Help calm my nerves

KellyHonos

DisneyDivaxo
Joined
Feb 27, 2018
Hey guys. Here is the situation...hopefully I explain it well enough.

My biological father, biological aunt, my adopted sister and I are going on a RC cruise in 16 days. My sister is adopted, and her legal parents are my biological mom and my step-father. They are both not coming on the cruise. My sister will be 13 by the time of our trip, but with her being a minor, our travel agent strongly suggested getting notarized letters of consent from both our mother and her father. That's all fine and well. My concern is her pass port. My step-father has been getting the run around with the issuance of a pass port. They filled out the paperwork and gave her birth certificate in early November. They also ordered it to be expedited, just in case. Then, the week of Thanksgiving, my step-father got a letter in the mail asking for additional documentation, because she was not born in the US. She is a citizen, but I guess the government needs additional paperwork to issue her a passport with her being adopted from a different country. Now i know I have gone on cruises before with out a pass port, but I brought my enhanced license and birth certificate. Had I not had my birth certificate, we were told I would have been screwed. Hence, the convenience of a pass port. My concern is that her pass port won't get to us in time for this cruise. He hasn't gotten any word in regards to whether or not the documentation he sent was enough. We leave in 16 days, and I'm worried. In the event it doesn't reach us in time, what do we do? Bring her birth certificate? She doesn't have a state-issued ID.

Anyone been through this, or at least a similar situation before? Any feedback or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
Do you even HAVE her birth certificate?? Didn't you have to send it with the passport paperwork? I assume you did so I would look into what it takes to get a new BC if the passport doesn't arrive so you at least have that. Where I live you can get one in half an hour so if that's the case for you you could wait until a few days before the cruise to see if the passport arrives and if not go and get a new BC to take.

IF all the paperwork is in that they need, 16 days is plenty for an expedited passport. Did you choose and pay for the one day shipping as well?

Also, my family cruises all the time with just an enhanced license and no BC and have never had an issue. Not sure why you needed both that one time.
 
If her passport doesn't arrive before you cruise, since she is under the age of 16 all she would need is her birth certificate. Just remember it needs to be a state certified birth certificate and not a copy or hospital issued.


Edited to correct age.
 
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If her passport doesn't arrive before you cruise, since she is under the age of 18 all she would need is her birth certificate. Just remember it needs to be a state certified birth certificate and not a copy or hospital issued.
FYI it's 16 not 18.
 
Do you even HAVE her birth certificate?? Didn't you have to send it with the passport paperwork? I assume you did so I would look into what it takes to get a new BC if the passport doesn't arrive so you at least have that. Where I live you can get one in half an hour so if that's the case for you you could wait until a few days before the cruise to see if the passport arrives and if not go and get a new BC to take.

IF all the paperwork is in that they need, 16 days is plenty for an expedited passport. Did you choose and pay for the one day shipping as well?

Also, my family cruises all the time with just an enhanced license and no BC and have never had an issue. Not sure why you needed both that one time.
Thanks! I hadn't checked this thread in a few cause it wasn't getting much attention, sorry for the delay. Thankfully we got in touch with the passport office in our city and it will be ready by monday so we will pick it up then :)
 


So her birth certificate is from another country and you have nothing saying she is a US citizen?
No, we had a regular birth certificate, I guess they were asking for additional paperwork that had something to do with her adoption. We got it resolved and we will be picking the passport up on Monday!
 
No, we had a regular birth certificate, I guess they were asking for additional paperwork that had something to do with her adoption. We got it resolved and we will be picking the passport up on Monday!
That's weird. How did they know she was born in another country if she had a US issued BC?

Glad it worked out.
 
That's weird. How did they know she was born in another country if she had a US issued BC?

Glad it worked out.
I have no idea. Maybe her bc is different since she's adopted or maybe her BC is chinese?? I havent seen the paperwork. Yes, glad it all got resolved!!!
 
OP, glad you have the passport sorted out. I hope you enjoy your cruise!

That's weird. How did they know she was born in another country if she had a US issued BC?

Glad it worked out.

I don't know the circumstances of the OP's sister, but my oldest was born outside of the US but is a US citizen by birth. Her actual birth certificate is Italian and she has another form, a US Consular Report Birth Abroad (CRBA) that shows her US citizenship. In general, for most official things she uses the CRBA and not her birth certificate, like showing her age for her learner's permit or registering for school or applying for a passport. When I am unsure of which form is needed, I bring both but so far her CRBA form is what is used. Anyway, I am just assuming adoptions have other different procedures depending on the circumstance of birth and adoption.
 
OP, glad you have the passport sorted out. I hope you enjoy your cruise!



I don't know the circumstances of the OP's sister, but my oldest was born outside of the US but is a US citizen by birth. Her actual birth certificate is Italian and she has another form, a US Consular Report Birth Abroad (CRBA) that shows her US citizenship. In general, for most official things she uses the CRBA and not her birth certificate, like showing her age for her learner's permit or registering for school or applying for a passport. When I am unsure of which form is needed, I bring both but so far her CRBA form is what is used. Anyway, I am just assuming adoptions have other different procedures depending on the circumstance of birth and adoption.
I know, that's why I was curious since the OP said she had a US birth certificate not a foreign BC.
 
I may have had some of my facts wrong...I personally do not own her BC therefore I probably just assumed it was a US one, but it all liklihood it was probably a foreign one. Anyway, we're all back from the trip and everything went smoothly. She ended up getting her PP 4 days prior to us leaving, WHEW!
 

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