Passports Required For All Travel in January 2007
Air & Sea Travel to Canada, Mexico, So. America, Caribbean Included
The Signal - Business Section, October, 2006
If you are planning to leave the country next year, make certain to carry your passport along, as you won’t get far without one. Effective January 8, 2007, anyone traveling by air, land or sea to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda will be required to have a passport to re-enter the United States.
This applies to all travelers flying and cruising their way beyond the borders of the United States. While these countries are now currently exempt from the passport travel requirements, the change is part of the ongoing implementation of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. By January 1, 2008, passport requirements will be extended to include all land border crossings as well, meaning road trips to Baja require bringing your passport.
Just so you are sure, by definition a passport is “an internationally recognized travel document that verifies the identity and nationality of the bearer.” It is issued by the U.S. Department of State and must be periodically updated over the years to remain valid.
What this means to travelers is that pretty soon no matter what destination you are headed to you will be required to have a passport – whether by land, by sea or by air. Cruise lines such as Princess are requiring all passengers on all itineraries, foreign and domestic, to bring a valid passport to board the ship. Passengers without current passports will be turned away.
It also means that you had better plan ahead to get your documentation underway to avoid the rush at the passport office. Industry experts anticipate a flood of applications for obtaining, replacing or changing passports to arrive between now and the end of the year. Travel professionals are encouraging clients who currently do not have a passport to apply for one as soon as possible to avoid expected delays in the process.
To get a passport for the first time, travelers must personally go to an official passport acceptance facility with two current photos, proof of U.S. citizenship and a valid form of photo ID such as a driver’s license. You also need to go in person if you need to renew an expired passport that was issued more than 15 years ago, if your passport was issued when you were under the age of 16, or if you need a replacement passport for your missing, lost, stolen, altered or damaged one.
Most other renewals can be done by mail by completing a form available on the Department of State website, www.travel.state.go./passport/. The site provides a wealth of up-to-date information all items that relate to passport documentation and policies. Consult with your travel professional for details that specifically apply to your current passport status and the requirements of the destination you are traveling to.
There are a lot of details to remember here. So keep it simple and apply for your first passport, or an update, today. What better excuse to plan your long-awaited trip to a faraway land than when you have you fresh, unstamped passport ready to travel. Just be certain you don’t leave home without it.
For more information
contact Nicole Stinson, Public Relations
(310) 312-3368
