Jamaica - Birth Certificate Denied at Airport
Apr 3rd, 2000, 04:22 PM
#1
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Jamaica - Birth Certificate Denied at Airport
I read post on another board that someone was denied boarding on usairways to Jamaica because they had their hospital birth certificate with a raised seal not their state birth certificate with a raised seal. They made the guy drive 31/2 hours to get a state certified copy and pay to change his ticket! He had to meet his wife in Jamaica the next day! Has anyone ever heard of this?
Apr 3rd, 2000, 10:45 PM
#2
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although i'm not familiar with the incident you mention it's not unheard of for Airlines to 'follow the rules'; those rules are dictated by the Gov'ts of the countries they fly to. <BR>Jamaican law may be quite strict on some points,and the Airline in question might have just rec'd a reminder of this-tough luck to the man in question,but better than having to cancel his holiday altogether,and why didn't he have a passport? <BR>-what about his travel agent? <BR>as an example Mexican law is quite strict as regards the rights of minors. <BR>a parent travelling without their partner to the Mexican Republic must have signed,notarized authorization from the other parent granting explicit permission to travel with the children before entering the country,in effect,no paper no plane ride-this happened to a woman i know from Philadelphia,she was turned back at the airport because she lacked permission. <BR>lucky for her she was still on good terms with her ex,they managed to 'jump thru the hoops' and both mother&daughter arrived in Isla Mujeres only a day late. <BR>here in Canada airlines&agents generally provide this kind of info in advance as a matter of courtesy&convenience for their clients.
Apr 4th, 2000, 05:59 AM
#3
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We have been told that you have to have the official birth certificate with a raised seal, not the souvenir edition sometimes passed out by hospitals. <BR> <BR>Save yourself grief, just get a passport, It's so much more convenient and you also have a valid photo ID in it as well. <BR> <BR>Five years ago when we went to Grand Cayman and our son and his wife went with us, they only had a birth certificate. I don't know if the customs agent was just flexing his muscles or what, but he gave them a hard time about it and said that in a few years ALL the islands would require a passport and would no longer accept only a birth certificate. I doubt the validity of his statement considering 5 years have passed and you are still permitted to use them.
Apr 4th, 2000, 12:22 PM
#5
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Dee, <BR> Birth certificate must be an official copy from the state/county. The hospital certificate is just a piece of paper for excited parents usually done by the nursing staff. Last year, someone I know tried to get thru customs in Cancun with the hospital paper - she was almost turned away and ended up offering a bribe and staying but she was lucky. Get a passport, it makes life much easier - immigratiion people are much nicer to tourists with passports (at least that's what I have noticed). Jamie
Apr 5th, 2000, 06:46 PM
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My boyfriend just applied for his passport & YES he did need his non-driver's (NY) state ID card as identification for the application. He's been having a harder time getting his passport cause he doesn't have a driver's license & passport agency reps told him that specifically. Maybe this is an isolated incident & hopefully you won't have these problems, but he did need that state ID. He needed it when he applied (at the post office via the mail) AND had to send them another copy under separate cover! Good luck!
Apr 6th, 2000, 07:01 AM
#10
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For your information, airlines can be fined up to $10,000 for allowing passengers on international flights without the proper documentation. <BR> <BR>Whoever was denied boarding in the U.S. was probably lucky. Would rather hassle here than in Jamaica!
Apr 9th, 2000, 02:01 PM
#14
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My husband was given a hard time about his birth certificate last summer. They didn't want a hospital birth certificate even though it also had the state and raised seal. They allowed him to fill out some type of affit davit. They witnessed it and authorized the paper, attached it to his certificate and we were on our way to Mexico. Maybe that is some type of service offered by Apple Vacations. We flew with them out of Baltimore.
Apr 10th, 2000, 05:31 AM
#15
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Pam, <BR> The papers given out at a hospital are not "birth certificates" even if the have a raised seal. Official birth certificates are generally obtained from your state health dept, or county but not from the hospital. <BR> The affavadit that your husband signed is the usual procedure from airlines for someone without the proper papers. (not something that Apple does). Really, get a passport, your travels will be more convenient. Jamie
Apr 11th, 2000, 05:12 PM
#16
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We went to PR twice in the last two years with birth certificates only and had no problem either time.However, after reading these messages, I think we should get passports! <BR> <BR>Question: how much does it cost and how long does it take. We're going to St. John in late June -- will we have time to get passports by then? Thanks for any help!
Apr 12th, 2000, 04:43 AM
#17
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The cost is about $55. and it seems like it took about a month. You can get them quicker for a fee. You will need two passport photos,lots of photo shops do them, or AAA if you belong. Contact your local Federal Bldg. to get started. It really is so much easier. I also sat next to a man last year that had been denied boarding and had to spend a day of his vacation time driving across the state to get his birth certificate! He was meeting his wife and friends at the resort. What a waste of vacation time! Also a couple weeks ago there were people in the imagration line in cancun who had made it that far without proper papers and they were taken aside after holding up the line a long time. Don't know what finally happened to them, but the imagration people really aren't there to be helpful. My advice is take the time, spend the money, get the passport!! Good luck, have a great vacation
Apr 12th, 2000, 10:20 AM
#18
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You can get a passport in a week if necessary. Get the Form at the Postoffice, get the pictures taken and go to your local Federal Building, pay the fee(s, show them your tickets and before you know it, your passport is in the mail. <BR> <BR>Noah - abroad is nor sexist when using it in the context above <BR> <BR>Some definitions: <BR> <BR>Out of one's country <BR>In a foreign country <BR>Away frome one's home <BR> <BR>We know that STJ is not out of the USA but when you fly out of St. Thomas and connect in Miami or San Juan, customs does not know where you originated. The perfect way to breeze through is with a passport. No questions asked and you don't have to carry anything else to prove who you are.
