Passports

Let me say right off the bat I'm not a lawyer or work in the legal field, what I do know is cruising by US citizens from North American homeports to the Caribbean, Canada, and parts of Central South America.

What I've always been told by TAs, have read on cruise line's FAQ pages about documentation, and have verified with the CBP and Department of State websites is ... if the document such as proof of nationality and ID is required for a Passport application, then it is best to have it on hand when doing a Passport excluded closed loop (departs & returns to the same US homeport) cruise to WHTI eligible ports of call. It doesn't necessarily mean you need to take these documents off the ship while in ports of call that qualify, which all 3 of your POCs do. What it does mean that if you don't have these documents then the cruise line can deny initial boarding at the homeport.

For an adult and teens 16 and older cruising without a Passport it means they need to have a quality copy of their Department of Health or Vital Statistics issued Birth Certificate named matched to their government issued photo ID (most commonly a driver's license) and when the BC and DL don't name match copies of all legal name change documents showing the progression to the current ID name, will also need to be on hand. These can be adoption records, marriage certificate(s), divorce decrees, or court filed name change papers. This applies to almost all American born citizens but there are some exceptions, especially if born in a US territory before a certain date or on a Military base on foreign soil with only the military BC (a consulate record/letter of foreign birth may also be asked for).

For children 15 and under this means they will need the quality copy of their Department of Health or Vital Statistics issued Birth Certificate and if both parents listed on the BC are not cruising a consent for international travel form maybe asked for signed by the non-sailing parent (and having it notarized is not a requirement but it's not a bad idea either). Of course copies of legally filed with the court or social service proof(s) of sole parental custody substitutes will be accepted, the same as they are for Passport processing.

As to getting off in these 3 WHTI compliant ports of call children 15 and under only need their ship's card and being accompanied by an adult from their cabin while adults will need their ship's card and a government photo ID that matches the name on the ship's card. If you do not leave the secured port (aka Custom's) gates only the ships card is needed.

We are leaving from Miami, FL and the ports are: Amber Cove, DR, Bahamas and Turks & Caicos. I was able to find info for all but DR about passports that is why I asked about only the DR, no we are not from there. My sister is coming on the trip and she has full custody of her daughter, but they won't give her permission to get a passport because the dad has to sign off on it and he doesn't want to because he is controlling. I did email the Amber Cover port and all they wrote back was that all was needed was the same documents used to get on the cruise ship.

Oh, so true!!!!

Agreed...and we're probably missing a whole lot of this that we'll never get, not that its any of our bidness anyway. Why only DR? Amber Cove? Mebbe the family's from there, things can get complicated is all I know, and those "permission letters"....well......

True. But that would be for the whole cruise, not just Amber Cove. That’s where the permission letter comes in.

Yeh, nor have we..but then you're not a non-custodial adult traveling with a minor in what "may" be a family squabble..a phone call to the "authorities" by an aggrieved parent, right or wrong, justified or not, can cause ALL KINDS of difficulties...amazing the mud people can fling, or get stuck in.....

We’ve never needed them when stopping there. It’s part of the itinerary for our October cruises. If that changes I’ll let you know.

Went and looked and found all kinds of answers some going back years...some looked official, others were just people throwing in their .02. This is way too important to trust what somebody seems to think is a correct official answer, and even that on the internet might have changed. To complicate things a bit, that area is "owned" (or developed) by CCL...how that changes the rules I don't know, and I still wouldn't accept anything other than an official answer, especially how it affects a minor traveling with you...I assume theres no problem with her boarding the ship either?

CALL THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC CONSULATE! theres at least 5 of them, all over the US...pick whichever, it probably doesn't even matter which one you choose, and get the REAL OFFICIAL UP-TO-DATE ANSWER.....GOOD LUCK!!!!!