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!