It's Time to Take a Vacation: Travel Documentation for Your Little Ones
- Laura Kingman
- Mar 12
- 8 min read
Passport, Passport Card, or Birth Certificate?
For the last two years, my family has been planning our first family cruise from the United States to the Bahamas, and we are so excited as it is now fast approaching! It is one of those moments where after a long, snowy winter that literally nothing sounds more wonderful than kicking back in a hammock with a fruity drink and a tiny umbrella. Wait! Rewind- I'm travelling with a multi-generational family group including my parents and my three young children, so perhaps a more accurate vision might be some high-energy fun splashing on the beach, building some amazing sand castles, and eating some ice cream cones. It certainly doesn't sound quite as relaxing, but it will still be fun.
I am a seasoned Disney Cruiser, mostly because of the time that I spent working at Disney and the last-minute cruise opportunities that would come up for employees. This upcoming cruise will be special for me because it is the first cruise on which I am taking my kids, and I can't wait for them to experience all the special Disney "magic" that comes with a cruise for the very first time.
However, just after I booked the cruise for my family, almost immediately, my very-organized self went into the logistics required for taking my kids out of the country by ship and how that was different from flying on domestic airlines or traveling in or out of the country via car. For this, I took a deep dive into the US Government's Passport website to understand the "ins" and "outs" of children's travel documentation, why it's important, and which solution would be best for our family. What I researched is what I am going to cover today to (hopefully!) make your decision easier if you have upcoming travel with your little ones.
Why Documentation Is Important
Over many years of traveling, I've had a few friends who spent extra time in customs when entering or leaving a foreign country, and none of them ever commented about it being overly "fun". With this in mind, I always err on the side of being overprepared when traveling far from home. Especially with children who don't cope as well when travel plans are delayed or in any way don't go smoothly. However, it's always nice to weigh in on the value of each option when it comes to spending your vacation dollars on the aspects of your vacation that you will enjoy the most. Here are some helpful pros and cons when selecting which travel documentation you will get for your next trip with your little ones.
Determine Which Travel Documents Are Required
Before spending significant time deciding if a US Passport, US Passport Card, or State-issued Birth Certificate is the right choice for your child, first you need to visit the US Department of State's Passport Website directly to see if there are specific requirements for your travel destination. Here are some things to consider and the basic rules of each level of documentation:
When to get a US Passport
As a general rule, if you are flying to an international destination, your child will need a US Passport. This is a requirement, so consider it a cost of your international vacation.
If your child needs a passport, you should plan a minimum of 12 weeks ahead of your travel to submit your passport application to the US Government to avoid paying rush processing fees. Or, just do it once you book your vacation so you don't have to worry about it as the time approaches.
If traveling by sea (such as on a cruise ship), most travel agencies and cruise lines suggest getting a US Passport for all members of your family when traveling abroad because if there is an unforeseen emergency that requires air transport back to the US, having a passport for everyone in your travel party will simplify the process. That being said, the top two reasons that you might need emergency air travel home from your destination are:
If you or a member of your family has a serious medical emergency requiring an airlift to a hospital
If you disembark the ship at one of your ports of call and miss the ship's all-aboard call and get left behind in a foreign country.
But before you pay all of the extra cost of a US passport for your children, consider the likelihood of how often in your life you have ever needed medical transport via air and if you have booked any excursions separately from the cruise line itself. If you book your excursions through your ship, most cruise lines will wait to make sure you are safely back on board before disembarking, so the second scenario may not be a concern for you. If either of these are a concern for you, getting the full passport for everyone in your family is a great choice!
When to get a US Passport Card
As of the time of this blog post, US Passport Cards are valid for land and sea travel between the US and Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, and Bermuda, which is possible because of an agreement called the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, in which the countries in the Western Hemisphere have slightly different identification requirements to enter or exit the United States. An additional benefit of a US Passport Card is that it can be used to cross land borders between Mexico and Canada faster.
Given the above recommendation for a US Passport, why would you choose a US Passport Card? One reason is that US Passport Cards cost 1/3 as much as a full US Passport Book ($50 at the time of this blog, instead of $150). Since children's passports are valid for half as long as adult passports, this decreases the cost for parents and provides greater identification as a US Citizen when traveling.
I will share- this is the choice my family made for our three young children. Here is why we chose this option:
Lower cost of the temporary identification, given that all children's passports and passport cards are valid for half the time of adults.
