Expedited Passports

News of natural disasters or political violence in other countries leaves most people simply shaking their heads. However, for some travelers, bad news in an otherwise attractive travel destination means that it’s time to double-check the expiration date on your passport.

Why would you want to travel to an area that’s experiencing difficulties? Most people choose to stay home or go somewhere else when conditions in a particular destination are less than ideal, which means that you can often score excellent deals on hotels and flights. For example, when the New York Times’ Frugal Traveler covered the topic, they interviewed  Jeff Waldman, a California man who hopes that the political unrest in Thailand can help him snag a cheap vacation there. To Mr. Waldman, it’s all a question of risks vs. benefits:

“If Thailand erupted into civil war tomorrow, I don’t think that I’d be going. But a few little protests that are scaring off some of the less-risky travelers? I’ll absolutely take advantage of that.”

There’s no doubt that you can save money, but is it right to take advantage? What’s the difference between bargain-hunting and profiting from the misfortunes of others? Really, it depends on the situation. For example, spending money in Mexico during the H1N1 scare could actually have been beneficial, as long as you chose a time and an area of the country that was not severely affected and overwhelmed by large numbers of sick people. The economic crisis in Greece is also fair game.  In general, according to the Frugal Traveler, visiting during an economic or mild political crisis is fine, even a help to the affected communities. Visiting during a natural disaster is not, unless you are going as a volunteer to help.

Want to take advantage of the volcanic ash eruption in Iceland or the economic crash in Greece? Getting a passport is the first step. The application process usually takes about 6 weeks if you apply for normal processing and about 3 weeks if you apply for the government’s expedited processing. If you need your passport more quickly, the easiest and most convenient way is to use a private passport expediting company. An expediting company can make getting your passport a breeze, offering help with the application process and hand-delivering your paperwork to the Department of State for lightning-fast processing.

Getting a passport? Let us help!

Of course you need a passport to travel outside of the country, but do you need to have one before making flight reservations?

Some international airlines may ask for your passport number when you make a reservation for an international flight. However, it is optional to provide it when you book, and shouldn’t have any problem getting your tickets without it.

However, getting on the plane without a passport is another matter entirely. If you show up at the airport sans passport, you will be denied boarding.

As you are planning your trip, remember to keep in mind how long it takes to get a passport once you’ve applied. If you apply with regular service, you can expect to wait at least 6 weeks.  If you apply with the government’s expedited service, you should still allow at least 3 weeks.

Two additional options are available if you need to get a passport in a hurry. With an itinerary showing that you plan to travel out of the country in the next 14 days, you can make an appointment at a Regional Passport Agency office to get your passport, or use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com. The latter the option is the most convenient-no need to make an appointment or drive to a Passport Agency office.

However, you will need a copy of your itinerary to get a passport expedited using either of these two methods. So, if you have something come up and you need to take a trip out of the country in a hurry, go ahead and make your plane reservations and then apply for your passport through an expediting company or at a Passport Agency office.

RushMyPassport offers quick and convenient passport service, with processing times as low as 24 hours. There’s no need to make an appointment, take time off work or drive to a Passport Agency office.  Just go to the nearest passport acceptance facility (usually a library, post office or County Clerk’s office), fill out your application like normal and have your documents sealed and sent to us. We’ll hand-deliver your application to the Department of State and then send your passport right back to you via Fed-Ex.

Apply for your 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!

In this economy, businesses are finding it harder to budget sending employees overseas.  So, British Airways is offering a contest to help your company out with their “The Face of Opportunity” contest.  To enter the contest, you need to tell British Airways how being able to travel overseas to meet clients face-to-face will help your business grow. If they like your answer, you just might win a free international flight for yourself and a business companion.

To enter, you have to be a member of the British Airways Executive Club, and you have to get your application in before July 31st.  If you win, your first stop will be  London, where you will be introduced to business leaders and government officials. The next stop? The sky is the limit, as long as British Airways flies there.

So, start thinking about what a chance to network overseas could mean for your business. And, start thinking about passports for you and your companion if you don’t already have them!  Winners will be notified around August 13.  Flights depart in September, October and November, which doesn’t leave as much time as you might think for getting passports in order. After all, if you apply for a passport with normal processing, you can expect a wait of at least 6 weeks before it arrives in the mail. If you apply for a passport with the government’s expedited processing, expect to wait at least 3 weeks.

