Expedited Passports

The Mexican government just announced that they will hold off enforcing new regulations requiring US citizens to show their passports to get into the country, at least in some areas. According to the San Diego Union Tribune, the new rules will go into effect on March 1st for other parts of Mexico, but not for Baja California, because “Mexico lacks the infrastructure to enforce the regulations at busy ports such as San Ysidro and Otay Mesa.”

That means that US citizens going for short-term visits to Mexico and entering through crossings such as Tijuana or through ports like San Ysidro and Otay Mesa will not need to present passports to enter Mexico.  Cruise ship passengers in Ensenada will also be exempt.

However, you should pack a passport anyway-even if you don’t need one to get into Mexico, you will likely need it to come home.  In June of 2009, new passport regulations went into effect for US citizens returning from Mexico by land or by sea as part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). Now, passports are required to return from Mexico by land or by sea, except in a few special circumstances, like for children. See “Do You Need a Passport to Go To Mexico?” for more details.

Trying to re-enter the US without a passport is no fun, unless you like getting questioned by border officials and having to wait while they try to determine whether or not you are, in fact, a US citizen. It’s true that if you are a US citizen they have to let you in eventually, but why not avoid all of the hassle?

Oh, and if you are flying to Mexico, you absolutely have to have a passport-they won’t let you on a plane without it. Driving or cruising south of the border without a passport also means that you can encounter difficulties if you need to fly back due to an emergency.

So, if you plan on traveling to Mexico, go ahead and get a shiny new passport if you don’t have one already.

If you need your passport quickly, the fastest and most convenient way to get one is to use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com. We’ll help you with the application and personally deliver your paperwork to the Department of State for processing times that range from 24 hours to a little over a week, depending on which option you select. Compare that to regular passport processing times of 3 weeks for the government’s expedited service and 6 weeks for regular service.

Let us help you apply for your new passport today!

According to DallasNews.com, starting March 1, 2010, Mexican border officials will begin asking to see US citizens’ passports before they leave the US.

You may be asking yourself, “What else is new?” After all, technically passports have been  required for US citizens traveling to Mexico since June 1st, 2009, when the final phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) went into effect. However, the WHTI requirements only require US citizens to show their passports when they re-enter the United States. The Mexican government didn’t care if you had your passport or not, so you could get across the Mexican border without it-you would just run into trouble trying to get back into the US.

The US government also can’t keep you from re-entering the US as long as you are a US citizen. They can just detain you until they have verified your citizenship. So, as long as you were willing to risk being held up for hours on the way back in, you could hop over the Mexican border without a passport.

In some cases, US citizens have been unaware of the new requirements, and assumed when they were allowed across the Mexican border that they must have had all of the documents they need to get back.  Read an Oklahoma newspaper columnist’s account of just such an incident here.

As of March 1st, this will no longer be an issue since the requirements to get into Mexico will be the same as the requirements to get out of Mexico.

So, remember-starting March 1st, if you want to go to Mexico, you will need a passport to get across the border.  According to DallasNews.com, it is not yet clear whether or not closed-loop cruise ship passengers and children under the age of 16 will be exempt from Mexico’s new passport requirements as they are under the WHTI. We’ll keep you posted once that information is available.

Remember, applying for a passport takes at least 6 weeks if you apply for regular processing, and at least 3 weeks if you apply for the government’s expedited service.  If you have a trip to Mexico coming up sooner than that, a private passport expediting service like RushMyPassport.com offers the easiest solution, with processing times as low as 24 hours.

Apply for your new passport today!

If you are traveling in 2010, there are new passport laws you need to be aware of.   For example, at the beginning of last year, American citizens could enter Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean without a passport.

However, on June 1st, 2009, the final phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI for short) went into effect. Now, most Americans traveling to these countries do need passports to travel. Here are the details of the new passport laws:

Americans traveling to Mexico, Canada or the Caribbean by plane need a passport book. Americans traveling to these countries by sea need a passport book, a passport card, or a WHTI-approved alternative, like an enhanced driver’s license, a NEXUS card, a FAST card or a SENTRI card.  For most Americans, the passport book and the passport card are easiest to obtain, but the passport card can only be used for land or sea travel, not for air travel. The passport book is a better choice, because there is always the possibility you might have to fly home in an emergency.

