# Original Birth Certificate = Passport? **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Off Topic\ **Created:** [June 17, 2008, 8:14am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/original-birth-certificate-passport/50133 "2008-06-17T08:14:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![boxxa](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/boxxa/32/5045_2.png) [@boxxa](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boxxa)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2008, 8:14am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/original-birth-certificate-passport/50133/1 "2008-06-17T08:14:19Z")
I am traveling to the Dominican Republic with the girlfriend in August. I do not have a passport because when I was traveling to Mexico a few years ago all I needed was my license and a original birth certificate with a raised seal. Is this still the case till 2009? I was looking on the State Department website which had this exerpt: > [@http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis\_pa\_tw/cis/cis\_1103.html](#): > > **ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS:** All Americans traveling by air outside of the United States are required to present a passport or other valid travel document to enter or re-enter the United States… This requirement will be extended to sea travel (except closed loop cruises), including ferry service, by the summer of 2009. Until then, U.S. citizens traveling by sea must have government-issued photo identification and a document showing their U.S. citizenship (for example, a birth certificate or certificate of nationalization), or other WHTI compliant document such as a passport card for entry or re-entry to the U.S. Sea travelers should also check with their cruise line and countries of destination for any foreign entry requirements. Does that mean I am OK with my birth certificate to travel till next year to get back in? Where can I find what I need to get into the Dominican Republic? ---
**Author:** ![newman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/newman/32/7569_2.png) [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2008, 8:16am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/original-birth-certificate-passport/50133/2 "2008-06-17T08:16:34Z")
Do you know how to read? If you are _flying_, you need a _passport_. If you are taking a _boat_, you only need a _birth certificate_. ---
**Author:** ![Paulo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/paulo/32/7328_2.png) [@Paulo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Paulo)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2008, 8:17am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/original-birth-certificate-passport/50133/3 "2008-06-17T08:17:49Z")
Your flying there right? then no. you need your passport for international travel outside of the US and Canada. EDIT - what’s funny is that you posted the answer to your own question. ---
**Author:** ![JayS](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jays/32/15375_2.png) [@JayS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JayS)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2008, 8:18am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/original-birth-certificate-passport/50133/4 "2008-06-17T08:18:32Z")
I’d say no, unless you’re going by boat. The same thing, with the vague and confusing “other valid travel document” part removed. [http://travelwithkids.about.com/od/insurancedocuments/a/passports.htm](http://travelwithkids.about.com/od/insurancedocuments/a/passports.htm) > What’s changed about Passport Requirements? > Before January 2007, US citizens were able to travel to Canada, Mexico, and many countries in the Caribbean without needing passports. Birth certificates and photo id were sufficient. > > Passport ID is now required, as part of a “Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative” that the US is implementing for border security. (Read more at the US State Dept. site.) > > The first phase of new passport requirements began January 23 2007, for air travel: all US citizens – adults and kids–need passports for air travel to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico and Canada, in order to enter or re-enter the US. > > Arrivals by sea: cruise passengers, meanwhile, have a different date; passports won’t be required until June 1 2009, for those crossing borders by sea. ---
**Author:** ![Jagermeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f19dbf/32.png) [@Jagermeister](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jagermeister)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2008, 8:18am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/original-birth-certificate-passport/50133/5 "2008-06-17T08:18:52Z")
Seriously. It’s all right there and in plain english. ---
**Author:** ![newman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/newman/32/7569_2.png) [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2008, 8:19am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/original-birth-certificate-passport/50133/6 "2008-06-17T08:19:51Z")
have fun getting your passport by august. ---
**Author:** ![eclipsed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbce88/32.png) [@eclipsed](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/eclipsed)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2008, 8:20am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/original-birth-certificate-passport/50133/7 "2008-06-17T08:20:43Z")
:lol: :picard: ---
**Author:** ![JayS](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jays/32/15375_2.png) [@JayS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JayS)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2008, 8:24am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/original-birth-certificate-passport/50133/8 "2008-06-17T08:24:13Z")
> [@newman](#): > > have fun getting your passport by august. He’ll probably be OK if he gets it done this week. Looks like about 4 weeks for standard processing right now, 3 if you pay for expedited: > **[U.S. Passports](https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports.html/get/processing/processing_1740.html)** > > How to apply for or renew your U.S. passport if you live in United States ---
**Author:** ![BigRon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/58956e/32.png) [@BigRon](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/BigRon)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2008, 8:24am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/original-birth-certificate-passport/50133/9 "2008-06-17T08:24:17Z")
Are to floating there on a raft? ---
