Caribbean Cruise? Passport Please

[The Straight Story]

Caribbean Cruise? Passport Please A travel industry trade group is urging the federal government to delay putting into effect new rules requiring Americans traveling from Canada, Mexico, Panama and the Caribbean to present passports to return to the United States, the New York Times reports. The group says the government hasn't done enough to publicize the new requirements, which are scheduled to begin go into effect in January. The State Department says hundreds of public meetings have been held on the issue and that passport applications have surged as a result. Besides, State and Homeland Security officials argue, it's Congress that mandated the change. But some senators already have voiced second thoughts.

http://www.govexec.com/fedblog/#1804

[dipsydoodle]

1. Oh dear what a shame

Does that mean that some of the 90% of your population who have not got passports may now require them ? :)

[The Straight Story]

2. I don't need no stinkin' passport :)

I just hope when Jesus returns he dosen't get a hassle in customs....heh heh

[mucho macho]

6. no problem

Ive got NO PROBLEM needing a passport if it helps keep me from being blown up.

[The Straight Story]

8. The hijackers on 9/11 had passports....

Lot of good that did.

And of course, you have a better chance be blown up in a bush war than by a terrorist attack.

[mucho macho]

9. reply

You dont need a passport on a DOMESTIC flight,which is what the 9-11 flights were, so your point is inconsequential.

[The Straight Story]

10. But they needed a passport to be here in the first place, which was my

point.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

30. I predict...

...an epidemic of bitching and complaining about this. :)

[dipsydoodle]

33. I overlooked the fact

that you were here. :) You'll appreciate I'm hardly likely to bitch about it - just take the Micky. Cracks me up how insular they are over there.

[snappyturtle]

3. Here's a thought about passports.......

when the Real ID Act comes into fruition===2007?2008? it's supposed to be up to our DMV's to issue such.....right? If you answered, "Yes" then stop and think about it....if you already have a passport, won't it be MUCH easier to get the national ID thingie? I foresee such a run on our DMVs for the Real I.D. that we could be in trouble, so why not make it easier, ONLY IF WE HAVE TO. I'm not for a national ID at all but.....................if we HAVE to, then we're that much ahead. Google Real ID ACT and look at the documents one must have to prove yourself!!! Just an idea. If you can't tell already, I drive my adult "kids" crazy!

[RebelOne]

4. I have been on 3 Carbbean cruises and never needed

a passport. In fact, I have been to Mexico, Barbados, Jamacia, the Bahamas and the Virgin Islands and have never needed a passport.

[dsc]

7. They are needed now

My dad and his new wife are going on a cruise to the carribean and they are waiting for them as I type.

[malaise]

34. The question has long been why should

non-Americans need not only a passport, but also a visa to visit the US, while Americans were allowed to walk in and out of our countries on a drivers'licence.

[SoCalDem]

5. This actually might end up a GOOD thing

PWP (people with passports) might suddenly start looking at the travel section and might notice the bargains to OP (other places...other than Mexico,Canada & the Caribbean).

More people going more places is a good thing :)

[Matariki]

11. maybe they're getting ready for the draft?

[tigersumtin]

12. you may be on to something

with the Marines Involuntary Recall, perhaps the road is being paved. Lord! whats next?

[Matariki]

17. what next? Liberal talk show hosts on the no-fly list

was listening to Randi Rhodes on my way home from work tonight - talking about her recent airport experience finding herself on the no-fly list. This really gave me the creeps for some reason.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

29. Can you elaborate?

How does having or not having a passport relate to the draft?

[Matariki]

38. can't escape the draft by going to Canada

[alarimer]

13. What if you can't get a passport?

I am pretty sure my birth certificate would not be accepted as it does not have a state seal on it and I am not sure if they can issue me another. So I guess I can't leave this country, unless illegally. Or more accurately, not be able to return.

[tigersumtin]

14. You have to climb the wall...

to get to Mexico..... Dodge land mines, and bullets. and if you make it, You have to do it all over again to get back home....

[alarimer]

15. Actually I think I can get a copy easily enough

A small fee and copy of my driver's license. I don't know why I thought otherwise..

[Ms. Toad]

16. They can issue you another one

If you need another one, look for the bureau of vital statistics in the state in which you were born. I never had a formal birth certificate, but have had to obtain it twice (once for my passport, and once to correct an out of country marriage certificate). They have started to be stricter about getting another one, but they're available.

I've also had to obtain a replacement for my daughter and one for a brother-in-law (I doubt I could get the brother-in-law's now, since they are more restrictive about who can obtain birth certificates than they were 10 years ago).

[alarimer]

40. I have-it's just a small fee and some paperwork

I don't know why I thought that was the only one I could get.

[Matariki]

18. That's the point, isn't it?

You can have your passport taken away from you for all sorts of reasons.