There are a few exceptions to the new requirements, but they only apply for land or sea travel, never to air travel. So, again, even though you don’t technically need a passport if you fall into one of the following categories, it’s a good idea to carry one anyway in case you need to fly home.

Here are the exceptions:

• Children under the age of 16 traveling by land or sea can use their birth certificates, naturalization certificates or certificates of citizenship.
• Children under the age of 19 traveling by land or sea with a school group, religious group, social or cultural organization, or sports team accompanied by an adult chaperon can use their birth certificates, naturalization certificates or certificates f citizenship.
  
• Cruise ship passengers on a closed-loop cruise, one that begins and ends at the same US port, can use government-issued photo ID (like your driver’s license) and a birth certificate, certificate of naturalization or certificate of citizenship.
  

If you need a new passport, the fastest and most reliable way to get one is to use a private passport expediting service like RushMyPassport.com. You’ll get personal attention and help from a passport specialist, plus your application will be hand-delivered to the Department of State for processing times as low as 24 hours.

Apply for your new passport today!

We may still be stuck in the depths of winter, but Spring Break is just around the corner, and it’s time to start planning your spring vacation. If you are vacationing outside of the US this year, it’s important to check and see what kind of travel documents you will need. New passport regulations went into effect on June 1st, 2009, and passports are now required for more destinations than ever before. Here’s the scoop:

On June 1, 2009, the final phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative went into effect.  Now, the law requires that US citizens traveling to Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean by land or sea carry a passport book or another WHTI-compliant document, like a passport card,  an enhanced driver’s license or a NEXUS, FAST or SENTRI card. Previously, you could just bring your driver’s license and your birth certificate, certificate of citizenship or naturalization certificate.

However, if you’re going on a cruise for Spring Break, you might be able to get by with just your driver’s license and birth certificate, assuming that your cruise begins and ends at the same US port. Check with your cruise line to see what documents are required, but consider applying for a new passport anyway-you’ll need it if you have to fly home for an emergency.

Also, if you’re under the age of 19 and you are traveling outside of the country for Spring Break with a church group, school group, sports group or cultural organization, you can just bring a copy of your birth certificate as long as your group is under adult supervision. Again, though, it’s better to have a passport.

If you are flying anywhere outside of the United States, even if it’s just to Mexico or Canada, you must have a US passport-no exceptions.

The time to apply for your passport is now-in fact, according to the University of Arizona’s passport acceptance office, students only have 5 days left to apply for a passport with regular processing. Applications need to be in by February 12th if you are using the government’s expedited processing option for your new passport.

This is based on the University of Arizona’s Spring Break-you may have more or less time depending on when your school lets out.  Check your dates, and make sure to allow 6 weeks for regular processing and 3 weeks for expedited processing.

You should also be aware that applying for a new passport through a private passport expediting company  can make the application process much easier as well as drastically reduce your processing time.  For example, RushMyPassport.com can have your application processed in as little as 24 hours.

Apply for your new passport today!

This year, the Winter Olympics are being held in Vancouver, Canada. The games run from February 12th to February 28th, and since they are relatively close to us this year, a lot of Americans are expected to attend. If you’re one of them, make sure you are up to speed on the latest requirements for crossing the US/Canadian border.

Last year, those requirements changed. Previously, you could have driven across to Canada to see the Winter Olympics with just a driver’s license or other state-issued ph0to ID and a copy of your birth certificate or naturalization certificate.

However, now that the final phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) is in effect, you may need a passport quick if you want to attend.  To get across the border by land or sea, you will need one of the following documents:

• A passport
• A passport card
• An enhanced driver’s license (only certain states offer this)
• A NEXUS, SENTRI  or FAST card (NEXUS and SENTRI are “trusted traveler” programs for frequent travelers, and FAST is a program for commercial drivers).

If you are flying to Vancouver, you must have a passport book (not a passport card) to board the plane.

To try to minimize problems, according to USA Today, the Department of Homeland Security has launched a $2 million ad campaign to help educate people about the new requirements.

If you don’t have a passport, you’ll need to get one in a hurry- the Winter Olympics are only a month away.

