The Associated Press has an excellent article up looking 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. new passport
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NASCAR driver Carl Edwards is used to going places in a hurry, but an upcoming trip from Michigan to Montreal is cutting it a little bit close, even for him. A lost passport, eventually located at his home in Missouri, is not helping matters, either. According to NASCAR.com, Edwards planned to fly from Michigan to Montreal in time to drive in the Nationwide race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Saturday. For that, of course, he'll need a passport. Since…
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In Dartmouth, England, the Harbor Bookshop has long been an important destination for fans of Winnie the Pooh. The bookstore was once owned by the real-life Christopher Robin. Now, unfortunately, it is set to close in September, a victim of rising rental rates and a change in how people buy books these days. Rowland Abram, who currently owns the shop with his wife, explained his reasons for closing to the BBC: "There are various reasons. The book trade has undergone…
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Seattle residents who need an emergency passport should be sure they head to the right address. Earlier this month, the office moved from its previous location in the Jackson Federal building to a new location in the Fifth and Yesler Building. The move reflects the increased demand for emergency passports in the Seattle area since they became required for most travel to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. According to the Seattle Times, the new office is roomier and has more service…
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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…
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More than four months after an earthquake and a tsunami delivered a devastating one-two punch to Japan, the tourism industry is still reeling from the blow. Perceptions about the safety of the country (or lack thereof) are keeping many Americans away. Japan's travel industry tends to rely on well-heeled travelers, but according to the New York Times, tourist visits are down 50 percent. Meanwhile, Daniel Simon, the general manager of the Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi, told the newspaper…
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*The passport fees have recently changed. As of April 2nd, 2018, the passport acceptance fee has gone up from $25 to $35. Losing a passport overseas is a frightening, frustrating experience. Being famous has its perks, however, as singer John Grant, formerly of the Czars, found out last week. According to News.com.au, Mr. Grant was all set fly from the UK to Ver0na, Italy for an upcoming show, when he realized he'd lost both his passport and his photo…
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For many Americans, submitting your passport application during the week can range from a minor annoyance to well-nigh impossible. Unfortunately, many places that accept passport applications are closed during the weekend. To make it easier for families to apply for a passport, three years ago the federal government began holding "Passport Day in the USA." The event, which allowed people to submit passport applications at federally operated regional passport agencies as well as some local passport acceptance facilities, was an…
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As long as you're an American citizen, you qualify for a US passport, which allows you to travel to almost any country in the world. But how many Americans have actually taken the government up on this offer? According to social travel start-up Tripl, 115 million Americans currently have passports. That may sound like a lot, but it's only about 37 percent of the population. To put that number into perspective, 155 million Americans, or 50 percent of the population,…
