Expedited Passports

If you’re planning on traveling in the near future, it would be a good idea to check and make sure that all of your travel documents, including your US passport,  are up-to-date. According to the Chicago Tribune, TSA has started to crack down on people whose travel documents don’t match their tickets.

If you are traveling on a US passport, you definitely need to make sure that the name on your passport is the name on your ticket. Period. It doesn’t matter how many supporting documents you bring with you-the names must match  exactly-including the middle name or middle initial.  According to the story in the Tribune, the requirement that your middle name/middle initial match is effective now for domestic flights and will be effective in December for international flights.

If your name has changed since you were last issued a US passport, you should get it changed as soon as possible. For details on how to accomplish this task, see Changing Your Name on Your US Passport Renewal.

Remember to apply to have your name changed on your US passport at least 6 weeks in advance if you use regular processing. The government’s expedited processing service takes at least 3 weeks. If you need the name on your passport changed sooner than that, a private passport expediting company is your best bet. An expediting company will hand-deliver your passport name change application to the US Department of State, resulting in processing times as short as 24 hours.

Don’t wait until the last minute-change your name on your US passport today!

On June 1st, 2009, the rules governing travel between the United States and Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean will change. Currently, only air travelers need a passport to re-enter the United States-land and sea travelers can use a photo ID (like a driver’s license), and proof of citizenship (such as a birth certificate). In just a few short weeks, land and sea travelers will also be required to show a passport.

To make it easier for frequent travelers to carry the appropriate travel documents, the government has introduced a cheaper, wallet-sized passport card. Please note that the passport card is valid for land and sea travel only-air travelers to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean still need the full-fledged (and full-priced) passport book.

How long does it take to get your hands on a passport card? Try 2 to 3 months…there is currently no way to expedite a passport card, only a passport book. If you’ll be crossing the border after June 1st and you haven’t applied for a passport yet, you’ll need to apply for a passport book to make sure you have the appropriate documentation by the deadline.

Fortunately, expediting a passport book is easy to do. You have a couple of different options. First, you can expedite your passport through the US Department of State, although you will still have to wait at least 3 weeks. If you want to be absolutely positive that you get your passport by June 1st, a private passport expediting company is the best way to go.

These companies expedite your passport by delivering your application directly to the US Passport Agency, where it goes to the top of the stack for processing.  With a private passport expediting company, you can have your passport processed in anywhere from 24 hours to a little over a week, depending on how soon you need it.

Be prepared for June 1st-Expedite your passport today!

How do you know if you should renew your old passport or simply apply for a new one? Can you renew your passport if your old passport is expired? Here’s how to know for sure:

Passport Renewal

If you meet all of the qualifications listed below, you can renew your passport instead of having to apply for a new one:

• You still have your old US passport, and it is undamaged and in good condition.
• You were past your 16th birthday when you got your old passport.
• Your passport is no more than 15 years old.
• If you’ve changed your name since your last passport was issued, you have legal documentation to support the name change.

New Passport

• If your passport has been lost or damaged, you must apply in person for a new passport.
• If you were under the age of 16 when you got your current passport, you need to apply for a new one.
• If you’re passport is more than 15 years old, you’ll need a new one.
• If you’ve changed your name and don’t have the applicable paperwork, you’ll also need to apply for a new passport.

What’s the difference between applying for a passport renewal instead of a new passport? Passport renewals can be done through the mail.  Simply fill out Passport Renewal Form DS-82 and include two identical passport photos along with a check for government fees ($75.00 plus $60.00 if you want to use the government’s expedited service).

When applying for a new passport, you have to go in person to a passport acceptance facility and fill out form DS-11, Application for a New Passport. Since you have to apply in person, you’ll pay a $25.00 execution fee in addition to the fees listed above.  Plus, you’ll need to bring proof of identity and proof of citizenship.

After you’ve submitted your application, all you have to do is have patience and wait for your passport to arrive in the mail. It can take 2 to 3 months for regular government service, and expedited service through the government takes at least 3 weeks.

If you need your passport sooner than that, a private passport expediting company can help.  For an additional fee, an expediting company will help you with your passport paperwork and deliver it by hand to the Department of State for faster processing. With an expediting company, you can have your passport processed in as little as 24 hours, although there are various processing times and price points available to meet your needs.

Don’t get stuck waiting for your passport-apply for a passport renewal or a new passport today!

