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im so sick of explaining this.

heres what it says in the paper that came with my passport. yes, i dug it out and typed it myself. dont make me do it again.

Quote:

the western hemisphere travel initiative

the intellegence reform and terrorism prevention act of 2004 mandated that the secretary of homeland security, in consultation with the secretary of state, implement a plan to require us citizens and foriegn nationals to present a passport or other secure document when entering the united states. the requirement will affect us citizens travelling to and from canada, mexico, central and south america, the caribbean, and bermuda.

on january 23rd, 2007, us citizens travelling by AIR between the us and canada, mexico, central and south america, the caribbean, and bermuda will be required to present a valid u.s. passport, air NEXUS card, or u.s. coast guard merchant mariner document.

as early as january 1, 2008, ALL PERSONS, including u.s. citizens, travelling between the u.s. and canada, mexico, central and south america, the caribbean, and bermuda by LAND OR SEA (including ferries) may be required to present a valid passport or other documents as determined by the department of homeland security. ample advance notice will be provided to enable the public to obtain proper documentation for land/sea entries. further information is available on the bureau of consular affairs' website at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html

so otherwise, they are going to spring it on you. it could happen within the next few months, or within the next few years. ample time? i see that being eh 6 weeks, like how long they say it takes to get your passport processed and back to you. get your shit asap or you might get screwed right up the arse. why wait until the last minute anyways? why not just get it and have it ready? get it out of the way? jesus youre going to need it anyways so just get it now.

if you cant fly or have no reason to, theyre coming out with these new 'passport cards' this year for land travel only. its cheaper but stupid to get if you ever plan on flying anywhere. i think they are mainly using them for border towns and people that dont plan on going anywhere except places they can drive to.

Quote:

U.S. PASSPORT CARD

U.S. PASSPORT CARD APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED BEGINNING FEBRUARY 1

U.S. citizens may begin applying in advance for the new U.S. Passport Card beginning February 1, 2008, in anticipation of land border travel document requirements. We expect cards will be available and mailed to applicants in spring 2008.

The passport card will facilitate entry and expedite document processing at U.S. land and sea ports-of-entry when arriving from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda. The card may not be used to travel by air. It will otherwise carry the rights and privileges of the U.S. passport book and will be adjudicated to the exact same standards.

The Department of State is issuing this passport card in response to the needs of border resident communities for a less expensive and more portable alternative to the traditional passport book. The card will have the same validity period as a passport book: 10 years for an adult, five for children 15 and younger. For adults who already have a passport book, they may apply for the card as a passport renewal and pay only $20. First-time applicants will pay $45 for adult cards and $35 for children.

To facilitate the frequent travel of U.S. citizens living in border communities and to meet DHS’s operational needs at land borders, the passport card will contain a vicinity-read radio frequency identification (RFID) chip. This chip will link the card to a stored record in secure government databases. There will be no personal information written to the RFID chip itself.

http://travel.state.gov/passport/pp..._card_3926.html