Question:
do you need a pass port, or should you if youre going to mexico?

Choices:
yes

 

Do you need a passport for Mexico? No. Does it make it easier to have a passport? Yes. I never used to bother with a passport. I finally got one last year and I have found it makes things much easier than carrying certified birth certificates and extra picture id's.

I would suggest that at some point you get one especially seeing they are getting stricter on forms of id.

Hey my friend said that it take 4-6 weeks, and our cruise in scheduled december 9th, do you think I'll make it, or should I gather all my id stuff now. I have good pic id.s, and could allways secure another birth certificate easier.
thoughts?

Go to a post office and ask there. You have to apply at the P.O. anyways. The sooner you go the better chance you have of getting one. You could also drive to one of the issuing centers. Looking at the calendar 4 to 6 weeks is close on the 6 week end but you will not know unless you try.

According to the USA Immigration Services website (http://www.usais.org/passport_services.htm) you can apply for a passport online and they offer an expedited service for an additional fee. Regular service gets you the passport in about 6 weeks but expedited is about 2 weeks.

The expedited fee is hefty, and many passports have been arriving back in as little as 3-4 weeks this year. As long as you have a birth certificate (original or certified copy with raised seal, not just a xerox) and valid govt-issued photo ID (driver's license) you should be fine. However, passports may be required in the future, and we usually recommend our clients get them. If you can easily get several certified copies of your birth certificate, I would suggest going ahead & applying for a passport (first-timers I believe need to show up at the P.O.in person, not do it on the 'net) but planning to use your other ID for your December cruise, just in case.
Incidentally, if you have changed your name since birth, by marriage or otherwise, you will also need certified copy of that document as well (marriage certificate, name-change certificate, whatever.) You will probably also need that for passport application, as well as for ID on cruises.
Also, if you have any minors traveling along with you who do not have both parents along, they will need a notarized statement from the stay-at-home parent giving you permission to take the child out of the country. This is especially true in Mexico.
Karen