New Passports and Passport Requirements

[18rabbit]

This year, as of Dec 31st 2006, American citizens will need a passport to travel between Mexico and Canada when going by boat or aircraft. Same for all of the Caribbean islands. Don’t know how it will affect the folks that leave out of San Diego for fishing in Mexican waters, or folks that leave out of Seattle for Canada.<br /><br />My understanding of the info on the State Dept’s website is that a passport isn’t required by Mexico or Canada, but it is required by the US to return. But they also state you will need a passport to leave this country. I wonder if that applies to someone that has no intentions of coming back to the US?!?<br /><br />Anyway, if you plan to travel outside the US and you don't already have a passport, you might as well go ahead and get started on securing the appropriate documents for a new and improved US passport, complete with embedded radio scanning technology...presuming you will be allowed to have a passport.

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: New Passports and Passport Requirements

So what is the big deal? This should have been done 100 years ago....If you can't afford the price of a passport or can't make the requirements, tough carp.....It will at least give a little help to those whose job it is to track of or keep out undesirables.....JK

 

[Colorado04]

Re: New Passports and Passport Requirements

Even if you don't travel, having a passport is a good idea especially now a day with all the identity theft going on. Had my wallet stolen a few years ago, in it was my Canadian Citizenship card. The only ID I had left was my passport at home. Saved my neck and expediated the process for replacement ID.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: New Passports and Passport Requirements

I hadn’t thought about the cost. I was thinking more along the lines of folks that go fishing in the waters of our neighboring countries. Will they need to clear customs when they return after the new rule goes into effect? That kind of thing.<br /><br />Fwiw, folks traveling across the border by car or walking won’t need a passport until Dec 31, 2007. Don’t know why they picked Dec 31st as the cut off dates. I would think a week after the New Year to allow folks that traveled for the holidays to come back.<br /><br />Good point about the ID, Colorado. Interesting that China said no to the radio ID implanted in documents because of the potential for fraud. Some groups here are making the same claim, don’t know how valid it is. The US is going ahead with the tracking beacon/radio ID in our new passports.