Jump to content

Passports for Kids


Recommended Posts

I have ran into a problem as of today.  I took my kids to get passports today, and was advised that I need to have there father there to sign the passport papers.  The problem is the father is absent in the lives of my kids and also he is not listed on the birth certificate.  I was told that I needed to provide sole custody papers, and this is something that was never done.  My kids are 10 and 13, are they able to sail with there birth certificate?  I called and spoke with someone at Royal Carribean and was told that they could sail with a Birth Certificate, but she did not sound really confident. She kept putting me on hold, and then would come back and give me answers.  Also my last name differs from my kids, and when reading about sailing with Birth Certificates it states the last name of the kids and parent must match.  Please HELP...if anyone has ran into a problem such as this please let me know how it was handled.  I have put a lot of money into this trip, and hate to get to cruise day and be turned away.  We are traveling in July on Harmony, and will be going to Labadee, San Juan, and St Marteen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have you checked with the passport office if the sole custody papers and father's attendance for passport papers requirements are still valid if the kid's birth certificates don't list their father? It seems to me that in this situation, as far as the law and paper trail goes, the kids don't have a father in the system, and so sole custody shouldn't be an issue. Sole custody papers are for when the kids had two parents listed, and the paper states clearly that only one and which one is the legal guardian.

Its not surprising the customer service personnel have to keep putting you on hold in this situation, its a convoluted set of issues and I doubt this comes up often for them, so she probably had to check. Don't be afraid to call them back if you're not 100% sure. Quote the Birth Cert FAQ back at them, then tell them you're listed on the certificate. You're paying for the trip, so its part of their job to make sure they can give you what you are paying for.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, souledgar said:

You're paying for the trip, so its part of their job to make sure they can give you what you are paying for.

The responsibility falls onto the guest to ensure they have the proper documentation to sail, that's written into the cruise contract.   That is exactly what OP is wisely doing.

It may be worth while to pursue input from an attorney who is better versed in these matters.  Ironically without a father listed on the birth certificate how would the father prove he is actually their father when it's time to sign the passport application? 

Since you are listed alone on the birth certificate that may be enough to board the ship.  People do often cruise with just original raised seal birth certificates but I've also see terminal workers (who are not Royal employees but 3rd party contractors) interpret the requirements differently when it comes to minors.  You could be fine and breeze through check in or you could run into someone who errs too far on the side of caution.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Right, what I meant was just that she shouldn't be afraid to call again to ascertain or confirm information that she is unsure about. Alot of people I know don't want to, in their minds, inconvenience or cause trouble for companies, and end up not getting the information they need to proceed and get blindsided. RCL of course can't get you on the ship if you don't have the documentation, but they can tell you what they need you to prepare so you have a smooth check-in.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sounds like you got the wrong info regarding the passport application - only the people listed on the birth certificate need to sign. See below - the first option applies to you.

Evidence of sole authority to apply for the minor must be submitted with the application in the form of a:

  • U.S. or foreign birth certificate, Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or adoption decree, listing only the applying parent
  • Court order granting sole legal custody to the applying parent (unless child's travel is restricted by that order)
  • Court order specifically permitting applying parent's travel with the child
  • Judicial declaration of incompetence of the non-applying parent
  • Death certificate of the non-applying parent
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My daughter is a single parent and her child's birth certificate only has a mother listed. She had no problem getting passport for child. No letter from other parent was needed as per the US there is no other parent. Now, as the grandparent when I have taken my granddaughter on cruises without her mom, I needed her passport and notarized letter from her mom stated she was allowing me to take granddaughter. Also had a notarized letter allowing me to temporarily make medical decisions if needed with dates of application,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Miznikki2u said:

I have spoken with RCC again today and they state the samething,  the kids under 16 can cruise with only a original copy of Birth Certificate.  I still may opt to get Passports and try this again just to be on the safe side.  Thank you all for your information.?

They can cruise with the original copy of the Birth Certificate but not ONLY cruise with the birth certificate.  My kids travel only with passports.  I think you were given bad info about the passport.  Here is a screenshot from the US State Department website page for Passports for Kids.  Look at the 3rd bullet point. 

1828000358_ScreenShot2019-03-02at3_33_08PM.png.e47fd9d392461f01f2e9eb250641b621.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, ama537621 said:

I would get the passports for your kids. It's always a good idea to take them with you on all shore excursions..

That would be my biggest concern as well. If traveling with just a birth certificate there’s almost no way I’d get off at a port and enter a foreign country. You’d be tempting fate way too much. Just imagine you stub your toe and need medical attention in the Bahamas and couldn’t get back in time. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/1/2019 at 11:03 PM, Miznikki2u said:

I have ran into a problem as of today.  I took my kids to get passports today, and was advised that I need to have there father there to sign the passport papers.  The problem is the father is absent in the lives of my kids and also he is not listed on the birth certificate... 

Concurring with the other posters - did you by chance go to a post office or other secondary facility for the passport application?  It's probably a rare enough situation that folks outside of a state department federal office may not understand it fully.  I'd go back to where you applied and take the printout from the state department website that others have referenced.

 

I also agree with the others to get the passport.  It's always been something of a hot button topic on cruise forums, but I fall in the camp that having that passport in hand is the gold standard for travel, particularly if you have to leave the ship in a foreign port and have to fly back to the US.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Definitely contact the Department of State to get clear instructions on applying for passports.  As mentioned above, the local agents don't always understand all the rules, especially if they haven't seen your particular set of circumstances.  We dealt with this when my wife applied for a US passport last fall.

Story time.....my wife was recently naturalized after being a resident alien for 40+ years (she's Canadian and we live in Maine...it's kinda like Canada here anyway).  When she got her US citizenship, she received the naturalization certificate that proves US citizenship and was told to bring it when she applied for a passport.  When she went to fill out an application for passport at our town office, they said they couldn't accept it.  No one at the town office had processed an application with a naturalization certificate before, so they didn't understand it was valid.  This was no big deal for us since she has a Canadian passport and could have used that on our cruise.....but in your situation, a lack of knowledge on the part of a passport agent can really screw you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...