At this point, the easiest way to be sure you’ll get your passport quick enough is to use a private passport expediting company. The State Department’s expedited service takes 2-3 weeks, which is cutting it awfully close.

RushMyPassport can help you get your passport more quickly, in anywhere from a little over a week to 24 hours, depending on the processing option you choose.

Don’t miss the Winter Olympics: Let us help you get a passport, quick!

Well, better late than never…it looks like citizens of New Mexico (as well as other states that issue driver’s licenses that aren’t compliant with the REAL ID Act) will still be allowed to fly with their driver’s licenses after the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve.

Previously, New Mexican government officials had been warning citizens that they would not be able to use their driver’s licenses to fly after January 1st, 2010. That is the date that the REAL ID Act, enacted in 2005 due to concerns about terrorism, was set to go into effect.  Three dozen states, including New Mexico, do not comply with REAL ID requirements.  If law goes into effect January 1st, as planned, that could leave a lot of people who wouldn’t be allowed to use their license to fly and who probably don’t have passports.

Now, KOAT.com is reporting that the New Mexico Delegation has been assured that somehow, the law will be fixed to allow people to continue to fly on their driver’s licenses after the deadline.  The article quotes the three senators as saying:

“We fully understand the anxiety this situation has caused New Mexico holiday travelers, but we have received every assurance that there is no need for them to worry. Anyone planning to travel with a state-issued identification will not be hindered.”

So, it appears passports won’t be necessary for holiday travel for New Mexicans after all. However, the government has not specified how they are going to circumvent the new regulations.  The federal government would prefer that the PASS ID act be passed and signed into law to postpone the REAL ID act, but other “contingency plans” are being developed.

If you decide you want to get a passport anyway, just in case, remember that it does take 6 weeks for normal passport processing and 3 weeks for the government’s expedited passport processing. If you are traveling internationally and you need your passport more quickly, the easiest way to get one is to use an expediter like RushMyPassport.

Expediters hand-deliver your application to the US Department of State, resulting in super-fast turnaround times. In fact, at RushMyPassport.com, we often mail passports back to our clients in as little 24 hours.

We make getting passports easy-apply with us today!

Everyone needs a passport to fly to another country. However, after January 1st, 2010, New Mexico residents may need a passport for domestic flights, too. On that date, states are supposed to be in compliance with the “Real ID” act, and Americans without Real ID-compliant IDs will not be able to fly.

New Mexico’s driver’s licenses are not Real ID-compliant, and according to this article on KOAT.com, the state is “nowhere near close.”  Lawmakers are working to pass a new bill to modify the Real ID act, enabling residents of New Mexico and other non-compliant states to continue using their driver’s licenses to fly. However, the bill hasn’t been passed yet.  According to New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Secretary Rick Homans, “The way it is right now, come Jan. 1st, residents of New Mexico and residents of about 25 other states wouldn’t be allowed to board airplanes unless they had a valid passport.”

With so much at stake, if you live in New Mexico and plan to fly after the new year, you should consider filling out a passport application. Sure, the holiday season is busy, but you need to get your application in as early as possible to ensure that you have your passport when you need it. It takes about 3 weeks for a passport application to be processed if you pay for the governments expedited service, and at least 6 weeks for regular service.

If you need your passport application processed more quickly, a private passport expediting service like RushMyPassport.com can help. An expediting service can have your application processed fast, often in as little as 24 hours, and you don’t have to make an appointment or drive down to a Passport Agency office (if you’re in New Mexico, that means driving to Arizona or Colorado).

Get your passport application in today!

If you’re planning on flying overseas anytime in the near future,  you may need a fast passport name change if the name on your passport doesn’t match the name  that you usually use to book airline tickets.  The TSA’s new Secure Flight program technically doesn’t go into effect until next year, but as Joe Sharkey points out in the New York Times, it’s pretty much in effect now.

Most airlines already require that your tickets match your IDs exactly, down to the middle initial. That means that if you usually fly as John Alexander Jones, your ID needs to say “John Alexander Jones,” not John A. Jones.

Seems simple enough, right? Wrong. As the New York Times documents, it can be a challenge to get everything to match.  Airline  data entry systems are not set up to handle long names or names with hyphens and apostrophes, for example.

