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U.S. Passport Primer: A Guide to the New Passport Regulations
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By Larry Denton
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Thanks to new federal passport proposals, the cost of aCaribbean cruise, a Cancun honeymoon, or a Vancouver theaterweekend could be going up. The security-related changes,scheduled to take effect over the next 2 1/2 years, will affectAmericans who travel to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, Panama andCaribbean. Previously, American travelers simply flashed adriver's license or birth certificate when returning from thosedestinations.
Beginning December 31, 2005, re-entry to the U.S. from theCaribbean, Bermuda, Central and South America will require apassport--$97 for adults, $82 for children under 16. On December31, 2006 passport requirements will go into effect for all airand sea travel to or from Mexico and Canada. And on December 31,2007, passports will be required for ALL air, sea, and landborder crossings to or from the United States.
A passport is an internationally recognized travel document thatverifies the identity and nationality of the bearer. A validU.S. passport is required to enter and leave most foreigncountries. Only the U.S. Department of State has the authorityto grant, issue or verify United States passports, and theprocess can be arduous and time consuming.
Frequently asked questions about passports such as: "When shouldI apply?", "Do I have to apply in person?", "What should I do ifmy passport is lost or stolen?", "Does my baby need a passport?"Answers to these questions and hundreds of others can be foundby searching the Internet. Interesting tip--even your pet willneed a passport to enter the European Union.
To obtain a U.S. passport for the first time, you need to go inperson to one of the 6,0000 designated passport applicationacceptance facilities nationwide, including many post offices,Federal and state courts, clerks of court, and a growing numberof public libraries and public colleges and universities. For alist of the offices closest to you, search by ZIP code on theState Department website at http://www.iafdb.travel.state.gov.
You need to bring two identical 2-by-2 inch, full-face,front-view photographs, and a completed DS-11 application form(available from one of the 6,000 facilities or at http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html)
In addition, you will need a driver's license orgovernment-issued ID card and proof of citizenship, which inmost cases, is an original or certified birth certificate.
All children under age 14 must also apply for a passport inperson, and both parents or legal guardians must appear togetherand sign the child's form (if the second parent submits anotarized letter of intent, one parent signature is adequate).Minors age 14 to 17 must also appear in person and for securityreasons, parental consent may be required. And, unlike adults,children under 14 must apply for renewals in person.
For Americans 16 and older, a first passport costs $97 and isgood for 10 years. Children under the age of 16 require theirown passport which cost $82 and are valid for five years.Renewals, which can be done by mail, are $67 for both adults andchildren.
One of the most often asked questions, "When should I apply fora passport?" has a simple answer--several months before yourplanned trip. If you will need visas from foreign embassies toenter those countries, allow even more time. Don't wait to get apassport! Get it now, so you will be ready in case you may needor want to travel on short notice. The average time fromapplication to passport arrival is six to eight weeks, andpassport demand goes up during the summer months, so planaccordingly.
When you receive your passport, remember to sign it in ink andprint your name and address so it may be returned to you if itis ever lost.
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