Passport for 2 and 4 yo, St. Thomas USVI

[Ann-Marie]

My daughter and her husband both have passports, but her 2 year old and 4 year old do not. I have read that customs is much faster with a passport. We are trying to decide if it's really necessary for her children to have them which will cost $250. They will probably not be traveling with the children out of the country for several more years. Opinions please. Thanks.

 

[Passepartout]

As U.S Citizens, no passports are needed to visit USVI. So don't sweat it. Just carry birth certs for the kiddies in case anyone should ask. Kids are required to have SS cards to be claimed as deductions on taxes, so that might also be in the ID packet.

The only possible flaw here is if flying in/out, there is an unexpected stop somewhere outside US territory, or the possibility that the parents would want to expand their travel there to perhaps British V.I., where passports would be required to return to US territory.

Passports (or passport cards) for kids are just good for 5 years anyway, and don't cost as much as the full-fare adult ones.

Jim

 

[ibcnu]

If the kids aren't planning on traveling outside the country, I would not get through the expense of getting them a passport. You do not need a passport to travel into Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands.

 

[bnoble]

I'm always in favor of getting a passport, because it becomes an excuse to plan travel!

 

[dioxide45]

I wouldn't bother. Two passports for children will run $105 each and are only valid for 5 years. Since they are only traveling to the USVI, a passport is not required. Sure it makes traveling back through customs a little easier, but is it $210 easier? I would wait to get their passports for when they actually require it for travel.

 

[Ty1on]

I wouldn't bother. Two passports for children will run $105 each and are only valid for 5 years. Since they are only traveling to the USVI, a passport is not required. Sure it makes traveling back through customs a little easier, but is it $210 easier? I would wait to get their passports for when they actually require it for travel.

I would tend to agree, unless one sees a good probability of international travel within the next couple years anyway.

We just had to renew our 6 year old's so she could make her biennial trip to Russia. Thank goodness DW caught her expiring passport several weeks before the trip. It takes a good 3-4 weeks unless you pay them blood money for expedited processing.

 

[mdurette]

I could be wrong....but it is my understanding that if you are flying to the VI all people (including kids) are required to have a passport. Sea and land crossings are ok with the card.

We chose to get our 5YO daughter at the time a passport for our annual cruises to the Caribbean for the sole reason that if something happened to any one of us and we missed the ship we would have the passports to be able to fly back home.

OP, please double check.

Others.....thanks for the heads up that kids passports expire in 5 years. I didn't know. A quick look at my kids and I realize it expires 3 weeks before our cruise this coming spring!!! I would have never known.

 

[Passepartout]

I could be wrong.....

You are..... http://www.visitusvi.com/frequently_asked_questions

 

[riverdees05]

Get a raised seal birth certificate and your state ID with the child's picture on it and you should be good to go! Or call and see if you need a state government pictured ID for them since they are so young. The ones for children in Tennessee are only good for 2 years, I think.

 

[funtime]

It is a good idea to get passports for children to prevent them from being taken out of the country without your authorization. Once they have passports and you are in possession of the passports, a third party cannot get new passports. for your children. A safety precaution that is important for custodial disputes or actual kidnapping.

 

[Ty1on]

It is a good idea to get passports for children to prevent them from being taken out of the country without your authorization. Once they have passports and you are in possession of the passports, a third party cannot get new passports. for your children. A safety precaution that is important for custodial disputes or actual kidnapping.

That's an interesting angle...

 

[VegasBella]

One of the first things we did was get our son a passport. It's not just for travel, it's extra identification.

We haven't used it yet because I didn't want to travel out of country until my son was at least 5 or 6 (since the "under 5" age group is at much higher risk for all sorts of illnesses and injuries than the "over 5"). In general, it's better to have it and not use it than to need it and not have it.

It is NOT that much hassle to get a passport, especially if you're not in a rush to get it in time for a trip. The hassle, in my experience, is when you forgot to do it well in advance of the trip or you didn't renew it on time.

 

[Ann-Marie]

Thanks everyone. They decided to just take the embossed birth certificates.