Will New Passport Laws Harm Tourism Industry? - Expedited Passports

Businesses on both sides of the Mexican and Canadian borders are concerned about the potential impact of new passport laws for travelers crossing into Mexico and Canada by land or sea. At one time, you didn’t need a passport to travel to Mexico or Canada. However, in 2007, under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, the government began requiring passports for people re-entering the US from Mexico or Canada by air. Starting in June of 2009, the government will also require passports for people traveling to Mexico, Canada and Bermuda by land and sea.

As MSNBC reports, businesses that depend on tourists from across the Mexican and Canadian borders are concerned that the new requirements may adversely affect on their business. For example, at the Jay Peak Ski Resort in Vermont, almost half of the visitors are Canadian.  Resort owners fear that many of these visitors are not yet aware of the new passport requirements for driving across the border, which could cause people without passports to change or even cancel their travel plans.

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Currently, the US government recommends that you allow at least 3 weeks to receive a passport using normal passport processing. If you pay extra for the government’s expedited service and use overnight shipping for your application, in most cases you’ll have your new passport within 2 weeks. However, life doesn’t always give you a 2 week notice. For example, if you have relatives overseas, you might have to leave the country on short notice to deal with a family emergency. Also, even seasoned travelers sometimes make international travel plans, only to realize at the last minute that their passport is lost or expired.

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Some passport requests, including renewals and name changes, can be handled through the mail.  However, the government requires many passport applicants to apply in person. If any of the following conditions apply to you, you’ll need to submit your passport application in person at a passport office:

• This is your first time applying for a US passport, or your current US passport was issued before you turned 16.
• You are currently under 16 years of age.
• Your passport has been lost, stolen or damaged.
• Your most recent passport is more than 15 years old.
• Your name has changed and you don’t have legal documentation for the name change.

There are actually two types of US passport offices. The first is called an acceptance facility. Libraries, post offices county clerks can act as US passport offices by accepting your application, witnessing your signature, and sealing your application documents. There government also has 15 Passport Agency offices scattered throughout the country. These passport offices accept applications by appointment only, usually for emergency passports that are needed in less than 2 weeks. A list of Passport Agency offices and instructions for making an appointment is available at the Department of State’s website, along with a list of passport acceptance facilities.

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