Worried About Mexico? Get a Passport and Head Further South - Expedited Passports

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!

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!