Not another passport rule change!

Since the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) passport requirements went into effect at the end of January, we have heard numerous horror stories from travelers trying to get passports. We even heard one from a groom that drove from Wilmington, North Carolina to Washington, D.C. on the eve of his wedding to pick up his passport so that he could go on his honeymoon. He had applied for his passport over four months before.

It has become obvious that the State Department was not prepared for the number of passports that have been pouring in. Is there a problem in relying on a bureaucratic process to efficiently process passports? Of course they try and get more money out us by charging an extra $60 for a faster turnaround, but even that is not guaranteed.

Who are we kidding? Did anyone really have expectations that the federal government could live up to their promise in delivering passports in a reasonable time? Enough of my rant on the federal government, who's really to blame? The traveling public! Not to pat ourselves on the back but we have been warning travelers for over a year to get their passports and if they had them to make sure they were current. In fact, passport processing had a very quick turnaround this time last year as regular turnaround times were just as fast if not faster than expedited processing. So, as much as I like blaming the federal government, are they really to blame?

In hopes to control this problem, the Bush administration decided to do something about it. It was recently announced that the rules for passports will be relaxed for travelers flying to and from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda. This new rule was to be in effect until the end of September 2007.

However, to add even more confusion, it was recently announced that, thanks to a vote from Congress, the rule requiring a passport to travel by land or sea to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda will be delayed until June 1, 2009. However, The Department of Homeland Security has said they want to stick to the original deadline.

So what should a traveler do? What exactly are the guidelines? Look for more detailed information in the coming weeks and months, but for now if you need to ask the question "do we need to have a passport to travel to this country?" Assume that the answer is yes and you will always be safe. If you do plan to travel to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or the Caribbean, be sure to be a valid photo id and your birth certificate.

Please contact Safe Harbors immediately if you are desperately in need of a passport as Safe Harbors works with some very dependable expediting services.

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