This winter, pack a passport or don't pass at all

[question everything]

StarTribune.com

This winter, pack a passport or don't pass at all

Chris Welsch, Star Tribune

Your birth certificate may have marked your official entry into the world, but as of Dec. 31, it will no longer get you into Mexico or Canada.

Laws written in response to 9/11 are scheduled to begin phasing in at the end of the year. Americans traveling by air or sea will need a passport to visit Mexico, Canada and the countries of the Caribbean.

Those crossing borders in a car will have another year of leeway. But on Dec. 31, 2007, a passport will be required for any destination outside the United States under any form of locomotion.

(snip)

http://www.startribune.com/1513/story/441525.html

[ThomCat]

1. That really sucks for those of us who are used

to passing freely over the border into Canada.

Hell, Most residents of Upstate NY have probably been to Canada more times than they've ever been to any other state in the US.

[Javaman]

2. the is the billizionth reason to hate moron*. My family has a cabin in

Canada, and has had it for over 40 years. Now we need pass ports to go to a friendly neighbor????

I loath this wanna-be human*

[bmcatt]

3. Is this US law or Canadian/Mexican law?

My gut (which I'm perfectly willing to admit) says that this is probably a US law. If that's the case, this is highly troubling. Isn't it usually the responsibility of *other* countries to handle their own immigration issues? The clear implication here is that you'll need a US passport *in order to leave the United States*.

Now let's try and catalogue the sorts of governments that restrict their citizens' rights to leave their country...

[Tesha]

4. It's likely the Canadians could let you in, but...

It's likely the Canadians could let you in, but it may well be that
they don't want to let you in if you don't have the right documents
to let you return to your own country lest they be stuck with you.

Or they may well just expect reciprocity in documentation.

Tesha

[treestar]

5. Damn right - either these are Mexican/Canadian laws or an

attempt to claim you need a passport to leave the US!

Of course the excuse will be escaping terrorists and criminals. Or whoever the executive branch decides to label thus.