We have no expected international travel by air.
We have no medical concerns to expect to need medical air-lifted transfer.
We are not disembarking the cruise in any foreign countries, excluding the cruise line's private island, which also includes that we have no excursions booked that would risk us missing the departure of the ship at any port.
It is not unlikely that we may use the cards to enter or exit Canada on other trips.
When to use a State-Issued Birth Certificate
As of the time of this blog post, if you are a US citizen taking a cruise from a US Port, to a destination included in the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, and returning to the same US Port, then you may use documentation such as a State-Issued Birth Certificate (and, for adults, a government-issued ID) to enter or exit the US at the port. If you booked your cruise last minute and don't need a US Passport or US Passport Card for any other reason, this may be just the solution for you.
Preparing for the Cruise
Timeline for Documentation
If you have booked an international vacation or a cruise, start planning your documentation timeline today. The US Government suggests 12 weeks ahead of your travel to apply for a Passport or Passport Card, but if you are within six months of travel.
Photographs and Application Forms
Preparing to apply for a child's passport takes a few things:
A photograph of the child. These can be taken at photo printing centers such as those within pharmacies or if your local post office offers passport photos as a service.
The US Department of State has a pretty comprehensive site that shows the good examples of correct passport photos and what not to do. Note: we chose to do our passport photos ourselves, by taking a photo of each of our kids on a white background and then cropping it to the square photo size and dimensions needed for each photo. This reduced our cost from about $15/child to have the photos done professionally at the post office to 25 cents/child to have them printed on standard 4"x6" photo paper, that we were able to measure and cut down to the required 2" square size.
The passport application itself. The US Government has a PDF of the passport application document. We were able to download the PDF, fill it out for one child, save it and print, and then adapt the same form for the next child. This saved some time from re-entering our addresses and basic information on multiple forms.
The parents' identifying documentation, and both parents need to be present at the passport application appointment. There is a full list of what adult documentation is needed on the US Government website.
Payment. The US Government website lists the total cost, but when we went to actually pay for our children's passports, the passport agency required a seperate check written to their agency and then a check to the US Department of State; the combined total of both checks was the original $50 but it doubled the number of checks I expected to write.
Where to Apply
US Passport appointments are offered at government centers, such as post offices, municipal buildings, and courthouses. Search for where your most convenient office is located on the US Government website.
A helpful tip! Call ahead if you don't have a specific appointment time, even if walk-in hours are listed. In our local area, some centers had walk-in availability and some had required appointments. We have pretty busy schedules, so there were limited times that both myself and my husband could attend the appointment together. The first time we tried to go to a walk-in passport center at a post office, we found that they had no staff able to process passport applications and expected to be closed for at least 3 weeks. We then called the next closest passport agency and confirmed that they were open and processing passport applications before driving to attend our appointment.
Additional Documents to Consider
Medical Needs
It's always a good idea to travel with documentation of your vaccinations or copies of your prescriptions, in the event of a medical emergency.
Consent Letters
If you are a solo parent traveling with a child, or if you are a grandparent or other adult traveling with a child, it is important to have a letter of consent from the parents that you are permitted to travel out of the country with the child. A helpful tip- if you are traveling on a cruise line, this letter is offered as part of the check-in process if you indicate that the parent of a minor will not be on the cruise with you.
Packing Tips for Traveling Families
Keep your travel identification handy! Make sure that your identification is kept with you (not ever in checked luggage) and securely store it or keep it with you throughout your trip.
Conclusion
Your vacation is waiting, and you adorable little one's travel documentation is tucked in your bag.... you are ready to go! Great job getting organized early and being ready on time! If you are all set with your travel documentation, you may be interested to read a few more of my travel tips and suggestions for little ones in these other blogs, which are either linked below or are upcoming:
Visiting Disney's Castaway Cay with Little Ones: What's In My Bag
Disney Cruise Line Gratuity: How it Works and What to Expect
How I spent $0 Onboard Disney Cruise Line
Parents' Ultimate Guide to What You CAN Bring for FREE Onboard Your Flight
Flying With An Infant: A New Parents' Guide
13 Tips For Living the Minivan Life
Your family adventure is waiting, with all the joy and memories of quality time wiht your little ones- you've got this! Enjoy your trip!
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