US citizens planning a trip to Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean need to be aware of new travel requirements that will become effective June 1st, 2009. After June 1st,  the days of being able to cross the border by flashing your driver’s license and your birth certificate are over.  US citizens traveling to these regions will need to show US passports or passport cards to re-enter the country…or else!

Right about now, your inner three-year-old is probably asking “Oh yeah…or else what?” What happens if you try to get back in to the US without a passport after June 1st? Will you be trapped at the border forever? Arrested?

Fortunately, the consequences for American citizens trying to re-enter the country without US passports after the deadline are not quite that grim. According to the US government’s fact sheet on the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, travelers will “likely experience a delay as U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers attempt to verify your identity and citizenship.” In other words, expect to be massively inconvenienced.

Being held up by Customs and Border Protection is no small matter…delays in getting home can result in having to pay extra for lodging, missing work and many other inconveniences. It’s also worth noting that if you are planning on traveling on a cruise or with a professional tour group, they probably won’t let you leave the US with them in the first place if you don’t have the right documents for re-entry.

So, please, don’t forget your US passports!

If you have a trip planned for Mexico, Canada or the Caribbean, the fastest way to get US passports is to use a private passport expediting service.  When you use an expediting service, you get the benefit of faster processing and more personal customer service.

RushMyPassport.com offers a variety of processing times for applications for US passports to make sure your trip stays on schedule. For the fastest service, order your US passports from us today!

For many years, crossing the Canadian/American border was hardly more difficult than crossing from one state to another. In the “good old days,” all you had to do was verbally declare your citizenship at the border and you were good to go. The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) put an end to that practice.

Under the WHTI, Passengers on US/Canada flights have been required to carry passports since 2007, but the rules remained more relaxed for land and sea crossings. American citizens crossing by land were only  required to bring photo ID and a birth certificate or other proof of citizenship with them before driving across the border.

On June 1, 2009, the final phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative will take effect. After that date, Americans will need a US passport, a US Passport Card or another “WHTI-compliant” document to cross the border. This disturbs advocates for an open border between the US and Canada, who believe that it will  affect trade and tourism.

For example, in this article from GlobeandMail.com, New York Congresswoman Louise Slaughter predicts that after June 1, “There will be pure chaos. Lines will lengthen, people will be denied entry, tourism and business will suffer. And with the addition of the Olympics it’s going to be even more so.”

During a March 24th symposium sponsored by the Brookings Institution, US Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano had a clear message for open-border advocates like Congresswoman Slaughter: Get over it. The GlobeandMail.com article quotes Secretary Napolitano telling the symposium, “It’s a real border, and we need to address it as a real border.” She also asked citizens of both countries to accept a  “change of culture” at the US Canadian border. (more…)

Are you trying to decide what to do when the kids get out of school for summer vacation? Here’s a surprisingly cheap idea: take the family on  a cruise! B-Net.com has a post up that describes the deep discounts the cruise industry is offering to keep itself afloat.  According to the post, some cruises are even cheaper than staying in a nice hotel!

Of course, if you have little ones, you’ll want to make sure they have fun, too.  Royal Caribbean is offering family-friendly Nickelodeon-themed cruises over the summer. So, adults get all the luxuries of life at sea, and kids get green slime and their favorite Nickelodeon characters. Everyone wins!

If you decide to take the family on a cruise, remember that you may need passports. Currently, only air passengers need US passports to enter the country from Mexico or the Caribbean. However, on June 1st, 2009, the rules change and getting a passport will become a necessity for land and sea passengers as well.  (more…)

Effective June 1, 2009, the final phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) will go into effect.  Any change in federal regulations is likely to cause some confusion, and the WHTI is no exception to this rule.  One common question people have been asking is this: Do I need to renew my passport to comply with the new travel regulations?

The answer, fortunately, is simple: only if it’s expired! The final phase of the WHTI requires that anyone traveling to Mexico, Canada, or the Caribbean by land, sea or air present a valid US passport when they re-enter the country.  Currently, US passports are only required if you are traveling by plane.

So, if your passport is expired and you’re planning a trip to any of the regions listed above, you will need to renew your passport before you go. If you already have a valid passport, there’s no need to renew it early. Just remember to bring it with you! Passport renewal is usually a simple process. You may even be eligible to renew your passport by mail!

However, you do need to allow enough time before your trip for your passport renewal to be processed. You should allow at least 6 weeks if you request regular processing with your passport renewal, and you may need to allow even more time if you are applying near the June 1st deadline.

