Passports vs BC

[bwbuddy]

It seems I read here that, although more costly, passports are much more convenient and headache-free than lugging around birth certificates. Is that true? If you prefer BC, does it have to contain a raised emblem?

 

[mac_tlc]

I think passports are much easier.. Also valid for 10 years .. If you use a BC, it MUST have the raised seal....

mac_tlc

 

[Jeanny]

if memory serves me right (and I may be slipping a little here)... you need a CERTIFIED birth certificate.... some states, like Virginia, don't have raised seals any longer, but as long as it's CERTIFIED, you're good to go..

we're thinking of getting passports too, my daughter is considering going on a Panama Canal cruise with some of her friends, so to be on the safe side, we might as well get the passports now, so she'll have it if she does go..

 

[kcatoir]

CA BC's from the registor's office have a "barely" raised seal. If you rub you finger across you can feel "something" but not the raised seal they used to use 30 years ago. But it did come on special multicolored paper with the distinctive boarder, its full size paper too not half sheet like they used to be.

 

[Favorite Auntie]

I have a passport anyway, so that is what I use. But, I am not sure I would get one just for the cruise. They are a great form of identification, but they are expensive ($75 I think...)

 

[off2disney]

For our cruise last December, I got a passport, but the others in our group just used their certified birth certificates --of course, with the BC's you need a picture ID also (driver's licence, etc). And it was expensive - $80, plus $8 for the photos

 

[NADTWINS]

I am going to use a birth certificate. It is dose not have a rased seal, it is an original. I called DCL and asked if there would be a problem using this and was told that it will be fine ( I have the name of the person I spoke with at DCL ). I dont feel that I need to spend another $88.00 a person to get pasports. Not all official birth certificates have rased seal's. I think that the best way to get a copy of you birth certificate is to contact the office that issued it they will be able to quickly send you an offical copy

 

[moinab]

My original birth certificate (MA) does not have a raised seal. I called DCL before my cruise. The person I spoke to told me to call INS, because it is ultimatley their call, not DCL's. I was told I needed to get a new, "long form" BC with a raised seal. My mother picked one up for me and mailed it to me. Otherwise, we had absolutely no problems. We kept our BC's with our cruise docs (we almost always carry our picture id's whenever we go out) and put them in the safe while on board. No hassle at all. This was for the 3-day cruise.

 

[MommaluvsDis]

We cruised Carnival a couple of weeks ago and had no problem with our passports but we did see that people with bc's were questioned even to the point that children were asked to verify birthdates of their parents!

 

[Moosysmom]

I have been told that at least in Mexico, they are talking about requiring Passport's in Immigration and that the US Government has also been discussing the need for Passports instead of Birth Certificates because of all the different states. In Minnesota, our birth certificates are printed off a laser printer with no raised seal any more. I'm going on a cruise in February and I am going to renew my passport and just use a passport from now on.

 

[eye R.N.]

We already had passports for the adults and the youngest child.

Tracking down the bc's for the older two was a minor irritiation, the process took longer than I expected.

So when renewal time came we just got passports for everyone.

 

[professorandmom]

Might I suggest that it depends if you are on the Wonder or the Magic....no problems with bc on the Wonder and I see no advantage to a passport - just another expense in my opinion.
Barbara