and the Passport rules change again

[smeyer418]

not needed under 16

 

http://breakingnews.nypost.com/dynamic/stories/U/US_PASSPORTS_CHILDREN?SITE=NYNYP&SECTION=HOME

[Don Haynes]

I can understand the pressure being applied to the State Dept. by families attempting to save money for kids, but I don't know how other countries will adapt. Most require passports for children. Will our children be welcomed in other countries?

[jerhardt]

Look North Don. Canada will welcome them.

 

This change is only for children under the age of 17 for LAND travel only. It's a "good-neighbour" change to reflect the pressure the Canadian Governmnet has been putting on Washington.

 

This will not affect AIR travel or the upcoming changes to SEA travel for next year despite what the article is reporting.

 

So, if you have to fly, get a passport. PERIOD.

[Don Haynes]

I'm sure Mexico will join with Canada in welcoming this for land travel only. I asked, because when my father was stationed to Italy when I was six my mother had to get a new passport with my brothers and sisters on hers. Later, I had to have my own passport.

[dforeigner]

Great, this will make smuggling kids into the US easier!

[Holg]

I just don't understand why people don't just get passports and then not worry about it anymore.

 

About two years ago, I was preparing for my cruise in Alaska and decided to go ahead and get a passport so I wouldn't have to worry about it.

 

Right after I got it, there was a cheap airfare offer to Europe. I was glad to have the passport.

[drjochen]

I have had a passport since I was 6 months old - I don't understand where the problem is.............if people don't want to get a passport, stay in the US......

[KeystoneCruiser]

I just don't understand why people don't just get passports and then not worry about it anymore.

 

About two years ago, I was preparing for my cruise in Alaska and decided to go ahead and get a passport so I wouldn't have to worry about it.

 

Right after I got it, there was a cheap airfare offer to Europe. I was glad to have the passport.

 

Holg: twice in one day that we agree.....this is a new trend for us!

 

My daughter's passport just expired in December. We don't have any out of the country trips planned for the next year, but I went ahead and took care of renewing the passport just in case anything pops up. (like winning a free cruise in the contest....:D ).

 

Why not just get one? In the current international situation, passports are extremely important. You can also use them like a driver's liscense for identification at any location.

[mpk218]

I have had a passport since I was 6 months old - I don't understand where the problem is.............if people don't want to get a passport, stay in the US......

 

While I do agree with you on every one should have a passport . The lattest complaints are of course the cost. At $97 for a child passport. If you have a bunch of wee ones and want to cross the border it will cost them. The cost is not an issue for me , but think of the multitudes out there that dont have the extra $$.

It is a time when we all must have ID for obvious reasons., But I think they should make it a bit cheaper for the kids Passports considering they are only good for 5 years. IMHO.

 

MPK

[dodge9]

I don't understand why they are not required or have not been required sooner... I think we should all have them personally... however I do agree the cost should be less too. However if you are planning a vacation out of country I can't see how the need for the passport is going to break the budget and cancel the vacation... you are looking usually a few hundred dollars on a few thousand dollar vacation. I personally feel it is important to have a passport... I feel safer with the need to possess one and show them with travel. Birth certificate can too easily be duplicated and for women they don't match anyways and with marriages and divorces you are showing so much paperwork! With all that congress does for themselves you would think they would open up a passport discunt window to aide in all Americans getting one!!!!

[Don Haynes]

While children's passports have half the life of an adult passport, five instead of ten years, it costs the State Department the same to handle and publish both. However, I agree a children's passport should be cheaper.

 

I do not think the Dept. of Homeland Security is targeting young children as a threat. This ruling should help with school and church activities along the border.

 

But if you are entering the US by air, children will still need a passport. I still highly recommend that everyone should have a passport, including children, for travel abroad. The price of passports will be much more affordable if passports for different family members were acquired over a period of years instead of the whole family at once.

 

I am still wondering whether the new rules effect Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean island nations. Every news account I have read mentioned Canada only.

[jerhardt]

While I do agree with you on every one should have a passport . The lattest complaints are of course the cost. At $97 for a child passport. If you have a bunch of wee ones and want to cross the border it will cost them. The cost is not an issue for me , but think of the multitudes out there that dont have the extra $$.

It is a time when we all must have ID for obvious reasons., But I think they should make it a bit cheaper for the kids Passports considering they are only good for 5 years. IMHO.

 

MPK

 

Yikes! $97 for a kids passport, no wonder Americans aren't flocking for one for their kids! In Canada, it's only $35 for a kids passport (until they hit 12), then it's $87. Kids passports in Canada are only good for 3 years (up to age 12) then good for 5 years as an adult.

