Passport to Cozumel??

Hi All,

I was recently told by a fellow scuba diver that now everyone (children included) now need passports to enter Cozumel from the U.S. We've been going there since 1995 and have taken my stepdaughters with us, who are now 14 and 18. We will be going again at the end of July for a week. We've never had a problem getting in or out of Cozumel with my stepdaughters' birth certificates; my husband and I have valid passports, however.

I went to the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs on Mexico website, and this is how it read:

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: The Government of Mexico requires that all U.S. citizens present proof of citizenship and photo identification for entry into Mexico. While U.S. citizenship documents such as a certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate, a Naturalization Certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or a Certificate of Citizenship are acceptable, the U.S. Embassy recommends traveling with a valid U.S. passport to avoid delays or misunderstandings. U.S. citizens have encountered difficulty boarding onward flights in Mexico without a passport. U.S. citizens boarding flights to Mexico should be prepared to present one of these documents as proof of U.S. citizenship, along with photo identification. Driver's permits, voter registration cards, affidavits and similar documents are not sufficient to prove citizenship for readmission into the United States.

I don't see anything in there that says passports are required...recommended, yes, but not required by law - and nothing about children being required to have them now.

Anyone have thoughts or updates on this and can reference their information?

I certainly hope things are still as it reads under the "Entry Requirements" or it will truly be a major pain trying to get passports for my stepdaughters as they live the majority of the year out of state, and you must apply in person for a passport.

Thanks a lot in advance for any and all help here!

Nancy

Scubagrl's Themes n' Dreams
http://www.scubagrl.net

This seems to indicate Mexico is enforcing ID requirements to ensure
that anyone returning to the US will have sufficient ID to re-enter
and not be sent back to Mexico by US immigration.

Talk to your travel agent for current requirements. Sometimes the web
information is not current. Call your local office of US Bureau of
Immigration and ask them if the travel agency seems at all unsure.

It was my understanding that minor children traveling with their
passported parents are not required to have individual passports. A
good form of ID like a certified birth certificate and picture ID of
the child would be at least minimum documentation to bring with you.

Perhaps someone with children who has traveled recently to Cozumel
will have more advice.

"Nancy L. McMullen" <scubagrl@comcast.net> wrote:

> Hi All,
>
> I was recently told by a fellow scuba diver that now everyone (children
> included) now need passports to enter Cozumel from the U.S. We've been going
> there since 1995 and have taken my stepdaughters with us, who are now 14 and
> 18. We will be going again at the end of July for a week. We've never had a
> problem getting in or out of Cozumel with my stepdaughters' birth
> certificates; my husband and I have valid passports, however.
>
> ...
>
> Anyone have thoughts or updates on this and can reference their information?


Yes: no matter what the hassles *might* be in the USA to get them
passports, go get them their passports today.

Afterall, it is inevitable that the rules are going to change.

Afterall, since the one is clearly too young to drive, it is also a very
easy and very cheap way of getting them a "Government Issue Photo ID".



> I certainly hope things are still as it reads under the "Entry Requirements"
> or it will truly be a major pain trying to get passports for my stepdaughters
> as they live the majority of the year out of state, and you must apply in
> person for a passport.


Incorrect.

First, only Minors are required to appear in person, and only if they're
under age 14, so that requirement doesn't appear to even apply to you
anyway.

Second, whatever you believe the hassle might be, compare it to what you
think the hassle would be of a trashed vacation on the Mexico end, or on
the returning-to-USA internment end. A passport to prevent these
inconveniences is the world's cheapest insurance...less than $10/year!

Third, I personally find it _very_ hard to believe that appearing in
person can even be claimed to be a "major pain". There are so many
places you can go to apply that I find it hard to believe that one
cannot be nearby. I've done it twice and both times found it painless.
IMO, the only time that you're generally going to find crowds and
hassles is when you wait until the last minute and have to go to one of
the 48-hour turnaround service centers.

Fourth, their living out of state for most of the year shouldn't be an
issue at all.



> Thanks a lot in advance for any and all help here!

Since your trip is in July, you have more than 8 weeks of leadtime, so
by acting now, you can do this on the "Routine" priority schedule, so it
will cost less than $100 per applicant, including the photo costs.

Many camera stores and AAA club stores offer passport photos for $10 or
so, while you wait.

Get a copy of the form before you go and fill it out at home. Not only
does this save time, but it prevents embarassment when you don't know
minutia such as your parents' _locations_ of birth, etc.


All the info you need can be found from this webpage:

http://travel.state.gov/passport_services.html



Just Do It.