If you need to get your passport more quickly, a private passport expediting company can get it back to you much faster. With an expediting company, your application is delivered by hand to the US Passport Agency, where it goes to the “top of the pile” for faster processing.

For great service, renew your passport with RushMyPassport.com today!

Travel requirements have been changing so quickly, it can be hard to keep track of what documents are required to go where. However, it’s important to stay up-to-date, since not having the correct paperwork can derail your trip!  One of the common questions about travel requirements involves travel to Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean, countries covered under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI).

Do you need a passport for travel to Mexico, Canada or the Caribbean? Currently, it depends on how you are traveling. If you travel by plane, you have to have a valid US passport to travel from the US to any of these countries. However, if you are driving or traveling by sea, you just need to carry proof of identity (like a driver’s license) and proof of citizenship (such as your birth certificate).  No matter what method of travel you choose, it’s still a good idea to get a passport if you are leaving the country. What if you have an emergency and you need to fly back home? When it comes to foreign travel, it’s always a good idea to think like a Boy Scout!

Also, on June 1, 2009, the travel requirements are changing again. On this day, the final phase of the WHTI will go into effect, and land and sea travelers will also be required to have a passport to travel to Mexico, Canada, or the Caribbean. The only exceptions are people who have other types of WHTI-compliant identification (such as the Enhanced Driver’s Licenses offered in some states) and children under the age of 16. A passport will still be required for all international air travel.

If you need to get a new passport quickly, consider using the services of a private expediting company. An expediting company can cut through the red tape to help you get your passport quickly and easily, in as little as 24 hours!

Have you ever called your bank or credit card company to report a lost or stolen card, only to find it the very next day? What if the same thing happens after you call to report a lost passport? Here’s what you need to know if you find your passport after reporting it lost or stolen:

• Just like a credit card, a passport is invalid after it’s reported lost or stolen. Don’t try to use your passport to travel-you’ll have to wait until you get a new one!
• Send the passport in to the following address:

• U.S. Department of State
  Passport Services
  Consular Lost/Stolen Passport Section
  1111 19th Street, NW, Suite 500
  Washington, DC 20036

• If you’d like, when you send in your lost passport you can include a written request to have your passport returned to you once it’s canceled. The Department of State will cancel the passport and then send it back so that you can keep it as a souvenir of your international travels.

If you’ve lost your passport and you have an international trip planned in the near future, you can get your new passport expedited. The US Passport Agency offers expedited service to replace a lost passport for an additional charge of $60.00 plus overnight shipping. With this option, you’ll get your new passport within 2 weeks. If you need it sooner, you can apply in person at a US Passport Agency office. If you don’t have the time to spare or there isn’t an office near you, a private expediting company can get your passport for you in as little as 24 hours, with no appointments or waiting in line necessary!

Alaska is vast and beautiful, rugged and wild. In recent years, cruises to Alaska have become increasingly popular. On an Alaskan cruise, you get to experience the decadent luxury of life aboard a cruise ship while still getting to experience the 49th state’s breathtaking wilderness vistas. Now, Alaska is part of the United States, so you should be able to get there and back without a passport, right?

Not necessarily. Starting June 1st, if your Alaskan cruise makes any stops in a Canadian port,  all passengers must show US passports to re-enter the US. Many Alaskan cruises leave from the continental United States, sailing out of ports in the Pacific Northwest. These cruises often stop in Canada along the way, so US passports are required for boarding.  The Seattle Times posted an article recently describing the great Alaskan cruises available in Seattle. In the article,  Holland America Line spokesman Erik Elvejord was asked what would happen if someone tried to board the cruise ship without passport after June 1. He replied, “If they don’t have a passport (or other approved ID), we’ll have to deny boarding.”

If your cruise leaves from US soil and doesn’t make any stops in Canada, US passports are not required. However, it’s an excellent idea to double-check before you leave! Also, if you are flying to Alaska, check and see if you’ll have to catch a connecting flight in Canada. If so, you need a passport. US citizens are required to have US passports to enter and return from Canada, even if they never step foot outside of the airport! However, if you have a direct flight from the US to Canada, a passport is not required.

If you need to get your US passport quickly, the most fool-proof way to do so is to go through a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com. Your application will be handled by trained passport specialists and delivered to the US Passport Agency by hand, so you can have it ready in as little as 24 hours!