New Passport Laws Don’t Impede Border Crossing - Expedited Passports

In 2009, new passport laws went into effect that changed the documents required for travel between the US, Mexico and Canada. Called the Western Travel Initiative (WHTI), the regulations required most US citizens to have either a passport or a passport card for land and sea travel to either country, with a passport book being required for air travel.

Local businesses on both sides of the border have been ruing that day ever since, blaming the requirements for slowing down the number of consumers able to casually hop from country to country.

Now, a new report suggests that at least on the US/Canadian border, the problem may be an issue of perception rather than an actual increase in wait times.  According to the Spectator, an in-depth study commissioned by the Binational Economic and Tourism Alliance found that 90 percent of the time, cars and trucks had to wait just 5-10 minutes to get across the border.

Executive director Arlene White told the Spectator that the study was prompted by continued angst from businesses over the new passport requirements:

“We just kept hearing that it’s tough to cross and it’s a hassle. We wanted to know the realities of how much had changed and the economic impacts of the changes since 9/11 … We said let’s gather the facts instead of the myths.”

Slightly less encouraging was the study’s finding that only 53 percent of residents living near border areas had a document that would enable them to cross if they wanted to.  The most flexible travel document is a US passport book, which allows for travel by land, air and sea. If the cost of a new passport is prohibitive and you don’t plan on flying, a passport card will allow you to cross over by land or by sea for only $55 per person. Another alternative is a NEXUS card, though the application process is a little more involved and requires a personal interview and a retinal scan.

If you need a new passport, it’s important that you don’t wait until the last minute. Passport applications take about six weeks to process. For a $60 expedite fee, the Department of State’s expedited service will save you some time, but you still must allow three weeks. For faster processing, you must either drive to the nearest Regional Passport Agency office or use a private expediting company like RushMyPassport. By hand-delivering your paperwork to the Department of State, we can cut processing time down to as little as 24 hours with no need to wait in line or make an appointment.

Let us help you get your new passport quickly and easily- get started today!

In California, deep-sea fishing boats crossing into Mexican waters have found themselves on the hook instead, as the Mexican  navy boarded them and checked their passengers’ passports. According to SignOnSanDiego.com, the sport-fishing boats believed that they were complying with existing regulations that allow anglers to take short fishing trips of a day or less into Mexican waters, as long as they have a Mexican fishing license. However, one of the boats reported being turned back when an angler on board was unable to produce a valid US passport.

Michelle Gandola, a spokeswoman for the Sportfishing Association of California, told SignOnSanDiego that the Association had contacted the Mexican government for clarification:

“We’re trying to get some kind of official statement from the Mexican government. But as far as we know, no new Mexican regulation or policy has come out about passport requirements on sport boats. All we know is that a few of our boats were boarded, and passengers were asked to produce passports. We’ve been operating in Mexico for over 50 years and have had great relations with Mexico. Our hope is that we can work this out and that it’s just a slight hitch that can be taken care of so we can get back to operating without any additional requirements.”

Still, for now, if you plan to go on a sport-fishing trip that includes a dip into Mexican waters, you should probably bring a US passport. Getting one will take six weeks if you apply with regular processing, and about three weeks if you pay an additional $60 for expedited processing.

If you have a trip booked, one way to avoid rescheduling is to make an appointment at the nearest regional passport agency office. For fast service without an appointment, another option is to use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.

Need a US passport? Apply with us today!

In America’s fame-obsessed culture, it’s probably not a surprise that theme cruises featuring rock stars and celebrities are the newest travel trend. And now, my Gen-X brethren, it’s time to dust off those old worn out flannels (you know you still have one or two in a closet somewhere), because the latest theme cruise was designed just for you: a chance to rock out with old school indie rock music from Weezer and Dinosaur Jr. (via Gadling).

The “Weezer Cruise,” brought to you by the same folks who gave you the Kid Rock cruise, sets sail from Miami on January 19th, heading to Cozumel, Mexico. Fans will get to see Weezer play outside on the ship’s Lido Deck as the boat sails away from Miami. They’ll also get to see Weezer play once more inside the ship’s auditorium.

Additionally, Weezer fans get to have photos taken with their idols plus the chance to pick Rivers Cuomo’s brain in person during a Q & A session.

