| | |  Travel & Outdoors | December 2008 
US Travel Rules to Canada, Mexico Tighten
 Dan Ring - The Republican
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| | The passport card facilitates entry and expedites document processing at U.S. land and sea ports-of-entry when arriving from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda. | |
This winter may be an opportune time to apply for a U.S. passport, a new option for people who travel a lot to Canada or Mexico.
Starting on June 1, people will need a passport, a passport card, or other acceptable document in order to enter this country by land or sea from Canada and other points that have not normally required a passport.
Unlike Vermont, New York, and some other border states, Massachusetts will not be offering an enhanced driver's license, which can be used instead of a passport or a passport card, according to a spokeswoman for the state Registry of Motor Vehicles.
"It's not a consideration in Massachusetts because we are not a border state," said Ann C. Dufresne of the Registry of Motor Vehicles.
The new passport card is only for use between the United States and Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, or Bermuda. People may use it if they are crossing the border by car, foot, or sea from those areas. The passport card is not for use on airplanes.
The State Department says the passport card is more economical than a regular passport, and is designed for people who spend a lot of time driving or taking a boat to Canada. Since they fit into a wallet, the cards can also be easier to use than a passport book.
A spokesman for the State Department urged people to apply early in order to avoid a possible backlog near June 1.
"We're hoping to spread it out so there isn't a rush at the last minute," said spokesman Robert A. McInturff.
The big negative is that passport cards are not valid for international flights.
U.S. residents have needed a regular passport or another accepted document to fly back into the country from Canada or Mexico since January last year.
Erika E. Carly, the owner of South Hadley Travel, said people should just get a passport and skip the passport card. A passport allows U.S. citizens to travel to and from all foreign countries.
"I just tell people, 'Get yourself a passport if you're going into a foreign country,'" she said. "A passport is the right way to go if you're traveling."
If people do not need a passport, they can save money with a passport card.
For people who apply for the first time, a regular passport costs $100 for adults and $85 for children 15 years old or under.
By comparison, a passport card goes for $45 for adults and $35 for children. People who already have passports can get a passport card for $20.
People used to be able to verbally declare their citizenship in order to cross into this country from Canada. But as of January this year, all adult travelers have been required to present proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate, and proof of identity, such as a driver's license, when entering this country from land and sea borders.
Congress approved new restrictions on traveling to Canada and Mexico in 2004. Critics were concerned that without a requirement for a passport, terrorists or illegal aliens could more easily gain entry to the United States from Canada or Mexico.
People on planes from those countries once used all kinds of identifications, making it hard to detect bogus ID.
Applications for passport books and passport cards are accepted at certain post offices, clerks of court, and other government offices.
Under Canadian law, anyone entering Canada must carry proof of citizenship and identity. People without passports may show a driver's license and a birth certificate.
Children under the age of 16 need only proof of citizenship, according to the State Department. |
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