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 Travel & Outdoors | October 2007 
New Air Law Not Just Hot Air
 Harriet Steinberg - Canyon News
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| | The new requirements were supposed to go into effect last January, but there was such a demand in passport requests that the government was not able to keep up. |
The new federal government rules may be disturbing to some who travel by air, but not to most travelers. If you plan to travel out of the country, it is now mandatory to get a passport. If you plan to go to Canada, Mexico, or anywhere out of the country, you will be able to enter those countries, but you will not be able to enter the states by air unless you have a passport.
Although travel has become more cumbersome since 9-11, many passengers are thankful for the new rules because they feel protected by them. Talking to some passengers about the passport rule was encouraging, as they talked about the hassle they have to go through, but most said they felt that it was worth it because they felt it was for their own good.
Its worth getting to the airport earlier, said one passenger. He then added, And having to get a passport is just one more step for our safety.
Mexican travelers have always had to carry a passport, but Americans coming back from Mexico, the Caribbean, and Canada have not had to worry about it until now.
The new requirements were supposed to go into effect last January, but there was such a demand in passport requests that the government was not able to keep up. The rush of passport applications overwhelmed federal workers and forced customs to ease up on the requirement.
One state department spokesman stated that during the summer when there was such a backlog of passport applications, people were allowed to enter and leave as long as they had proof that they had previously applied for a passport.
The good news is that a passport is only required if you are traveling by air. The new passport rules does not apply if you are traveling by car to Canada or Mexico. However, this may also change.
If you have any questions or need added information, it is a good idea to go to Google and search for New Passport Rules. |
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