[johnql]

It's possible that the U.S. State Dept's web site is out-of-date, but here are the fees that are currently listed:

 

 

Age 16 and older: The passport application fee is $67. The execution fee is $30. The total is $97.

Under Age 16: The passport application fee is $52. The execution fee is $30. The total is $82.

[johnql]

Sorry, dupe

[MEOWSMURPHY]

While I agree that everyone should have a passport at "some point"...when it involves kids going to and from Canada by land,I think it's a steep price. We live only a few hours from the Canadian border and spend a couple of weeks in the summer there every year...we normally take grandkids with us each time...it's a financial burden for their parents to go and get 7 passports so they can continue to go with us...it's a "bonding" time for grandkids and us and they look forward to the trip..this year 5 of the 7 are going with us...with the relaxation of the rule they will now know that this won't be their last year..what a relief;)

[mpk218]

It's possible that the U.S. State Dept's web site is out-of-date, but here are the fees that are currently listed:

 

 

Age 16 and older: The passport application fee is $67. The execution fee is $30. The total is $97.

Under Age 16: The passport application fee is $52. The execution fee is $30. The total is $82.

 

 

It must be. 2 weeks ago I had my two kids get them at the US Post office.

There it was $52 + $ 45. I think they have added ANOTHER fee recently to make it the $45..

[richardbc]

I have had a passport since I was 6 months old - I don't understand where the problem is.............if people don't want to get a passport, stay in the US......

 

...And there's those from north of the 49th who are mad at the US because they now need a passport to visit -duh, if you want to visit the US, play by their rules. :rolleyes: Note these people are also steamed at the Canada Passport Office for being overwhelmed with all the "urgent" passport applications.

 

This has been all over the news for over a year so why did all these people wait until the last minute?

[brennan5!]

I just applied on February 16th - 2 adults at $97 each and 3 kids at $82 each - so if the US Gov website is wrong and the fees have dropped can I get refund?

 

(I don't think the web is wrong, however, and the fees are listed as "application fee" and "execution fee" - I had to write 2 checks).

 

I wish the kids passport fees were pro-rated based on validation dates! At least in 5 years it will be renewal fees - they are cheaper, right?

 

Lisa!

[smeyer418]

I just applied on February 16th - 2 adults at $97 each and 3 kids at $82 each - so if the US Gov website is wrong and the fees have dropped can I get refund?

 

(I don't think the web is wrong, however, and the fees are listed as "application fee" and "execution fee" - I had to write 2 checks).

 

I wish the kids passport fees were pro-rated based on validation dates! At least in 5 years it will be renewal fees - they are cheaper, right?

 

Lisa!

 

the execution fee is the fee the authorized agent charges(the post office county clerk etc)...the reason it is two checks is the authorized agent who goes over the application for you for completeness keeps that fee and the rest goes to the Passport Agency for the actual issuance of the passport. When you renew you don't pay this fee as long as you can send it directly to the passport office.

[kktk]

ALl this talk about passports and the inconvenience and the money.....get over it. :)

 

I(and the rest of the world) have been paying a lot more than $97 to get papers in the right order to live and travel in and outside the US.

 

I may sound harsh but I dont have any sympathy for something like this(especially when it costs in the thousands) for many of us to live legally in the US ;)

[ialacruiser]

It must be. 2 weeks ago I had my two kids get them at the US Post office.

There it was $52 + $ 45. I think they have added ANOTHER fee recently to make it the $45..

 

This was probably the post office--I believe they usually charge $15 for the picture, in addition to the other fees. That's been my experience in the past.

[Snowrose]

...And there's those from north of the 49th who are mad at the US because they now need a passport to visit -duh, if you want to visit the US, play by their rules. :rolleyes:

 

Except it's only the rules for flying in right now - BUT the gov't website was very poorly written and I (a US citizen) had to go through about 4 pages before I found *one* that was written clearly and didn't contradict itself or other pages with regards to what paperwork my Canadian husband might need.

 

This has been all over the news for over a year so why did all these people wait until the last minute?

 

Well personally, because DH and I just got engaged at the end of Sept and didn't choose our January cruise for our honeymoon until the end of November.

 

Since we didn't know we were going it was rather unlikely that we'd know ahead of time that DH would need a passport. (Which he actually didn't need as they're not needed for ocean voyages until 2008.)

 

And like I said, since the US website had 3 or 4 pages full of mistakes we Americans can't exactly expect people from other countries to decipher what we meant to say when *we* can't even write clear, explicit English. :rolleyes:

 

Teri