**Author:** ![Joe](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/joe/32/7219_2.png) [@Joe](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Joe)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2008, 8:27am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/original-birth-certificate-passport/50133/10 "2008-06-17T08:27:03Z")
> [@newman](#): > > have fun getting your passport by august. If it gets close, all he has to do is call his congressman’s office. Higgins got my cousin’s pushed through in 17 days :tup: ---
**Author:** ![PsngrSeatsR4Boys](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/psngrseatsr4boys/32/3078_2.png) [@PsngrSeatsR4Boys](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/PsngrSeatsR4Boys)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2008, 8:29am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/original-birth-certificate-passport/50133/11 "2008-06-17T08:29:25Z")
go apply for your passport asap. the government is expediting the passport process. they’ve hired banks to do the paper work to get the passports out faster than normal due to the surge in applications. ex) the lockbox at citi. ---
**Author:** ![boxxa](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/boxxa/32/5045_2.png) [@boxxa](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boxxa)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2008, 8:33am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/original-birth-certificate-passport/50133/12 "2008-06-17T08:33:11Z")
> [@Joe](#): > > If it gets close, all he has to do is call his congressman’s office. Higgins got my cousin’s pushed through in 17 days :tup: FUCK! Well I guess if the trip doesn’t get booked by this weekend I am not going since I might not have time to get a passport. I will let the girlfriend go and ill just stay in the US and go to Vegas or something. ---
**Author:** ![LAFENGAS](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/lafengas/32/7573_2.png) [@LAFENGAS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LAFENGAS)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2008, 8:41am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/original-birth-certificate-passport/50133/13 "2008-06-17T08:41:06Z")
My fiancé filed for her passport 3 weeks ago…and received it last week. 2 WEEKS! The the wait is no where near as long as it was this time last year. ---
**Author:** ![sureshot](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/sureshot/32/7578_2.png) [@sureshot](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/sureshot)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2008, 8:47am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/original-birth-certificate-passport/50133/14 "2008-06-17T08:47:50Z")
Yeah, my passport came in probably 5 weeks, and that was a couple months ago. It’s since been even more speedy. ---
**Author:** ![2TurboZ](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/2turboz/32/7577_2.png) [@2TurboZ](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/2TurboZ)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2008, 8:48am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/original-birth-certificate-passport/50133/15 "2008-06-17T08:48:51Z")
The wait is way less than everyone thinks… Before I went to the Bahamas I paid to get it expedited and my sister who filed hers normal time got hers 5 days after me. You should be fine. But there is NO reason not to have one. ---
**Author:** ![Paulo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/paulo/32/7328_2.png) [@Paulo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Paulo)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2008, 8:53am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/original-birth-certificate-passport/50133/16 "2008-06-17T08:53:23Z")
I got my passport in just over a week. But that was in Canada. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Jagermeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f19dbf/32.png) [@Jagermeister](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jagermeister)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2008, 9:04am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/original-birth-certificate-passport/50133/17 "2008-06-17T09:04:44Z")
I went on 6/10 for a passport. It was shipped yesterday and I should receive it on 6/23. Paid for regular processing. That’s impressive. ---
**Author:** ![boxxa](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/boxxa/32/5045_2.png) [@boxxa](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boxxa)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2008, 9:04am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/original-birth-certificate-passport/50133/18 "2008-06-17T09:04:46Z")
> [@2TurboZ](#): > > The wait is way less than everyone thinks… > > Before I went to the Bahamas I paid to get it expedited and my sister who filed hers normal time got hers 5 days after me. > > You should be fine. But there is NO reason not to have one. dont they expire tho? i think that was my original thought not to get one since i am not allowed in canada and didn’t want it to expire. ---
**Author:** ![Eazy716](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/eazy716/32/7443_2.png) [@Eazy716](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Eazy716)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2008, 9:05am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/original-birth-certificate-passport/50133/19 "2008-06-17T09:05:24Z")
> [@boxxa](#): > > FUCK! > > Well I guess if the trip doesn’t get booked by this weekend I am not going since I might not have time to get a passport. I will let the girlfriend go and ill just stay in the US and go to Vegas or something. you can pay for a rush on it. My fiance’ ordered hers with a rush and had it back in 4 business days. I think the rush cost an extra $60 ---
**Author:** ![Eazy716](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/eazy716/32/7443_2.png) [@Eazy716](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Eazy716)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2008, 9:06am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/original-birth-certificate-passport/50133/20 "2008-06-17T09:06:01Z")
> [@boxxa](#): > > dont they expire tho? i think that was my original thought not to get one since i am not allowed in canada and didn’t want it to expire. they are valid for 10 years [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/original-birth-certificate-passport/50133.md?page=2)