It will otherwise carry the rights and privileges of the u. Passport requirements for cruises know before you go. Ideal for border crossings and cruises, not valid for. How to obtain a duplicate passport and passport card. Everyone must have a valid passport and fill out an immigration card. A passport book is a product of the federal government. Alaska the bahamas, caribbean, pacific coast, bermuda or canada round trip cruises caribbean oneway cruises pacific coast, canada or hawaii oneway cruises europe panama canal transatlantic crossing. Basic passports for traveling to the bahamas usa today.
A passport card is less expensive and is the size of a drivers license, thus some frequent cruisers prefer it. Adult passports are valid for 10 years and may be renewed by mail. Given that the card is not good for international air travel, if youre going to the trouble of getting the cards, perhaps you should consider spending a few more dollars and get. Check passport expiration dates carefully for all travelers. Please remember that passport cards are not good for international air travel, so if you had to fly home mid cruise for some reason, you would need the passport book.
Make geography study fun for students with this set. So if you are doing a closed loop cruise i would not spend the money on a passport card. How to obtain a duplicate passport and passport card its. Do americans need a passport to travel to the bahamas or. If any of the following apply to you, you may want to obtain a passport card. Passport the application process is the same for either the passport book or card, even if you want both at the same time. They have been available to us citizens since 2008, and are meant to be a convenient way to prove your identity and citizenship.
The passport card functions like a passport book for land and sea. The requirements for both are the same and there is one application form for both. You can use form ds82 to renew your passport book at the same time that your apply for your passport card. You wont be able to use a passport card for air travel to or from the island. Your passport book can be used in any situation where a passport card could be used, but you may find that it is convenient for you to also have a passport card. A passport card can only be used for land or sea travel. However, before you apply for a new passport card, consider carefully whether or not you might be better off getting a us passport book. Differences between a passport book and passport card. The card may not be used to travel by air outside the united states. If you already have a valid us passport book, then it is not required to also have a passport card to travel internationally. A us passport card can only be used for land and sea travel to canada, mexico or the caribbean. Passport card basically a limiteduse passport enhanced drivers licenseacts both as a driver license and a travel document, but also with limits well walk you through the basic differences of each of these documents, and help you determine which one is right for you.
Can a passport card be used for travel to the bahamas from. Enteringexiting policies the official site of the bahamas. If you fly to jamaica, a passport book is the only acceptable form of identification, despite jamaicas membership of the western hemisphere travel initiative. The following guidelines are based on government regulations, which are subject to change at any time. Passport and travel documentation disney cruise line. Passport a us passport for bahamas is an important travel document you need to have if you visit these islands. A passport card is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book, but it cannot be used for international travel by air. And will it last for 5 years like the passport book does for minors. In order to enter bahamas islands, individuals need to have at least two blank pages in their passport books.
The united states passport card is an official identity and limited travel document issued by the united states federal government in the size of a credit card. Travelers should also remember that they must have passport books to visit bahamas if they arrive by plane. Passport book the passport book is designed to be used for all types of international travel. Planning on traveling out of the country for our honeymoon and looking into the different passport options. For more information on applying for a new passport book or card, a renewal or other passport questions, please. Childrens passports are issued for 5 years, adult passports for 10 years. To protect yourself against emergency situations, go with a passport book, which covers all international travel by air, sea or land. Passport book vs passport card first time cruisers. A passport book provides valid identification for any national or international travel. Passport cards are a form of us passport that are the size of a credit card or drivers license. Do i need a passport book, passport card, or passport book and card. Well help you determine whether you want or need to pay extra for the passport card.
Passport cards are particularly useful for some people. The united states passport card is an official identity and limited travel document issued by the. For visits exceeding 30 days, a valid passport and a bahamas visa are required. Americans may enter the unites states from the bahamas by sea using a passport, passport card, or other western hemisphere travel initiative whti compliant document if they are on an officiallydesignated closedloop cruise. Citizens will need a us passport or passport card, or a whti compliant document. The passport book is accepted for any form of international travel and is also the document that holds your visas. A passport card provides valid identification for national travel, but only provides valid identification for certain types of international travel. Can you travel to bahamas with passport card answers. The bahamian government only requires proof of citizenship e. We have booked our cruise for our honeymoon and i was reading about the passport cards and passport books.
