Passports for Infants

Not until 09' now if you are driving.. You just need a birth certificate. If you are flying you do need one.

Hi L.-
I scanned through some responses before I replied and saw some inaccurate stuff...like having to have a certified letter if one of the parents doesn't accompany minor. I just recently traveled on my own with my 2 children to Mexico and didn't have a letter nor was I asked for one. I also called immigration beforehand and was told no letter was needed. The passport is the permission since both of you have to sign for it together. Here is the best place to get your info...

http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html

This will give you everything you need to know, border info, where to go to apply for passport...everything! I would look there to make sure you are getting the correct info. It would be a bummer to have inaccurate info and have problems! I hear all the time that it's so difficult to get kids passports, but it's really quite simple. To save time, download the forms from the above website and fill them out ahead of time. Get your passport picture ahead of time, you can do that on your own at Walgreens or several other places. Then you and your husband will need to go in together to finish the process. You didn't mention how soon you were going, but there are always options if you need a passport soon. You can expedite which costs a little more...I believe it's an extra $30 if I remember right and if you are really pressed for time you can make an appointment at a Regional Passport agency to get your passport within 2 weeks!

Good luck and have a great trip!

We travel to BC frequently with our two kids and you do not need a passport until they are 18yo. We bring their birth certificates and that works great.
Have a great trip - it is beautiful.

Hi L.,

I live in Port Angeles, WA. My husband and I love traveling to Victoria since we are directly across the water there. What a beautiful place to visit. We haven't been for a while, so I just checked the Washington State border identification requirements (great refresher as the requirements have recently changed) and here it is:

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Changes to Identification Requirements Effective January 31, 2008
Citizens of the United States and Canada will need to present
One of The Following
to enter or depart the United States by Sea

Oral declarations of citizenship alone will no longer be accepted.

U.S. and Canadian citizens Without a Passport ages 19 and older will need to present a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, along with proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate. Children ages 18 and under are only required to present proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate. *Please see note below if child is travelling with only one parent.

(OR) Passports, or the newely offered Passport Card, and trusted traveler program cards – NEXUS, SENTRI and FAST– will continue to be accepted for cross-border travel.

(OR) Enhanced Driver’s License - U.S. citizens who are Washington State residents are eligible to purchase an Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL) for $15.00 more than a standard license. The EDL will meet the requirements for proof of citizenship to reenter the U.S. from Canada and Mexico by land or sea. The EDL will be available in the State of Washington Jan. 22, 2008. Currently EDL’s are available in many states. Please check your local Department of Licensing for more information.

Entry into Canada – Please note that entry into Canada requirements have not changed, but due to more stringent U.S. entry requirements as of Jan. 31, 2008, we strongly encourage you to bring either a Passport (or) a photo ID such as a driver’s license along with an original or certified birth certificate.

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As for how to get there, you have a couple different choices. You can park your car and take the Victoria Clipper from Seattle (approx 3 hours) and it travels through the beautiful and scenic San Juan Islands or you can drive to Port Angeles and take the Coho Ferry across (approx 60-90 mins). I don't know this for sure but I believe you can take your car on to the ferry.

The only place we have stayed is the Chateau Victoria and would definitely stay there again. I suggest checking out their website. What I like about that Hotel is that it offers shuttle service which is convenient if you decide to leave your car behind here in the States, it'll take you to where ever you want to go. Also, it is located about 2 blocks from the waterfront and is close to the ferry terminal and I think where the Clipper docks.

There are tons of activities to do. Again, I suggest doing some online research. Hope this helps. Have a fun and safe trip!!!!

Glad you brought this issue up, because I need to do the same thing!

On going to Victoria you are going to want to have high tea at the Empress Hotel. Also, right by the Empress Hotel are the butterfly gardens. I highly recommend that. It isn't just all butterfly's, but you do get to go through an enclosure with necter and butterflys will land on you. It's great!

