As Rio Grande Valley resident Joe Valdez found out last month, even Customs officers can make mistakes. For Mr. Valdez, what was supposed to be a routine border crossing resulted in a lost passport after a border patrol officer handed Mr. Valdez’ passport to someone else. lost passport
No featured image set
No image
There's no denying that traveling to another country can be a life-changing event, especially when you're young. I know I'll never forget my art-history-themed senior trip to Europe, for example. It was an amazing and humbling experience to realize how big the world outside of America is. First, though, you need to get a passport. A new organization, the Passport Party Project, seeks to help teenage girls (and younger tweens) get over that first obstacle by providing them with access…
No image
Fall is already one of the best times of year to visit Paris. The air cool and the summer crowds have begun to die down. Even better, a series of outdoor festivals and events take place in the city and surrounding countryside starting in September. Here's a rundown on why this month is worth making the trip: The Techno Parade On September 17th, thousands of electronic music lovers will gather in Paris for a 3-mile-long parade through the city. Originally…
No image
Soldiers and their families may soon be able to use their military ID's in lieu of a passport for certain types of international travel, if New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has her way. The senator promised to work with the Department of Homeland Security to get a military ID listed as a "WHTI-compliant" document, one that complies with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. If she's successful, soldiers and their dependents could forego getting a passport for land and sea travel…
No image
From the "not-too-bright criminals" file: A Clarksville, Tennessee man had it all planned out: he would rob a bank, pay off his family's bills, and then flee south of the border. Unfortunately, he forgot one minor detail: that perfect getaway to Mexico now requires a passport. If you plan to make your great escape by plane, you'll need your passport before they'll let you board. Driving across the border beyond the 20 to 30 kilometer "border zone" also requires a…
No image
Canada and Mexico, our nearest neighbors, are popular destinations for Americans looking to get away from it all for Labor Day. If you're planning to cross the border during the three-day weekend, the nice folks at US Customs and Border Patrol have some words of wisdom for you: don't forget your US passport. Passport books are required for US citizens who seek to cross into Mexico or Canada by air. If you're traveling by land or sea, you'll need one…
No image
Many great novels and short stories involve travel. It's easy to see why; when you leave behind everything that's familiar and step out into the unknown, all the key ingredients of an exciting plot are waiting for you. To quote JRR Tolkien, "It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out of your door. You step into the Road, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to." Do you have a favorite…
No image
Planning an international trip with your little one? You'll need more than just a child passport to take your little monster overseas, in many cases. Here's the lowdown on the all the documents your child needs to travel: A child passport, in most cases (see below for exceptions). Getting a passport for a child is different from getting a passport for an adult in several respects. First of all, you'll need the following documentation in addition to the child's proof…
No image
The Associated Press has an excellent article up that looks at how the new passport regulations associated with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) have changed the way people live in border communities like St. Albans, Vermont. More than two years after the final phase of the WHTI went into effect, residents still miss the "good old days." It's easy to see why- in the article, Paul Martin, the fire chief in Richford, Vermont, reminisces about how easy it used…
