?  Thanks.

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You will be fine with an original (raised seal) or certified copy of your birth certificate and a driver's license since it is a closed-loop cruise (leaves and returns to the same US port).  The benefit of a passport would be if you needed to fly home from one of the islands due to some sort of emergency; then you would need a passport for the air travel.

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You will be fine to sail out with the new birth certificate and Photo ID, but if you have an

emergency you will not be allowed to fly back into the US without a passport.  So just

keep that in mind -  I often tell client get 2 copies of birth certificates when ordering

them so you have an extra and always take a photo on your cell phone of your

passport so you have a copy with you in case you lose yours while sailing.  Easier to get

it remade if you do

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You will be fine to sail out with the new birth certificate and Photo ID, but if you have an

emergency you will not be allowed to fly back into the US without a passport.  So just

keep that in mind -  I often tell client get 2 copies of birth certificates when ordering

them so you have an extra and always take a photo on your cell phone of your

passport so you have a copy with you in case you lose yours while sailing.  Easier to get

it remade if you do

Great answer

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You will be fine to sail out with the new birth certificate and Photo ID, but if you have an

emergency you will not be allowed to fly back into the US without a passport.  So just

keep that in mind -  I often tell client get 2 copies of birth certificates when ordering

them so you have an extra and always take a photo on your cell phone of your

passport so you have a copy with you in case you lose yours while sailing.  Easier to get

it remade if you do

Michelle,

Thanks a lot, some good points.  I got my birth certificate, it is a certified copy, but does not have the raised seal.  Sounds like I will be ok but going to try and get my passport expedited.  Not sure I will have enough time, but will give it a try.  Houston has a passport center and some say they walked theirs thru in a day.  If not, will take a chance and just use my birth certificate and D.L.  I will have my wife take a pic of her passport, as you suggested.  Thanks again.

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Certified or Raised Seals seems to be normal - not all state actually have raised seals

I have found out - and yes my husband has gotten his passport in a day but standing

in line at the Miami, FL office - and I have rushed a family members passport in a day

for quite a big fee but it can be done.

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