(edited for apostrophe control)

[alfredo]

23. That's one way to rid the country of "undesirables." Once a

critic like Cindy Sheehan leaves the country for any reason, they pull her passport. She would then be refused reentry.

[pitohui]

19. you can get a passport

for the love of jeebus, spend $5 and get a new copy of your birth certificate that is acceptable, hardly anyone has a copy of their birth certificate just laying around so of course you can get copies, don't know about you but when i was busy being born getting a copy of the paperwork was not the first thought on my mind

talk to the staff at the post office, they will know what documents you need

this really isn't rocket science, presumably you managed to get a driver's license or a state ID, you can get a passport

[rexcat]

20. You can get a certified birth certificate...

from the State or county you were born in. In Ohio you have to contact the County Vital Statistics Department (or what ever they are called). We live in Ohio and that is how we got our kid's birth certificates. I was born in Mississippi (father in the Air Force at the time) and I got a certified birth certificate from the State vital statistics department for about $12.

[dipsydoodle]

21. Is this a subtle way of identiying illegal immigrants

who would be unable to obtain an American passport ?

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

31. Do illegal immigrants sneak into the country on cruise ships?

Sometimes a passport is just a passport!

[dipsydoodle]

32. If you really wanted to get into a country

you'd try any means possible. If it was me trying to get into the UK I far rather stowaway on a cruise ship than either try walking throught the channel tunnel, as had been tried here in the past, or hiding in the under carriage of an aircraft.

[TreasonousBastard]

24. I don't know about Texas, but...

in New York state it's very simple now, and I would hope most states have made it easier than it used to be.

If you were born in NYC, there's a walkup window downtown where you show two IDs, give them money, and you get a birth certificate on the spot. Had to do that when I transferred my NJ license to NY and went through a thousand hoops with the DMV for the new "secure" license. Even renewals insist on all that crap now.

[Jeanette in FL]

27. My birth certificate was not accepted

In July, I went to the passport office to obtain a passport. Brought with me all the documents. The application, birth certificate, picture and drivers license.

As soon as she looks at my birth certificate, she says "Oh this won't be acceptable". "We need an official state issued birth certificate". Mine was a Hospital birth certificate, with all the needed information on it with a hospital seal and a state seal. I told her I have used this birth certificate all my life, to obtain a Social Security Card, my drivers license, my marriage license. I have used it to travel to the Bahama's and Islands.

I applied to the State where I was born, 4 weeks ago and still have not received my "official" papers. I called them the other day and said it takes 4-8 weeks, but that I was in the system. I couldn't believe it.

[Blue_In_AK]

22. This is ridiculous.

How's this for stupid? Alaskans will have to get a passport to drive to their capital. Back in the old days we could just drive into Canada on the Alaska Highway, drive down to Haines and then hop a ferry to Juneau. Now, we'll have to get a passport to enter Canada. It's the stupidest thing I've ever heard of. (Almost as stupid as having a capital you can't drive all the way to.)

[dipsydoodle]

26. Same applies to

Hawaii. What's the problem ? Real answer would be to transfer Alaska over to Canada or sell it back to Russia. :)

[Blue_In_AK]

36. I always thought Alaska should be part of Canada anyway.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

28. What's so bad about getting a passport?

You should have one anyway, even if you don't travel. You'd be surprised how often an extra photo ID comes in handy.

[Blue_In_AK]

37. You're probably right - it's just a bit of a hassle

and feels restrictive after the freedom we've had in the past.

[alarimer]

41. I have driven through Canada to get to Michigan

from NY state. Sort of the scenic route I guess. Now it requires a passport to get back. Guess we just take the long way around.

But there ought to be an exception for Alaska. Just have a sticker on your car or something. Seems like they are just making things more complicated (and not at "safer"). I mean people here go to Mexico all the time to visit relatives, to shop, whatever, for the day. Now they need paasports to get back. I wonder how much these border towns are going to suffer economically. It costs about $90 for a passport, so for a family of 5, that's $450 (unless kids passports are cheaper). A hell of a lot of money for some people.

[Iniquitous Bunny]

25. I'm traveling to the Caribbean in early January.

As of 2007, one needs a passport.

http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html

[lynne]

35. Went to Canada two years ago -

- and it was highly recommended even then that we take a passport. We were told that it would be a requirement in the future.

[Beausoir]

39. I'm going through this right now. It's a freaking SCAM!!!

Taking my kids on a cruise to Mexico. 5 passports needed.

Problem is...because of the new requirements, the gov't is no longer promising that passports will be issued within 3 months. So...if you must have it within the 3 months, you have to pay an extra $60 or so in "expedited" fees.

Combine that with the $20 for the photo, the $30 the county takes to turn in your applciation and the original cost of you passports and it's ridiculously expensive!

Sometimes, I swear they want us to stay home.