-hh

Nancy L. McMullen wrote:

> Hi All,
>
> I was recently told by a fellow scuba diver that now everyone (children
> included) now need passports to enter Cozumel from the U.S. We've been
> going there since 1995 and have taken my stepdaughters with us, who are
> now 14 and 18. We will be going again at the end of July for a week.
> We've never had a problem getting in or out of Cozumel with my
> stepdaughters' birth certificates; my husband and I have valid
> passports, however.
>
> I went to the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs on
> Mexico website, and this is how it read:
>
>
> ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: The Government of Mexico requires that all U.S.
> citizens present proof of citizenship and photo identification for entry
> into Mexico. While U.S. citizenship documents such as a certified copy
> of a U.S. birth certificate, a Naturalization Certificate, a Consular
> Report of Birth Abroad, or a Certificate of Citizenship are acceptable,
> the U.S. Embassy recommends traveling with a valid U.S. passport to
> avoid delays or misunderstandings. U.S. citizens have encountered
> difficulty boarding onward flights in Mexico without a passport. U.S.
> citizens boarding flights to Mexico should be prepared to present one of
> these documents as proof of U.S. citizenship, along with photo
> identification. Driver's permits, voter registration cards, affidavits
> and similar documents are not sufficient to prove citizenship for
> readmission into the United States.
>
> I don't see anything in there that says passports are
> required...recommended, yes, but not required by law - and nothing about
> children being required to have them now.
>
> Anyone have thoughts or updates on this and can reference their information?
>
> I certainly hope things are still as it reads under the "Entry
> Requirements" or it will truly be a major pain trying to get passports
> for my stepdaughters as they live the majority of the year out of state,
> and you must apply in person for a passport.
>
> Thanks a lot in advance for any and all help here!
>
> Nancy
>
> Scubagrl's Themes n' Dreams
> http://www.scubagrl.net
>
Passports not required

On Thu, 22 Apr 2004 07:49:27 -0400, " H. Huntzinger"
<{NOSPAM-rm_to_reply}rec-scuba@huntzinger.com> wrote:


>Yes: no matter what the hassles *might* be in the USA to get them
>passports, go get them their passports today.

I've done a lot of traveling and cannot imagine leaving the USA
without a passport.

Anyone who considers it a "hassle" to get a passport - really doesn't
know what a hassle is until they get into trouble in a foreign country
without a passport.


By the way... Hugh Huntzinger... any updates on Tiara (Cayman Brac)?
We're thinking of a few nights there later in the year.
Mostly interested in hotel condition, food and bar.

-HW "Skip" Weldon
Columbia, SC

Nancy L. McMullen wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> I was recently told by a fellow scuba diver that now everyone (children
> included) now need passports to enter Cozumel from the U.S. We've been
> going there since 1995 and have taken my stepdaughters with us, who are
> now 14 and 18. We will be going again at the end of July for a week.
> We've never had a problem getting in or out of Cozumel with my
> stepdaughters' birth certificates; my husband and I have valid
> passports, however.
>
> I went to the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs on
> Mexico website, and this is how it read:
>
>
> ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: The Government of Mexico requires that all U.S.
> citizens present proof of citizenship and photo identification for entry
> into Mexico. While U.S. citizenship documents such as a certified copy
> of a U.S. birth certificate, a Naturalization Certificate, a Consular
> Report of Birth Abroad, or a Certificate of Citizenship are acceptable,
> the U.S. Embassy recommends traveling with a valid U.S. passport to
> avoid delays or misunderstandings. U.S. citizens have encountered
> difficulty boarding onward flights in Mexico without a passport. U.S.
> citizens boarding flights to Mexico should be prepared to present one of
> these documents as proof of U.S. citizenship, along with photo
> identification. Driver's permits, voter registration cards, affidavits
> and similar documents are not sufficient to prove citizenship for
> readmission into the United States.
>
> I don't see anything in there that says passports are
> required...recommended, yes, but not required by law - and nothing about
> children being required to have them now.
>
> Anyone have thoughts or updates on this and can reference their information?
>
> I certainly hope things are still as it reads under the "Entry
> Requirements" or it will truly be a major pain trying to get passports
> for my stepdaughters as they live the majority of the year out of state,
> and you must apply in person for a passport.
>
> Thanks a lot in advance for any and all help here!
>
> Nancy
>
> Scubagrl's Themes n' Dreams
> http://www.scubagrl.net
>


Nancy, it's not required, but please get all the kids a passport.
Nobody wants to stand in line behind a family digging through a bagfull
of vacation trinkets, half-eaten sandwiches and loose papers with jelly
stains trying to convince this week's desk clerk that the oldest one
isn't the son of OBL. One day, INS may get a clue and have a queue for
non-passport returnees only. You can take all afternoon if you want
while the rest of the world breezes through to catch their connecting
flights.

--
jer email reply - I am not a 'ten' ICQ = 35253273
"All that we do is touched with ocean, yet we remain on the shore of
what we know." -- Richard Wilbur

On Thu, 22 Apr 2004 07:49:27 -0400, " H. Huntzinger"
<{NOSPAM-rm_to_reply}rec-scuba@huntzinger.com> wrote:

>"Nancy L. McMullen" <scubagrl@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>> Hi All,
>>
>> I was recently told by a fellow scuba diver that now everyone (children
>> included) now need passports to enter Cozumel from the U.S. We've been going
>> there since 1995 and have taken my stepdaughters with us, who are now 14 and
>> 18. We will be going again at the end of July for a week. We've never had a
>> problem getting in or out of Cozumel with my stepdaughters' birth
>> certificates; my husband and I have valid passports, however.