Hi L.,

From what I've heard you have to add your infant to your passport, but I've also heard that there is a current 6 month backlog to get a passport and/or a passport update.

There are millions of things to do in Victoria, from Whale watching, to Butchart Gardens, there is a very large park there that has a petting zoo, lots of shopping but its mostly souveniers. There are little ferries that will take you around the Harbor to places you couldn't see otherwise, you'll get to see the houseboats up close & personal on the ferry ride. There's also a 5 star hotel there - absolutely beautiful indoor pool, etcetera... I'm pretty sure it's on Government Street, but I'm having trouble finding it...sorry. There are many sites that can help, just google Victoria, BC. Also www.tourismvictoria.com is very helpful.

Since I don't know your little one, I can't really give you the best advice on getting there. I personally love flying in by sea plane (Kenmore Air), but the planes are very loud...but it only takes about 30-45 minutes. Driving is long, the Clipper is choppy...it just depends on your baby really and how long you want to take to get there...and if you want your car there or want to rent one.

Good Luck. It's my favorite city to visit! Very beautiful!

D.

I would call the Border Patrol office in Blaine, WA to ask them what to do in regards to your baby. When I talked to them a couple of years ago, I thought they said everyone needed their passports starting January 2008-including children. But that could have changed to adults needing passports and children needing thier offical live birth certificates. Live Birth Certificates are the ones you have to send out for, from the state your child was born in. The one you get from the hospital is not an offical document.

I H. you have everything you need to go on your trip. It would be a bummer if you had to cancel it.

We've always used our children's birth certificates when we have driven up to Victoria or Vancouver, BC. It depends on where you're coming from on driving up. If in Seattle, go through Vancouver and catch a ferry over to Victoria. If in Portland (or south of Olympia) you can go through Seattle and Vancouver or you can go up the west side of the Puget Sound and catch the ferry in Port Angeles (that's how we like to go). There are limited ferries and they fill up fast in the summmer, so I'd suggest getting there fairly early before the boat is scheduled to leave. The Buchart Gardens are a must when there. We like to do the high tea there as well, it's excellent! Any time of year the Buchart Gardens are fabulous. There is so much to do there, it's a wonderful family vacation spot. Have fun!

L.,

you might want to check the WA state website about passports. When I traveled to Germany at 16 I needed one. I know Canada and Europe are different though.

Ok just went surfing and this is what I found:

"Beginning January 31, 2008, U.S. and Canadian citizens 19 years and older who enter the U.S. at land and sea ports of entry from within the Western Hemisphere will need to present government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license as proof of identity, along with proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or naturalization certificate, or a passport. Children age 18 and under will be able to enter with proof of citizenship. Verbal claims of citizenship and identity alone will not be sufficient to establish identity and citizenship for entry into the United States.

Note: Children age 18 and under will need to present a birth certificate, naturalization certificate or a passport to enter the U.S."

Got it from this place: http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/ready_set_go/l...

Hope this helps,
Melissa

Hi L.,
I don't know if this will help or not, but just thought I'd tell you this.
I needed a picture ID for my son when he was 5 months old and went to the DOL and got a state ID for him. I've actually used it several times and it was much cheaper than a passport. I'm not sure what you'll need to cross the border, but if you need a picture ID, a state ID may be a quicker and less expensive option.
The only tricky part of getting the ID was holding him up in front of the screen so they could take his picture, without me in the photo! Very entertaining for those waiting for their licenses, I'm sure.
Anyway, I don't know if that will help or not, but just thought I'd let you know that it's available. I think it was around $20 for the ID. Most people don't think of getting a state ID card for an infant.
Or, if you are a Washington resident, check on the alternate ID card available to us that can act as a passport. It also may be a quicker/cheaper alternative.
Good luck and safe travelling!
M.

Don't know the answer on the passport question, but we went with our firstborn son when he was just barely trying to walk. Loved the ferries because they had a children's play area that was great for him...and loved the Butchart Gardens for a relaxing, beautiful "walk in the park" experience.

