Hello everyone!

Many of the Fastport Passport patrons come to us with questions about cruises, and whether or not cruise passengers need to carry valid United States Passports. There is a lot of mixed information out there, much of which says that cuise passengers only need to carry a birth certificate and driver’s license.

If your cruise is leaving the United States AT ALL, for example, even if just to pass through a stop in Canada on the way to Alaska as a final destination, then every passenger must be carrying a currently valid United States Passport.

If you need a new or renewed passport expedited to you in time for a cruise within the next 14 days, you can place your order on our website for the speed of service that you need. Keep in mind that all of our service times are in business days.

If you would like to renew a passport, your previous passport must have been valid for 10 years and must either be still valid, or must have been expired for less than five years in order to qualify for a renewal. After you place an order for your renewal, you will follow these instructions so that we can secure a new renewed passport for you. The main form you will have to fill out for a renewal is the DS-82.

If you are 16 years or older, have never had a passport before, or if your old passport was a child’s passport (only valid for five years), then you will need to apply for a new adult passport. If you need a new passport for a child younger than 16, you will order a new child’s passport. Please see my previous blog on new children’s passports and what requirements must be met in order to secure them. Also, for step-by-step instruction on expediting new passports in general, please see my blog about securing a passport in time for your international travels on the 4th of July.

If you have had a passport in the past but it was either lost or stolen, you will need to follow nearly the same instructions as those applying for a brand new passport, but you will have to also fill out and sign the DS-64, or the Statement Regarding a Lost or Stolen Passport.

If you have other passport needs including changing the name on your passport, or adding pages to your currently valid passport, or just about any other passport issues, please visit our wesbite. You may also call or visit us from 9am-5pm Monday through Friday.

Happy Friday, and thanks for reading!