Fortunately, business travelers who have to travel on short notice can use a private passport expediting company to get a passport quickly. An expediting company will hand-deliver your application for faster processing. With a private company, processing times for passports can be as short as 24 hours or as long as slightly more than a week, depending on your travel needs and the package that you order. Please note that in addition to the normal paperwork,  you’ll need a copy of your itinerary or a company letter explaining why you need your passports expedited.

Why wait any longer than you have to to receive your passport? Apply with us today!

Can you get a passport with a felony? A felony conviction can change your life. It can make it hard to get a job. In some states, you could lose your right to vote. What about getting a passport?

Whether or not you can get a passport with a felony conviction depends on what you were convicted of and whether or not you are still under legal supervision. If you on probation or parole for your felony, you may not be allowed to travel without prior approval.  If you have been convicted of a felony drug offense that involved crossing international borders, the State Department may deny you a passport if you are still under supervised release. You could then apply for an emergency or a humanitarian exception to get a passport issued, although there is no guarantee you can get one.

However, in most cases, you can still get a passport even with a felony conviction. Of course, once you have your passport, finding a country that will let you in may be a little bit harder. Some countries won’t let you in if you have a criminal record, especially if you have a felony conviction.  If you have a felony conviction, it would be a good idea to research the entry requirements for the country you’re entering.

Also, make sure to allow enough time before your trip for your passport to be returned to you. Passport processing currently takes over 6 weeks for regular processing and 3 weeks for the government’s expedited processing.

If you are nervous about applying for your passport, it might be worth going through a private passport expediting company, as well. They can help you with the paperwork, and can cut processing time down to anywhere from a little over a week to just 24 hours, depending on the option you choose when you order.  The sooner you have your passport in hand, the sooner you can stop worrying about it and start planning your trip.

Apply for y0ur passport today!

US Representative Gary Peters of Michigan has managed to get an amendment through the House of Representatives requiring the government to review the economic impact of the final phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. The new rules, which became law on June 1st, 2009, require Americans to use passports or another special government-approved document to travel to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean by land and sea.

Prior to June 1st, Michigan and Canadian citizens who wanted to cross the US/Canadian border by land or water could do so with a state-issued photo ID and proof of citizenship, usually a birth certificate. Under these rules, it was still relatively easy for people to patronize businesses on the other side of the border.

The amendment sponsored by Rep. Peters made in through the House on June 10th, according to the Detroit Free Press. If it passes the Senate, it will compel the Obama administration to review the economic impact of the new rules, especially on small businesses. The state is already suffering due to the economic crisis and the financial woes of American car companies, who were major sources of employment in and around Detroit.

In the Detroit Free Press article, Peters told the paper that he sponsored the amendment because “We need to know exactly how new passport requirements are affecting Michigan’s economy.” Michigan does $67 million worth of business each year with the Canada, the largest of any US state.

Of course, chances are that the requirements will stay in place, no matter what happens to Rep. Peters’ bill. In previous interviews about the passport requirements, Janet Napolitano, head of the Department of Homeland Security, has dismissed people who worried about the economic impact of the rules.

If you need a passport to travel to Canada, remember to allow enough time when you apply. Currently, applications for passports are taking at least 6 weeks to process. Even with the government’s expedited service, expect to wait 3 weeks or longer.

The easiest way to get passports quickly is to use a private passport expediting service. These services hand-deliver your application to the US Department of State. They can get passports processed remarkably quickly, often within 24 hours.

Don’t let the rules mess with your travel plans this summer. Order your passports today!

Yesterday,  President Obama announced a slight thaw in the strained relationship between Cuba and the United States.  For the first time in decades, Cuban-Americans with family in Cuba will be allowed to go back and visit as often as they like. They will also be able to send back as much money as they like to their Cuban relatives-as long as the relatives in question aren’t senior government officials or high-ranking members of the Communist Party.

Right now, unless you’re a Cuban American visiting family, you aren’t technically forbidden to travel to Cuba, but you are forbidden to spend any money there. Of course, it’s kind of hard to do one without the other.  Naturally, there is a good deal of speculation about whether or not President Obama will lift these restrictions, as well.

