Borders are, for the most part, imaginary lines in the sand.\u00a0 For a long time, the border between the US and Canada was just that-an imaginary line in the dirt.\u00a0 Communities grew up that straddled the border, different towns in name only.<\/p>\n
For example, Stanstead, Canada and Derby Line, Vermont are technically two towns, but they were a single community until June of this year, when the imaginary line in the dirt turned into a real border that requires a passport to cross.<\/p>\n
Plus, barricades have been set up to separate the towns, cutting off people that still consider each other neighbors.<\/p>\n
In an article posted by AFP, Raymond Fluet, a resident of Stanstead, said that “It used to be a friendly place. The people on both sides of the border, they’re our parents, our friends, our cousins. This is home for all of us. But because of the crackdown, we don’t go visit as often.”<\/p>\n
However, according to the mayor of Stanstead, not everyone passing through town was quite so neighborly:<\/p>\n
“There was a lot of traffic. People used these roads to smuggle drugs, tobacco or alcohol, even illegal immigrants into the United States.”<\/p>\n
The bottom line is that the new passport regulations are here to stay. If you plan on crossing the border into either Mexico or Canada, you will need to apply for a new passport if you don’t have one already.<\/p>\n
When you make travel plans, make sure to allow enough time for your new passport to arrive. Typically, it takes at least 6 weeks for your passport application to be processed if you request regular processing, and 3 weeks if you request the government’s expedited service at the post office.<\/p>\n
To get your passport faster, you can make an appointment at a US passport agency office or use a private passport expediting service. An expediting service is often the most convenient option, since you don’t have to make an appointment or wait in line.<\/p>\n