Travel to Mexico

[Redwolf]

I figure there may be some people here who have traveled to Mexico fairly recently and can give me some good advice. Here's the deal:

My in-laws called last night...they'd really like to go on a cruise to the Mexican Riviera over Thanksgiving, and they want to take us! That's the cool part. The only problem is, my daughter and I don't have passports. We could apply tomorrow and expedite them, but I'm told even that can take more than three weeks, and that would be cutting it awfully close (especially as we'd have to send off our only proof of citizenship...our birth certificates...to the State Department in order to get our passports). I'm told you can travel to Mexico on just a birth certificate, but the sites I'm seeing are saying "birth certificate AND photo ID." I have a drivers license, of course, but my daughter has no photo ID. Should we go ahead and try to expedite passports (and pray they get here in time), or are we likely to be OK with just birth certificates? My big fear is that my in-laws will buy the tickets, the day to leave will come, and we'll be stuck with passports AND no birth certificates!

Thoughts?

Redwolf

[avanutria]

You could send your certificate off for the passport and simultaneously request another copy of your birth cert from your birth state. When I got my passport in 2002 I had to acquire a new birth certificate first as mine had disappeared years before. I don't think it took too long to come, but it probably varies by state.

Your daughter may be able to get a state ID - check the department of motor vehicles for your state to see if they've got any photo ID options for non-drivers.

[brewerpaul]

If you DO make it to Mexico, be sure to visit Chichen Itza-- the biggest Mayan ruin area. It is truly awe inspiring.
Also terrific in that area is Xcaret (which is not pronounced like you think it is)-- a sort of ecological theme park with underground rivers to tube through, a butterfly pavilion, etc. Wonderful. Charlene and I visited these on our honeymoon two years ago. Snorkeling in this region is terrific too with reefs close to the shore.

[Jack]

I hear México is a gorgeous country. I got asked to go there last year with some random guy on a trip he won at work. I didn't think he was serious, but he kept asking me to go. I almost did.

[Teri-K]

I figure there may be some people here who have traveled to Mexico fairly recently and can give me some good advice. Here's the deal:

My in-laws called last night...they'd really like to go on a cruise to the Mexican Riviera over Thanksgiving, and they want to take us! That's the cool part. The only problem is, my daughter and I don't have passports. We could apply tomorrow and expedite them, but I'm told even that can take more than three weeks, and that would be cutting it awfully close (especially as we'd have to send off our only proof of citizenship...our birth certificates...to the State Department in order to get our passports). I'm told you can travel to Mexico on just a birth certificate, but the sites I'm seeing are saying "birth certificate AND photo ID." I have a drivers license, of course, but my daughter has no photo ID. Should we go ahead and try to expedite passports (and pray they get here in time), or are we likely to be OK with just birth certificates? My big fear is that my in-laws will buy the tickets, the day to leave will come, and we'll be stuck with passports AND no birth certificates!

Thoughts?

Redwolf

The need for a passport in this country has become mandatory for travel. The problem isn't leaving, but re-entry. Personally, I wouldn't attempt to come back to the U.S. on just photo I.D. and a birth certificate. Post 9/11 rules will make it very tough (possibility of delay at the crossing and questioning), or at the very worst, denial of entry.

I've applied for a passport using the expedited request and received it in less than two weeks. That was from Seattle, which sends the forms for processesing in SFO, and still had that quick turnaround. You shouldn't see a longer time, being closer. But, it is a govt. agency, so anything can happen

Do be sure to apply in person (on Front St. or Ocean St.) and have everything you need: certified or original birth certificate and marriage certificate (not the license, but what was recorded with the clerk). You'll have to prove why your last name has changed since birth, if you took your husband's name.

Going for the passports is up to you. There's the chance they won't arrive in time. If you really want to go above and beyond and semi-guarantee getting them in time, drive up to SFO and apply directly at the regional office. They service requests for people needing passports within 14 days. http://travel.state.gov/passport/ppt_sf.html

Good luck!

[PhilO]

We spent a week in Cancun in August - it was hot, touristy and crowded at the airports - and we loved it! One of the best vacations ever. We rode the buses up and down the hoteleria. Stayed at the Marriot Casa Magna, which was superb and a quality deal.

