5 Reasons to Get a Passport Quick for a Vacation in Mexico - Expedited Passports

As of June 1st, 2009, the US government began requiring that US citizens traveling to Mexico, Canada or the Caribbean carry a US passport instead of simply bringing their driver’s license and birth certificates. Is visiting Mexico worth the extra trouble it takes to get a passport? Yes, definitely!

Here are the top 5 reasons to get a passport to get a passport, quick and visit Mexico this summer:

• Beaches- Mexico has some of the most gorgeous beaches in the world.  Choose from the well-known resorts of Cancun or find a more remote destination like the beaches of Isla Holbox on the Yucatan Peninsula.

• Rainforests- This article has a wonderful suggestions on how to explore Mexico’s rainforests.  Get off the beaten path and check out the scenery and wildlife near the cirt of Tulum  in the Yucatan Peninsula or in the state of Chiapas. (more…)

According to the Associated Press, citizens who were denied a passport because they were delivered by midwives near the US border with Mexico may soon have an opportunity to reapply for free.

Here’s the background on the story:  Going back to the 1960′s,  some midwives on the Southwestern border were convicted of fraudulently filing birth certificates for children who may have been born on the Mexican side of the border.  So, the State Department began not issuing passports to people who had been delivered near the border by midwives instead of at a hospital.

However, delivery by midwife is very common along the border because many of the people there are poor and live in rural areas.  So, people who are legitimately US citizens have found themselves barred from obtaining a passport, which has become increasingly urgent now that passports are required to travel to and from Mexico.

This led the ACLU to file a class-action lawsuit against the State Department. On Wednesday, the lawsuit was given preliminary class-action status by U.S. District Judge Randy Crane.  Judge Crane also approved a preliminary settlement offer by the State Department that allows members of the class to reapply for free and guarantees that the government will either approve or deny the applications, instead of leaving applicants hanging with no resolution.

If you need a passport, make sure to apply well in advance. Obtaining a passport currently takes at least 6 weeks with regular processing, if everything goes smoothly. However, no matter where you were born, it’s always a good idea to apply as far in advance as possible, so that any issues with your application can be corrected in time for you to travel.  A private passport expediting company can also make obtaining a passport easier by walking you through the application process, so that everything goes smoothly the first time. Plus, you’ll benefit from super-fast processing times,  possibly as quick as 24 hours!

Apply for your passport with RushMyPassport.com-We make obtaining a passport easy!

US passports issued to Americans over 16 years of age are valid for 10 years. During that time, your appearance could change greatly. You could gain weight, lose weight, change your hairstyle, etc-leaving you looking like a completely different person!

Should you renew a valid passport if your appearance has changed since you last had your photo taken? In most cases, it’s not necessary-but it might not be a bad idea, either, especially if you’re traveling to Kenya. According to this article on TheStar.com, a Canadian woman was detained in Kenya because she no longer looked exactly like her passport photo, even though she had other forms of identification. She was kept in a jail in Kenya for 8 days, and had to pay $2,500 in bail.

If your passport is valid, you shouldn’t have to renew it until 9 months before it expires.  In most cases, you’ll be able to travel without any problems as long as your passport is valid and you have enough visa pages.  However, when traveling overseas, you’re at the mercy of the officials in the country that you’re traveling in. The US Embassy will do everything in its power to help you if you have problems, but it’s always better to avoid issues like this whenever possible. So, if you look like a completely different person than you did 5 years ago, renewing your passport early may help your trip go more smoothly.

If you need to renew your passport before your next trip, remember to allow enough time for the new passport to arrive in the mail. Currently, it’s taking at least 6 weeks to process a passport application with normal processing. If you apply for the government’s expedited service, you can still expect to wait at least 3 weeks for your passport. If you need to renew your passport in a hurry, the easiest way to do it is to use a private passport expediting company.  An expediting company can help you get your passport application processed more quickly, often as fast as 24 hours!

Why stress about getting your new passport? Renew your passport with us today!