Basically, the cruise ship is going to be one giant music festival, only with less mud and better food. With Weezer and Dinosaur Jr headlining, the lineup tends toward quirky 90′s alt-rock, but there are some newer indie bands as well. Here are the bands who have been announced so far: Sebadoh, Gene Ween (of Ween) and Dave Dreiwitz, Wavves, The Antlers, Yuck, Free Energy, Boom Bip, J Mascis (a solo acoustic show in addition to his performance with Dinosaur Jr), Lou Barlow, Keepaway, Ozma, The Nervous Wreckords, The Knocks, Sleeper Agent and Yacht Rock Revue. (more…)

Drug-fueled violence has been simmering over in certain parts of Mexico for well over a year now. The State Department has issued official travel warning after official travel warning to keep US citizens informed of the situation, most recently in April.

With horror stories coming in from across the border on a semi-regular basis, many US citizens have decided that it might be more prudent to take a summer vacation elsewhere. It should be noted that only certain parts of Mexico are affected by the violence- even the cautious bureaucrats over at the Department of State note that “the majority of visitors to Mexico thoroughly enjoy their stay.” The travel warning suggests that you stay away from the following areas: Northern Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Nuevo Leon (especially the city of Monterrey), Tamaulipas Durango, Coahuila, Zacatecas, Sinaloa, Southern Sonora, Nayarit, Jalisco, San Luis Potosi, Michoacán, Guerrero and Morelos.

That still leaves a lot of places in Mexico that are fairly calm. However, if you’d prefer to stay out of the country altogether, Gadling has a couple of alternative suggestions: Costa Rica and Panama. According to the Department of State, the main threat to tourists in Costa Rica is theft. While Costa Rica has long been popular with American tourists, Panama is more of an up-and-coming destination, as evidenced by the construction of country’s first Westin Hotel and resort.

If you want to check out either of these countries, though, you’ll need to get a passport. To enter Costa Rica, you’ll need a US passport valid for at least 30 days after your arrival. If you’re going to Panama, it must be valid for at least three months.

To ensure you get your passport in time, plan ahead. It takes about six weeks to get a passport if you apply for regular service, and about three weeks if you request expedited service for an additional $60.

To get a passport more quickly, you can either make an appointment at the nearest regional passport agency office, or save time and gas money by using a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.

Let us help you get a passport quickly today!

When you apply for an emergency passport, whether it’s at a Passport Agency office or through an expediting company, the Department of State requires you to prove that you do in fact have an emergency. When you make an appointment at a Passport Agency office, you must bring a hard copy of your itinerary to show that you will be leaving the country within the next 14 days. If you’re using an expediter, you must include proof of travel in the package you send to the company.

For most trips, the State Department will only accept one of the following documents:

• A copy of your airline reservation, or a printed email confirmation if you’ve purchased an electronic ticket.
• A reservation with a travel agency
• If you’re traveling on business, a letter on company letterhead describing the dates you plan to leave the country and what you’ll be doing on your business trip. Someone else at the company needs to sign your business letter, even if you’re the CEO.

But what if you’re visiting our neighbors to the north or south? The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative requires most travelers to carry a passport or a passport card for land travel to and from Canada and Mexico, but if you’re driving, you obviously won’t have a plane ticket to present at the passport office. Increasingly, travelers tend to book their trips independently, without relying on a travel agency. Does that mean you’re out of luck if you need an emergency passport for a road trip to these countries? (more…)

Mexico has long been a playground for Americans on vacation, but lately it’s been in the news due to an unfortunate epidemic of drug-fueled violence. Is it still a safe place to visit? Despite the grisly headlines, the answer is “yes”-as long as you use common sense and stay away from the most lawless, unsafe regions of the country.

With that in mind, here’s  a summary of the areas in Mexico that the US Department of State has warned US passport holders to avoid:

• The state of Durango- The Mexican state of Durango has become one of the epicenters of drug cartel-related violence, and the Department of State notes that 4 visiting US passport holders were murdered there late last year or early in 2010. Now is not a good time to visit the birthplace of Pancho Villa.
• Ciudad Juarez-  In this city, located in the state of Chihuahua along the US/Mexican border,  drug cartels and Mexican government officials have engaged in all-out war, with shootouts occurring during daylight hours and in populated areas like shopping centers.  Over 2,600 people died there last year.
• The northern border area: Cuidad Juarez is the most notorious northern border city, but really, it’s safest to avoid most of the major cities near the US/Mexico border. Violence also occurs fairly frequently in the cities of Tijuana, Nogales,  Nuevo Laredo, Monterrey and Matamoros, to the point that the US Department of State has advised dependents of US personnel in the region to leave until April 12th.

