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Last Updated: Feb 18th, 2008 - 14:39:01 |
PASSPORT WATCH: Travelers have less than 90 days to get their passports
Millions of people will be flooding passport offices in the coming months so if you need a passport, get it now.
PHOENIX - October 10, 2006 -Airline passengers traveling to Mexico, Canada, Bermuda, South America, Central America and the Caribbean have less than 90 days to get their passports. Beginning January 8, these travelers must possess a valid passport to enter or re-enter the United States. Less than 27 percent of Americans have a valid passport and this new requirement could mean real delays if travelers wait until the end of the year to get a passport for their 2007 travels.
By January 8, passports will be required for both U.S. citizens and foreign travelers entering the United States, instead of a birth certificate and driver's license. This requirement is part of a new set of rules known as the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, laid out by the U.S. Department of State and Homeland Security, which will affect every U.S. citizen entering the United States through airports from countries within the Western Hemisphere (e.g. Central & South America, the Caribbean, Bermuda, Mexico and Canada.)
Land borders and seaports will adopt the same requirement on June 1, 2009. Following June 1, 2009, all U.S. citizens will have to show a passport for ALL air, sea and land border crossings.
The new rule comes at a time that is considered high season for travel to Mexico and the Caribbean and could impact travel. Last year more Americans traveled to Mexico than any other international destination with Canada a distant second. According to recent figures released by the U.S. Department of Commerce, 20 million Americans visited Mexico and 14 million Americans visited Canada in 2005.
The new U.S. passports will include a chip that contains all the data contained in the paper version - name, birthdate, gender, for example - and can be read by electronic scanners at equipped airports. The State Department says this will speed up going through customs and help enhance border security.
Families, even those with young children, will not be exempted from the rule. All U.S. citizens-including infants-will be required to have passports in their own names.
Here's what you need to know when applying for a passport:
First time applicants will need to apply in person. Children under the age of 14 will need to be accompanied by both parents or the legal guardians or have a notarized, written statement by the second parent, consenting to passport issuance for the child.
Passport fees will add up for families, especially those with larger families. Passports for U.S. citizens age 16 and over cost $97. Citizens under the age of 16 will pay $82. This means that a family with two adults and two children under the age of 16 would be required to pay $358 for their passports.
Travelers can visit www.aaa.com and click on News to get more information or visit travel.state.gov/passport/
There is some good news: If you already have a passport, don't worry about having to get a new one. Existing passports without the electronic chips will remain valid until their normal expiration date.
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