Hi L.,
Here are some links. We had to have passports for both our children, youngest 16 months, when we flew in January. At the time I asked lots of questions, but now can't remember if the age minimum was 1 year, or if passports are required for all children(I kinda think this is the case). A new law was passed as of January 1, making passports mandatory for children. This is mostly to prevent parental child abduction, therefore, both parents must be involved in the process of obtaining a passport. Give them a call to find out for yourself what the law requires right now, especially regarding Canada. I did find that they are now issuing (as of June 1) passport cards, which might be an option if you travel by land. If you find you are out of time and need a passport ASAP, try Passport123. We used them, and they were great.
Good luck!
G.
US Gov. Passport office 1-877-487-2778
http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/minors/minors_834.html
http://travel.state.gov/passport/ppt_card/ppt_card_3926.html
http://www.passport123.com/

We took our 2 year old to Italy last year and she needed a passport (obviously), but I somehow remember reading online that everyone needed one to get to Canada by the end of 2007? Anyway, the US passport website is pretty good about answering those kind of questions. i would check that. Also, it took about 8-10 weeks to get my daughter's passport last year. I would get your stuff in soon!

Hi L.,
I was told you don't need a passport for infants in the first year, but really it was so quick to get a passport here that we got one. It only took five minutes to get the picture - no line-ups - so it's really no big deal.
There is a lot to do and see in and around Victoria. Fisherman's Wharf is a great place to get Fish and Chips and there are a couple of seals that hang around the pier and you can feed them fish -- great for kids! Stay downtown if possible, as you can walk to various things. Chinatown is small but interesting. Drive around island to Sooke and do a few hikes... I hear Butchart Gardens is nice, but I've never been... The ferry ride is fun for kids, too. I know your baby is only 8-months-old, but for future reference, there's a great kids area on the ferry. The ferry from Tswassen was the cheapest and fastest way to get to Victoria. My family all hate the Clipper as they say you can't move around. Besides, you can't take your car on the Clipper (the one that leaves from Seattle). The Tswassen ferry leaves about every two hours or hour and a half, can't remember. Look up BC Ferries online... As for places to stay, we stayed in the Executive House hotel, but my cousin works there and got us a deal, so I don't know how much it is really. It was decent, though, and very near to downtown. Anyway, hope that helps.

I travel to Victoria quite frequently - it's one of my favorite places to visit. We have stayed at the Regent, the Ocean Pointe, the Bedford, the Grand Pacific, and most recently (last weekend) the Harbour Towers. All of these are within walking of the inner harbor ferrys.

We like to travel without a car because everything is walking distance. We spent a lot of time at Beacon Hill Park they have great playgrounds and a great children's farm. There's a glass blowing studio that's also really cool with a loft where you can watch all the action. My kids also really like to take a ride on the Harbour Ferries.

My favorite way to get there is via seaplane but everyone would need a passport to travel via air. There are several ferries - if you are taking a car you can go through Port Angeles or Anacortes (not sure about Tsawwassen). The ferry ride from Anacortes is very scenic through the San Juan Islands.

As of now if you are traveling via ferry to Victoria your baby would not need a passport but would need a birth certificate. My friend did not have her passport last week and used her birth certifcate and drivers license as proof of citizenship.

Have a great trip!

Check with the customs office but it used to be that you could put more than one person on a passport but they had to travel together. W.

Not sure about passports, but there are many wonderful things to do in Victoria. They have a wonderful natural history museum, and wax museum. Also there is a neat lighthouse just outside of town which was used as a military base durring WWII. Also a must is to see the Buchart Gardens and the Craigdarroch Castle. I believe we stayed at the Victoria Plaza Hotel.

