Reply #33: forgive me [View All]

[iverglas]

Nope - if a US citizen just goes to Canada and back
there is no requirement for a Passport.

There *will be*, if the current exemption is not extended. A passport or one of the new pass cards will be required.

What there already is, is time-consuming hassle which can presumably be somewhat alleviated if one is in possession of a US passport.


http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=14&click_id=418&art_id=qw1155885482513U236

The problem, Dow said, is that few travellers are aware of the looming deadline, and the US government has not yet developed a plan to issue proposed drivers license-like high-tech "pass cards" carrying all the information on a traditional passport.

It will be impossible to set up the pass card system by the deadline, he said, and few of the border crossers and cruise customers that do not have passports are moving to get them.

http://www.nytimes.com/glogin?URI=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/18/washington/18immig.html&OQ=_rQ3D1&OP=40e5827cQ2FQ51Q3CxAQ51Q26j_s7jjQ7DQ5EQ51Q5EQ2AQ2AQ2BQ51Q2A5Q51u5Q51Q3CKsaSMzQ7DjMQ51u5SllSz(aQ7DlQ3E

Published: August 18, 2006
A requirement that Americans returning from Canada, Mexico, Panama and the Caribbean islands present passports will create chaos unless it is delayed, a trade group said.

I guess we should also mention gas prices as a reason for declining visits ...