As Paul said, don't miss ChichenItza; I'd highly recommend doing it with a guide though. We had a wonderful guide who was half Mayan and he made it come alive. Otherwise you run the risk of just looking at piles of rocks. You might want to stay for the show at night as well. Xcaret is wonderful fun - swimming in a subterannean river, snorkeling, etc.

ChichenItza is a fabulous rich cultural experience. But even there, if you like, you can buy some cool stuff. There's a booth inside that your guide will know where they sell beautiful pendants with the letters of your name represented by various Mayan symbols in gold and or silver.

The people and the food were routinely terrific.

We had passports including for my daughter; even if not required, I think it is best to go with them. For both expedited passports and birth certificates, you should probably send copies of your ticket reservations to help expedite.

Good luck and enjoy.


Philo

[Redwolf]

Thanks, guys.

I'm not too worried about my birth certificate, as I actually have two (as an adoptee, I have the one that was issued to my adoptive parents, but I also have a copy of my original, which my birth parents also gave to my adoptive parents). It would take a lot longer than three weeks, however, to get Jo's birth certificate from North Carolina (last time I had to order a duplicate it took six weeks, and I was living in NC at the time!). My hubby's dad is going to check with his travel agent today...he's in touch with the cruise line and with the relevent offices of the State Dept. and should be able to tell us exactly what we'll need. If we don't need the passports for this trip, I think I'll just hang on to the birth certificates for now, and apply for passports when we get back (we will need them in several months for a school trip to England, but we have the luxury of time on that one).

I'm not sure where all this cruise calls...I've been trying not to let myself get too excited in case it doesn't pan out (hubby is checking today to see if he can get the time off and then, if it looks like we'll be able to have the appropriate documentation, the in-laws will book the cruise). Anyplace would be great...I've never been to Mexico at all, so I'm up for enjoying whereever we visit. I do love cruising...my one and only taste of it was the Alaska trip we took a few years ago (on the same ship, as it happens), and that was a wonderful trip, so I know I'll enjoy it whereever we go.

Redwolf

[Redwolf]

Do be sure to apply in person (on Front St. or Ocean St.) and have everything you need: certified or original birth certificate and marriage certificate (not the license, but what was recorded with the clerk). You'll have to prove why your last name has changed since birth, if you took your husband's name.

I hope that won't be necessary. My last passport was in my married name, and I still have it, even though it was issued a long time ago (1985). I don't have a copy of my marriage certificate, and it would take forever to get that from Washington, so if I need that, I'm toast.

I'm just lucky I have that adoptive birth certificate...I had to request a new copy of that from Sacramento several years ago, and it took months to get (getting anything from state is like pulling teeth when you're adopted). My original birth certificate, of course, has my birth name on it, but I've only held passports in my actual maiden name and my married name...can you imagine trying to explain why I started out life with one name, had another one before I was two weeks old, and THEN got another one when I was 24?

Someone asked about state ID for Jo...that takes a minimum of 6-8 weeks to receive, same as for a driver's license. CA isn't one of those states that issues the actual photo card right away...it has to come from Sacramento.

Redwolf

[Redwolf]

Yeee haw! Looks like the trip is on! I'm stoked...I need a vacation, and I LOVE cruises! (well, I've only been on one, but it was the vacation of a lifetime, so I have high hopes for this one as well).

We spoke with the cruise lines and the travel agent, and double checked the state department site, and it seems that we're all fine with just birth certificates, even as far as returning to the U.S. is concerned. Interestingly, they all said that the bigger problem would be if Jo were traveling with just one of us...evidently Mexico is really concerned, these days, about noncustodial parental abduction and gets uneasy when one parent tries to come in with a child. Fortunately, since both my husband and I are going, that won't be a problem!

I don't know how much time we'll have to look around at sites away from port...will depend on which cruise my in-laws pick and how much time the ship spends in each port, I guess. It looks like the standard ports of call for this cruise are Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta. The Holland America cruise that was their first choice skips Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta, substituting a different port in Baja (Loreto maybe?) and a day of cruising the Sea of Cortez and admiring the Sierra Giganta. Where ever we go, we'll have fun, I know...I just love to travel and see new places!

Very excited Redwolf