Help ! Potential Passport Problem !

[CruisinDawn]

The poster who quoted "The Intellegence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004" is correct in that it must be fully enacted by December 31, 2007. However, it is important to note that this act is being phased in and as of December 31, 2006, the end of this year, passports will be required for entry or reentry into the US from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and Caribbean Nations. It is also important for vacationers planning a cruise to Alaska after December 31, 2006 to understand that passports will be required because Canada will be involved in the cruise.

 

Border crossing to Canada and Mexico will fold into the act as of December 31, 2007.

 

Current information can be obtained at www.travel.state.gov.

 

Was true but now here is the info you get at travel.state.gov

 

The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 requires that by January 1, 2008, travelers to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico and Canada have a passport or other secure, accepted document to enter or re-enter the United States. In order to facilitate the implementation of this requirement, the Administration is proposing to complete it in phases following a proposed timeline, which will be published in the Federal Register in the near future.

This is a change from prior travel requirements and will affect all United States citizens entering the United States from countries within the Western Hemisphere who do not currently possess valid passports. This new requirement will also affect certain foreign nationals who currently are not required to present a passport to travel to the United States. Most Canadian citizens, citizens of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda, and to a lesser degree, Mexican citizens will be affected by the implementation of this requirement.

 

Sorry Charlie2na, know this has nothing to do with your original issue now that we know what it is but just thought I would try to clear that up so so that those that were not aware of the push back panic :D

 

Anyway, best of luck getting it worked out. Sounds like a real mess. Hope she gets it soon. Another way to get a live person on the phone sometimes is don't push anything like you have an antique :rolleyes: rotary phone.

 

BonVoyage

Dawna

[Don Pedro]

There was certainly no intent to panic anyone - only to alert them of the probable future passport requirements.

 

You have correctly posted the information from http://www.travel.state.gov. however, if you click on "press release Western Hemisphere travel initiative" you will find the proposed implementation dates I presented in my previous post. Granted these are only proposed at this time, but given that this initiative has already been delayed for a full year there is a reasonable chance these dates will be adopted.

 

Sorry, but I should have stated they were "proposed" dates in my earlier post. Nevertheless, if I were planning air or sea travel to Bermuda, Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean after December 31, 2006 I would be making arrangements NOW to obtain a passport.

[Charlie2na]

Thanks all. The info that someone "MAY" contact you if a problem arises ,is encouraging news. Nothing new as yet.......There is still hope !.......8 days and counting.....YIKES !

[RED318is]

I was told by a friend who worked for the local passport office that expedited passports generally don't come back any faster than normal passports b/c it is required to do a FBI background check on all expedited passports.

[MississippiMom]

To all of the rest of us reading . . . we should get our passports taken care of now, before EVERYONE is trying to rush to get one. My husband and I have our passports, because of work related travel in 2002. He sent his new passport application expedited; I sent my renewal (and last name change) non-expedited. I received mine back, first. (Just an FYI.) We have been considering getting passports for our three children, even though we don't need them for our late 2006 cruise. I think that I am going to go ahead with our initial plans and get them, because I can't imagine how delayed the passport offices are going to be after they are actually required by many more travelers.

 

By the way, we are in the region that is supposed to send applications into the New Orleans office. I guess I had better go read up on that, because I don't even know if they have reopened since Hurricane Katrina.

[Iamthesea]

I was told by a friend who worked for the local passport office that expedited passports generally don't come back any faster than normal passports b/c it is required to do a FBI background check on all expedited passports.

Very interesting!

[Travelgrrl]

Call your Congressman's office. Don't worry that you will be bothering him or her - they have aides who answer the phone and deal with this sort of thing. We had a little trouble with my DD's friend's passport (she was adopted from Honduras as an infant) and after months of waiting, we called our Representative - who sorted it out in one day.

 

If you have photocopies of what you submitted for the passport application, you can probably just bring that along with the incorrect birth certificate (plus I'd bring your marriage license) and a driver's license and I think you'd be fine.

 

PS: Fury 1995, you have to prove a 'tangible interest' that it is your own birth certificate you are ordering. You can't just get anyone's! :)

[cruisin granny]

If you call the 800 number early morning-7:00AM ET- you can talk to a person. I just did. good luck.

[MurfAtHome]

I heard that the law requiring a passport to travel to the Caribbean was pushed back to 2007. Does this also apply if your cruise stops in Belize? I have read several places that a passport is required to travel to Belize, but not sure if that is so on a cruise ship as well?

 

You are fine without a PP thru 12/06 even for Belize. You can always check with the cruise line for your Itinerary. They let you know what is needed.:rolleyes:

[Charlie2na]

HIP HIP HOORAY......She got to speak to someone this morning and his passport is being overnighted.......WHEW......THAT WAS A CLOSE ONE !

THANKS FOR ALL THE IMPUT !

[cruisin granny]

Funny thing. After 9 weeks and 3 calls, my husband's passport was also sent the same day as your friend's. Have a wonderful cruise!

[Charlie2na]

Thanks.....we will......you too !