<snip>

>> I certainly hope things are still as it reads under the "Entry Requirements"
>> or it will truly be a major pain trying to get passports for my stepdaughters
>> as they live the majority of the year out of state, and you must apply in
>> person for a passport.

Please note that Mexico requires a notarized letter for permission to
be with one parent if they are not accompanied by both. Since it
sounds like you are not the custodial parent, I encourage you to
contact the nearest Mexican consulate and get this and other entry
questions answered.

>
>
>Incorrect.
>
>First, only Minors are required to appear in person, and only if they're
>under age 14, so that requirement doesn't appear to even apply to you
>anyway.
>
>Second, whatever you believe the hassle might be, compare it to what you
>think the hassle would be of a trashed vacation on the Mexico end, or on
>the returning-to-USA internment end. A passport to prevent these
>inconveniences is the world's cheapest insurance...less than $10/year!

A passport opens the whole world of travel. We always take our
passports to Hawai'i, just in case we get the bug to go on to Fiji or
Tahiti. Why not have it?

>
>Third, I personally find it _very_ hard to believe that appearing in
>person can even be claimed to be a "major pain". There are so many
>places you can go to apply that I find it hard to believe that one
>cannot be nearby. I've done it twice and both times found it painless.
>IMO, the only time that you're generally going to find crowds and
>hassles is when you wait until the last minute and have to go to one of
>the 48-hour turnaround service centers.

Passports are worth every penny. I won't go anywhere without them.
They are great for identification at the airport. The TSA drones know
exactly where to look for the information on a passport, as opposed to
having to study your out of state driver's license for your name and
picture. The less time I have to deal with them the better.

My neice recently got her passport for a trip to Europe this summer.
They live in a city of 1500 and she had no problems getting the
passport. It took about 3 weeks.
>
>Fourth, their living out of state for most of the year shouldn't be an
>issue at all.
>
>
>
>> Thanks a lot in advance for any and all help here!
>
>Since your trip is in July, you have more than 8 weeks of leadtime, so
>by acting now, you can do this on the "Routine" priority schedule, so it
>will cost less than $100 per applicant, including the photo costs.
>
>Many camera stores and AAA club stores offer passport photos for $10 or
>so, while you wait.
>
>Get a copy of the form before you go and fill it out at home. Not only
>does this save time, but it prevents embarassment when you don't know
>minutia such as your parents' _locations_ of birth, etc.
>
>
>All the info you need can be found from this webpage:
>
>http://travel.state.gov/passport_services.html
>
>
>
>Just Do It.
>
>
>-hh

--
dillon

When I was a kid, I thought the angel's name was Hark
and the horse's name was Bob.

On Thu, 22 Apr 2004 04:16:10 GMT, "Nancy L. McMullen"
<scubagrl@comcast.net> wrote:

>... my stepdaughters with us, who are now 14 and 18.

The minor can travel without passport if accompanied by the custodial
parent. The 18 year old will be required to have a passport to
reenter the US.

Post-9/11 you know. Them terrorists can disguise themselves as pretty
18 year old girls to get past those brave eagle-eyed INS dudes.

"Geoff" <geoff@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:d8uf805anfqlmtvmlf6aia9eqe52hamcld@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 22 Apr 2004 04:16:10 GMT, "Nancy L. McMullen"
> <scubagrl@comcast.net> wrote:
>
> The 18 year old will be required to have a passport to
> reenter the US.

Bullshit.

In article <e1tf80llute43noaq5f7ke8oriaec3ae9v@4ax.com>,
Dillon Pyron <dmpyronINVALID@austin.rr.com> writes:

>Please note that Mexico requires a notarized letter for permission to
>be with one parent if they are not accompanied by both. Since it
>sounds like you are not the custodial parent, I encourage you to
>contact the nearest Mexican consulate and get this and other entry
>questions answered.

An excellent point.

Mexico is not the only country that has such requirements.
I some cases it is a good idea to have such a notarized document
whenever a minor child is traveling without both parents accompanying.
Even for domestic travel. This is also useful for a minor child
traveling with someone who is NOT his/her parent -- e.g. a reltive
or "friend of the family". Such a document can also give the accompanying
person authority to authorize emergency medical care.

This is an area where it is good to consult an attorney who is
knowledgable in this area.

--
Charlie Hammond -- Hewlett-Packard Company -- Ft Lauderdale FL USA
(hammond@not@peek.ssr.hp.com -- remove "@not" when replying)
All opinions expressed are my own and not necessarily my employer's.