I am not sure on the whole passport thing, seeing as though I have not gone since the new laws have gone into effect, but I had to tell you some place to go. You MUST, eat at Milestones, right on the water in front of the Empress Hotel, it is amazing!!! Also taking the Twassen Ferry(this is spelled wrong, I am sure) out of BC is so nice. It is only about 90 minutes, cheaper than the US ferries, but it does boast a 30 minute drive to Victoria, but it is worth seeing the town on your way in! Have a great trip!

We got a passport for my daughter when she was a few months old. Check out the passport website and it will provide all of the details you are looking for--I would look up the information yourself since rules change. You can get a passport pic taken at Costco. You & your husband can take the pics and go to the passport location together. We visited the one on Mercer Island (it's the Post Office) since it was open on Saturday. It takes 10 minutes and then you wait for it to arrive via mail. There are options to how fast you want it.

There are a few options on getting to Victoria. You can take the Victoria Clipper ferry from Seattle. It takes 2+ hours. You might not need a passport for her on this route but again you need to check the website. This route is the easiest. You won't have a car but there are taxis and buses. You can walk the town with your stroller.

I can't remember where we stayed but it was across from the water. I found our 4 star hotel on Expedia. We went to Buchart Gardens--fabulous place. We checked out the famous hotel. We went to tea at a place recommended by the concierge. And we took a tour bus ride through the neighborhood which pointed out the rich and famous homes and took us to all parts of Victoria.

We drove and scheduled our ferry from Twassen b/c we had a lot of family going and wanted our cars. If I went again, I probably would really consider the Victoria Clipper.

Another poster recommended going to the Vancouver Aquarium. It's a great place. I feel it's too much to go to Victoria and Vancouver, esp. with a little one, unless you are spending a week up there. Just sharing my 2 cents.

Have fun.

Hi L.,

I would suggest the Victoria Butterfly Gardens, Buchart Gardens, The Victoria Bug Zoo, High tea at the Empress Hotel, and the
Royal British Columbia museum. Everything (except the bug zoo) is really expensive, so be prepared to spend a lot! The last time we were there (2002?) it was fun just to walk through downtown- the gardens around the Empress, along the waterfront, etc. It is also fun to take a tour of the bay in one of the "shuttle" ferries. I think it worked kind of like a bus, where you go down to the dock and pay the driver for the ride. It was really fun!

We have traveled by car from Seattle to BC with both our sons - 3 years and less than a year. We used the birth certificates without any problem (up until Feb of 08). I have since gotten passports for both, but think they are still not required if you are driving.

Stanley park is a wonderful place. Aquarium too. If you are staying at a hotel, ask the staff. Have fun!

If you're driving into Canada, you only have to do the passport card. Not an actual passport book unless you're flying. Kids (even infants) need passports with the new rules as far as I know. You have to pay for the card, so if there is any chance you'll be flying to Canada or visiting another country in the next 5 years, you might just want to get a passport.

Hi L.,

Yes, you will need to get your baby their passport, it is required by law now if you plan on traveling out of the country, even to Canada. They will let you leave, but they will not let you return back to the US without it.

We are headed down to Mexico in Oct for a cruise and we are taking our daughter with us who will be 10 months and she is required to have hers. I would suggest you get a move on it to, the process can take awhile for the passport to return to you, and you will need a valid copy of the child's birth certificate from the city in which they were born.

I hope this helps and you have a wonderful trip, we've never been to Victoria but we hear it's nice!

I don't know where you live, but Port Angeles is about 2 1/2 hours West of Seattle. I used to live in Port Angeles, WA and park and walk onto the ferry to Victoria, BC as a kid. It puts you right into the tourist hub by the wax museum and you can catch shuttles to Buchart Gardens and tour along that drive out to them.

yes they need passports. Children passports aren't good as long as adult ones, but after a few years the picture is out of date.
Think of it as added protection for you and your child since it is a picture id with name. They have no other id like it for young kids.