The good news is that the major Mexican resorts and tourist areas are still pretty safe. For more information on how to enjoy your Mexican vacation safely, see the Department of State website.

Also, don’t forget that passport regulations governing travel to Mexico have changed. You will most likely need a US passport-see Do I need a passport to go to Mexico? for the details.

If you need a US passport in a hurry, the easiest way to get one is to use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com. We hand-deliver your application to the Department of State for processing times as low as 24 hours, with no need for you to make an appointment or travel out of your way to a Regional Passport Agency office.

Apply for your US passport today!

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!

Since June 1st, 2009, most U.S. citizens traveling to Mexico are required to carry passports to get across the border.  Here are the travel requirements for each of the circumstances below:

Flying Into/Out of Mexico
US citizens of any age flying to or from Mexico must have a US passport book, no exceptions. You should be aware that the US passport CARD is no good for air travel.

Traveling to Mexico by Land If you are traveling to Mexico by land, under the new rules you must have one of the following documents to re-enter the US: US Passport Book US Passport Card Nexus, SENTRI or FAST card Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL)- Currently, only a small number of states offer Enhanced Driver’s Licenses

Traveling to Mexico by Sea
Traveling to Mexico by sea is about the same as traveling to Mexico by land, unless you are on a closed-loop cruise. A closed-loop cruise is a cruise that begins and ends at the same US port.  American citizens on a closed-loop cruise can use a driver’s license or other government-issued photo ID AND an original or copy of their birth certificate, naturalization certificate or certificate of citizenship to re-enter the country.

Children

Children under the age of 16 traveling to and from Mexico by land or by sea can use their birth certificates, certificates of citizenship or naturalization certificates to re-enter the country.

Children under the age 19 traveling with an adult-chaperoned organization such as a school group, religious group, social or cultural organization, or sports team can also use their birth certificates, certificates of citizenship or certificates of naturalization.

However, children of any age traveling by air to and from Mexico must have a passport book.

If you need a passport to go to Mexico, RushMyPassport.com can help. We make getting a passport quick and easy by providing you with a helpful checklist and personal assistance with the application. Then, we hand-deliver your paperwork to the Department of State for super-fast processing, often as a quick as 24 hours.

Apply for your passport today!

When I wake up in the morning, the whole house is chilly, my bones ache, and I envy the flocks of geese and other birds that pass over my yard on their way to warmer, more hospitable climes. Birds are smarter than people-when the weather turns gross and cold, they fly south to sip margaritas on a beach somewhere until spring.

Well, okay, not really. But that’s what I would be doing if I, like many North American songbirds,  were overwintering in Mexico! Like it or not,  most of us can’t afford to put all of our possessions in storage and spend 3 months of  each year south of the border. However, there are some awesome deals on airfare to Mexico and the Caribbean right now, so you just might be able to afford a week or so of sunshine.

SmarterTravel.com has the scoop, with fares starting at $152 round-trip, for a flight from Tampa, Florida to Freeport, Bahamas on Spirit Airlines.  For $176, you can get from chilly Boston to Nassau on American Airlines, and for $194, Continental will take you from Dallas, Texas to Guadalajara, Mexico.

To get your tickets at these prices, you will need to be ready to depart by November 30th, and return by December 15. So, if you don’t already have a passport, you’ll need to get one in a hurry-you can’t fly to the Caribbean or Mexico without it!

There are two different ways to expedite your passport: apply for the government’s expedited service or use a private passport expediting company.  Of the two, a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com is by far the easiest and least stressful option.

If you don’t apply for expedited service, you can expect to wait at least 6 weeks for your passport, by which time this sale will be long gone.  If you apply for the government’s expedited service, you’ll stay wait at least 3 weeks for your passport to arrive.  ‘

You also can request emergency passport service with proof that you are traveling in 14 days or less. However, you have to make an appointment and drive to a Regional Passport Agency office, and there may not be one of those within easy driving distance.

With an expediting service, you can expedite your passport application to get it processed in as little as 24 hours, with no appointments, long drives or waiting in line.  Expedite your passport the easy way with us today!