If you are a Cuban-American and you and your family would like to take advantage of the relaxed restrictions, the first thing you need to do is get passports if you don’t already have them. Before you book your flight, keep in mind that applications for passports can take months to be processed. If you want to leave for Cuba in the near future, you should consider using a private passport expediting company instead.

An expediting company will deliver your family’s passport applications directly to the US Department of State, resulting in remarkably fast processing times. In fact, with an expediter, you can have your passports processed in as little as 24 hours! Even better, you don’t have to spend a lot of time making appointments with a passport office, driving to the passport office or waiting in line at the passport office.  The expediting company does all of that for you!

Plus, you’ll have someone to help guide you through the process of applying for passports.  The best expediting companies, like RushMyPassport.com, also offer online order tracking for your peace of mind.

Order your US passports today, and get ready to travel!

UPDATE: Effective June 1st, 2009, the requirements to travel to the Bahamas have changed. Please see this entry for the most up-to-date information.

Changing travel regulations have left many people scratching their heads, wondering whether or not you need a passport to go the Bahamas.

Actually, it depends. Right now, if you’re traveling to or from the Bahamas by sea, all you need is government-issued photo identification and proof of citizenship, such as your birth certificate.  However, if you’re flying, you have to have a US passport to re-enter the US from the Bahamas.

On June 1st, 2009, the rules are changing again. After that date, almost everybody who is traveling to the Bahamas will need a passport to re-enter the US, whether they are traveling by land or by sea.  There are only a few  exceptions: (more…)

Honeymoons provide newlyweds with an opportunity to get away from it all, focus on each other and celebrate their marriage.  Many couples make plans to travel to an international destination.  After all, there’s something fitting about beginning a new life together by exploring a new country.

There is no shortage of exotic destinations for an international honeymoon.  For example, many newlyweds enjoy basking on the beaches of the Caribbean, which is packed with resorts that cater to couples. If you’re on a budget, try an all-inclusive resort to help you better predict travel costs.

Dotting the Map, a travel blog, just started a series of posts on budget international honeymoons. Their first recommendation is Nassau, in the Bahamas, which has some reasonably-priced hotels and cheap or free activities like sunbathing on the island’s  gorgeous beaches, shopping and a pirate museum!

If you are planning a honeymoon overseas, both you and your new spouse will need passports.   Now, here’s where things can get a little tricky. Usually, the bride takes the groom’s name after the wedding. However, you have to book travel reservations and apply for passports before the wedding.

The bride’s name as shown on her passport must match the name on the travel reservations. So, the easiest way to book an international honeymoon is to make the reservations for the bride using her maiden name.  The bride should apply for a passport in her maiden name at least 6 weeks before the honeymoon and should hold off on changing her name until she is back in the US.

Once the couple has returned from the honeymoon, the bride can request a passport with her new name on it for free using the US Passport Agency’s Form DS-5504.

If you want your honeymoon to be as close to perfect as possible, both you and your intended need to have your passports ready in time.  Getting your passports through a private passport expediting company simplifies and speeds up the process, so you can worry about other things (like memorizing your vows and learning to dance for the reception!)

What’s your favorite international honeymoon destination? Let us know in the comments!

Recently, the government began offering international travelers a choice between the familiar passport books of old and new passport cards. What’s the difference between old school passports and passport cards, and which type of passport do you need for your trip?

The most obvious difference between passport books and passport cards is the design, of course. The wallet-sized passport card is designed to be more convenient and less cumbersome than regular passports. You can just slip it in your wallet, right behind your driver’s license. Passport cards are also cheaper than passports. The application fee for a passport card is only $20, versus $75 for a passport book.

So, passport cards are cheaper and more convenient. That makes them better than regular passports, right? Not so fast…for many travelers, passport cards have a fatal flaw in that they aren’t acceptable for air travel like regular passports are.  If you’re driving into Mexico, you might not think that’s much of an issue. But, what if you have an emergency while you’re in Mexico and you need to fly home? A regular passport book may cost a little bit more, but it’s valid for 10 years for all types of travel. Regular passports are a better value for frequent travelers because you won’t have to reapply if your next trip out of the country is by plane.

If you leave near the border, drive across frequently, and simply don’t want to carry the slightly bulkier passport book, you may want to consider a passport card. For most people, though, a passport book is the best bet.

Finally, you can expedite a passport book, but if you need to leave the country in a hurry, there’s currently no way to expedite a passport card.