If all you need to do is change the name on your passport, though, you’re in luck.  If it’s been less than a year since you got your passport, just fill out form  DS-5504 and send it in, along with legal proof of your name change.  If it’s been longer than 90 days since your passport was issued, you’ll also need to send 2 new passport photos.

If it’s been more than a year since your passport was issued, you will need to renew your passport to get your name changed.

What if you need a fast passport name change?  You can pay an additional $60 for expedited service, but it will still take at least 3 weeks for you to get your new passport in the mail.  If you need a really fast passport name change, RushMyPassport is the easiest option. We submit your paperwork directly to the Department of State,  and your application can be processed in as little as 24 hours.

Need to fix the name on your passport?  Let us help you get a fast passport name change!

Until last week, Susie Williams-Allen, a newspaper columnist for the Purcell Register in Purcell, Oklahoma, wasn’t aware of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). The WHTI, which has been in effect since June 1, 2009,  requires that American citizens returning from Mexico prove their identity and citizenship with a US passport on their way back across the border.

Last week, she and her husband decided to take a day trip into Mexico without first obtaining a passport.  Unfortunately, on her way back across she learned about the new laws the hard way…from a decidedly unsympathetic border guard. Mrs. Williams-Allen and her husband faced a stern round of questioning before they were eventually allowed back across, treatment that she did not expect from a US border patrol officer as a US citizen.

The rules have been in place since June, and the Department of State has been diligent about publicizing the new requirements, but it appears that infrequent travelers are still falling through the cracks. As Mrs. Williams-Allen noted in her column, “Maybe I should have known I needed a passport. I think there may be more out there like me who do not know. It is not like I am a world traveler.”

The moral of the story?  If you are planning a trip to Mexico, even if it’s just walking across and taking a taxi back to the US, obtaining a passport should be your first step! It’s also a step that should be taken well in advance of a trip, if possible.  Currently,  obtaining a passport takes about 6 weeks if you apply with normal processing and about 3 weeks if you apply with regular processing.

To get your passport more quickly and with less hassle, consider using a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com. You’ll get detailed, easy-to-follow instructions to help you with your paperwork, plus personal help and guidance from a professional passport specialist.

Also, an expediting company will personally deliver your passport application to the Department of State, drastically reducing the time you have to wait. In fact, with an expediting company, your passport could be on its way back to you in as little as 24 hours!

At RushMyPassport.com, we make obtaining a passport quick and easy. Apply with us today!

The small village of Nuevo Progreso lies just on the other side of the Texas/Mexican border. Known for its safe streets and great bargains on everything from alcohol to medications to souvenirs, over the past few decades Nuevo Progreso has built an economy based largely on Texans who like to winter in Mexico. In the summer, they depend on casual tourists who cross the border to shop.

However, after the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative went into effect on June, 2009, the ability to casually pop over to the Mexican side of the border became a thing of the past for US residents without passports. The new law requires that citizens show US passports or passport cards to get back into the country. Previously, all you had to have was your driver’s license and a birth certificate.

Since the rules went into effect, tourism in Nuevo Progreso has plummeted, according to this article in the Brownsville Herald.   According to Nuevo Progreso civic leaders, business is down 60 percent since the winter. For many in town, this is the slowest slow season they can remember.

For example, the article quotes Smiriam Hernandez, a local shop owner, who said that her 30-year-old establishment has never before lost so much money.  She told the Brownsville Herald that “The problem is the passport.”

However, there is hope: traffic across the border is slowly increasing, and according to Nuevo Progreso’s chamber treasurer, Dr. Maribel Martinez, more Americans living near the border are beginning to understand the necessity of having passports.  She told the Herald:  “People said they had problems with the cost, or gathering their documents. But it seems to be getting better and people are more conscientious now. Before, people didn’t want to accept it.”

Applying for a passport can be intimidating, and it does cost a little bit money. A private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com can make it by easier by offering personal assistance and faster processing. With RushMyPassport, you’ll be connected to a professional passport specialist and receive detailed, easy-to-understand instructions to help you through the application process, step by step.

Plus, applications for passports submitted through us are delivered directly to the Department of State for faster processing-often as quick as 24 hours!

Don’t miss out 0n everything Mexico has to offer- apply for your passport with us today!