If your ship had to end the cruise at a foreign port due to a mechanical issue or if you had an emergency need to fly home, a passport book would have been required for reentry into the us from a foreign port. Can you use the passport card for travel to the bahamas. As you enter each port, fly the yellow quarantine flag and notify customs of. If you plan to travel by air, you must obtain a passport book. You can apply for both a passport book and passport card at the same time using either form ds11 apply in person or form ds82 renew by mail must be eligible. All applicants who personally appear for regular u. If you are taking the kids to the bahamas, get a passport for each child. Book a cruise that travels to the bahamas through a cruise company. Passport books or passport cards are both valid for 10 years after issue for adults, and five years for travelers under age 16. Report crimes to the local police at 919 or 911, and contact the u. To apply for or renew both the book and card, check the appropriate box at the top of the form to. I would get the passport book or nothing the birth certificate and the passport card seem equal in value to me you cant fly home with either, and that would be the point of getting the passport book if there is an emergency and you are in a foreign country, you cannot get on an airplane without a passport book, period, so it seems like a. The passport book comes as either 28 or 52 pages and is valid for five years.
Yes, some vaccines are recommended or required for the bahamas. The passport card has benefits, but does not offer the same list of privileges as a traditional passport. Just use your official birth certificate and photo id. Find more information about common safety and security concerns in the bahamas including credit card fraud, real estate and time share scams, and water sport and scooter safety on our website. How to apply for a new passport card rush my passport. The passport card is only good for land and sea travel in countries in the. If individuals plan on participating in bahamas travel and do not have these blank pages, they should submit a passport renewal request before they go. While the passport card may protect you against certain scenarios and is superior to not having a passport at all, getting a passport book not only provides more coverage such as flying internationally, but it. Us citizens traveling to the bahamas by sea must have a valid passport. You are not limited to how or where you travel if you obtain a passport book. My question is should we still get the passport book just in case or should the passport card be just fine.
Passport cards cannot be used on cruises from international homeports. To travel to the bahamas from the united states you will need a passport booklet form if you are traveling by air. For children age 15 and under, the passport is valid for 5 years and for adults 16 and older it is valid for 10 years. Awesome classroom supplies, theyre a great way to reward kids.
It says its valid for travel in the us, canada, mexico, and bahamas. However, whether you need a passport card or a book depends on how you travel to the islands. The passport card will facilitate entry and expedite document processing at u. It is advisable for americans to obtain their passport early in the event of an emergency. Bahamas flags cost less and last longer from us flag store, the largest us flag vendor. I am going to the bahamas in june, and need a passport, when i went to apply online, they gave me all three options, with the same criteria for each option, and no explantion of the difference between them. Can a passport card be used for travel to the bahamas from the u. If we are travelling to the bahamas from the us, will a passport card work fine.
If you are planning on an extended stay, be prepared to present evidence of financial solvency upon entry to the bahamas. Even though there are limitations with passport cards, theyre a great item to. This case is an unfortunate example of what can go wrong if you decide to cruise with just a passport card. It can also be used for domestic air travel in the usa. You can apply for a us passport card by mail if you already have a us passport book and eligible to use form ds82. However a passport is not needed for a closed loop cruise departing from and arriving back at the same us port. You should know that the passport card is only valid for travel by land and sea within mexico, canada, bermuda, and the caribbean, and you can not use it for air travel or for travel to other. Do i need a passport book, passport card, or passport book. After he confirmed that his spouse could cruise with just a passport card, he booked their tropical vacation. To apply for or renew both the book and card, check the appropriate box at the top of the form to indicate that you would like to apply for both products. How a passport card differs from a passport book dmv. Boaters entering andor exiting the bahamas must follow certain protocol, such. If you already have a passport card will save you bringing you bc.
You can mail your renewal application directly to the state department yourself. You can call 18774usappt 18774872778 for information on how to apply for passports. Caribbean, and bermuda at land border crossings or sea portsofentry and is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book. Also, their port of entry and reentry should be the same. It may often be used as an identity card for purposes other than international travel, such as domestic air travel. Travel vaccines and advice for the bahamas passport health.
The passport card can not be used for international travel by air. A passport card can be used for land and sea border crossings between the u. Your passport book allows you to travel by land, by sea, or by air. Rightno passport needed as i would guess you stopped at a foreign port en route to nyc. If youre a citizen of the united states, and youre thinking about traveling to mexico, but you dont yet have a passport, you might consider getting a passport card instead of a regular passport book. If you are traveling by sea, then you can use a us passport card, enhanced. Passport requirements for travel to jamaica getaway usa. As it turned out, he was the one in for the unpleasant surprise. Does a passport card work to go to canada by train.
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