Can you get a passport if you owe taxes? Last year, a new law expanded the Internal Revenue Service's power over your passport. However, if you are on a payment plan, you may still be eligible for a passport. But if you owe the IRS and you're not on a payment plan, here's what you need to know about the IRS, taxes, and your passport. When Can the IRS Take Your Passport? The answer to the question "Can you get…
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Borders are, for the most part, imaginary lines in the sand. For a long time, the border between the US and Canada was just that-an imaginary line in the dirt. Communities grew up that straddled the border, different towns in name only. 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…
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The Department of State put a lot of effort into publicizing the changes to US travel requirements that became law on June 1st. They added a clock to US Passport Agency's web site, counting down to the second when the new rules would go into effect. They made announcement after announcement, starting months ahead of time. However, for all their outreach, there were at least 2 people that the State Department failed to reach with their warnings: Former US Presidents…
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Businesses on both sides of the Mexican and Canadian borders are concerned about the potential impact of new passport laws for travelers crossing into Mexico and Canada by land or sea. At one time, you didn't need a passport to travel to Mexico or Canada. However, in 2007, under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, the government began requiring passports for people re-entering the US from Mexico or Canada by air. Starting in June of 2009, the government will also require…