L.,
Check with the passport office, but I'm pretty sure you need one. They just add the child to your existing passport instead of issuing one for him/her.
You would be crazy not to with all of the "bad" people out there.
Best wishes on your trip.

Yes, babies need passports. When I traveled with my 5 month old he needed his own passport, and even his own visa stamp to return to the UK. We travel internationally a lot, ant always have to show our babies passports.

Yes you do. They need documentation stating that you and your husband are legally the childs parents. The state that your child was born in should have provided you a legal document stating the childs name date of birth and location and of course legal guardians of the child. If you don't have this, contact your state capital and get it asap. A birth certificate is needed, but you will also need the state birth registation. You will also need the childs SS#. Than, you will need to down load the documents that you and your husband will need to complete. I would contact your local federal office and complete the process in person instead of sending it by mail just so you don't miss anything.

Also, for future information. If you or your husband decided to travel with your child without the other spouse, you will need a certified letter from your spouse that they give permission for the other spouse to take the child over the border. Homeland security is very tight and will not allow anyone to travel without legal documentation.

I hope this helps,

K from Seattle

Yes you will need a passport. We also went to Canada with out 8 month old and I think he was 3 months old when we ordered the passport. Keep in mind the wait time for this document has gotten longer since homeland security restrictions have been put in place so make sure to allow enough time.

Passport is required these days. We drove to Vancouver, BC this past week. We showed our little 4.5 month old passport and didn’t ask for anything else. Take the birth certificate with you since you may ask to provide at the border. Enjoy your trip, it’s a beautiful place.

I know that they need a passport for any air travel into Canada or Mexico (not to mention any other country). So there are different rules depending on how you travel. If you plan on traveling in and out of the US often, it would be worth having a passport for your child and will make traveling easier. :-)

I've heard that it is recommended to get a passport for infants. That way their SS# cannot be used to get someone else in or out of the US.
When you go up to BC visit the Vancouver Aquarium. They also have a live cam. You can see Baluga whales there.

I don't know details about BC however, my husband recently looked into a family vaca to Mexico and we learned this...you have to have passports for babies anywhere you would be required to have one...also, in order to apply (at least here in Oregon) you have to have both parents present to apply. have fun.

Yep, you are going to need a passport for your infant (I assumed flying, not driving....might be different if you're driving). We had to have one for our son when we went to Germany last year. It's easier to fly domestically when you have it as well, so we used it when we went to New Hampshire last year too.

I think you do. or for sure you need their birth cert. and other info conecting them to you.

I don't know how to spell it but there is a beautiful garden, huge garden, there with amazing trees and flowers. Butyarts Garden. Sounds like Butch-yarts. I went there when i was a little girl and it was Majical.

I would get your infant a passport. It would be horrible to find out too late, and have to stay in the country. It's not difficult to get a passport for an infant. We got my son one in Janurary, we traveled to Japan. I think if you travel outside of the country, it's just safer to have one. They last for 5 years for children under 16, so you will have it for a little while.
Good Luck, and have a fun trip!
(PS: our passports only took 2 weeks to get them back in Jan 08)

If you're driving to Vancouver and then taking the BC ferry to Victoria, you would need the birth certificate, as you would be crossing by car. Boat and air may require a passport for the infant, just as they are required for adults. You may be able to get the enhanced driver's license/
Washington State id for yourselves and the baby a lot faster than a passport. Buchert Gardens, high tea at the Empress Hotel, BC Provencial Museum, the various gardens. Either drive to Vancouver and BC ferry to Vancouver Island and see the island as well as Victoria, take the Black Ball ferry from Pt. Angeles, again you have your car available to you or take the hydrofoil from Seattle, this is a walk on boat. Enjoy!!!

Horray! You don't need a passport from US to Canada anymore, but make sure to bring a birth certificate with you. Happy travels!

WE just drove across the border with our 1 year old and all we had was a birth certificate and it was just fine.

we got our kids state issued id cards ($20) and had the birth certificate also.