Passport requirements for travelers

Here's how to get a passport

You'll need to have two passport-size photos and you can get this done at most photographer's studios or even most major grocery stores with a photo department. It's painless and they do not take a long time. You will also need proof of U.S. citizenship and a valid form of photo I.D. like a driver's license. Bring all this in person to any U.S. passport acceptance facility (which includes bigger city post offices and municipal buildings). In addition to new passport applicants, you'll also need to show up in person if:

* your passport has been lost, stolen altered, or damaged.

* your passport expired more than 15 years ago.

* you are renewing a passport issued when you were under 16

* you have changed names and do not have a legal document verifying your name change.

Our mantra: caribbean vacations, cruises, carnival lines, carnival conquest

If you just need to renew.....

You can renew your passport by mail if you received it when you were 16 or older and the passport is less than 15 years old. You'll need your passport, two passport photos (see above, you can get them from a major grocery store even), and a $67 fee. Just dowload a renewal application form and follow the instructions at: http://travel.state.gov/passport

Kid's passports.....

Kids under 14 must also apply in person with at least one parent or guardian (who must bring their own photo I.D.). Kids will also need two passport photos, proof of citizenship, and proof of parent's or legal guardian's relationship like a certified birth certificate. Both parents or guardians must either provide written permission in person, or one can bring an authorized statement for the other. See http://travel.state.gov/passport for additional custody situations and requirements.

Alternate forms of I.D. Accepted.....

There are also several other valid documents that will get the job done with the Department of Homeland Security. An Air NEXUS card, a U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document, or an Alien registration Card Form 1-551 if applicable.

There's Another Way to Pass Coming Soon

The Department of Homeland Security is developing a limited use passport called a Passport Card (or PASS Card) for land and sea travel (no air) between the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. Your wallet will like the alternative better than a passport - because it will be smaller (credit card size) and cheaper (only $10 for children and $20 for adults, plus a $25 fee). It will be available soon if not already by now, so check back often for the correct updates.

Check for updates often

For all the straight 'skinny" on passports and legal travel documents always check with big brother to get the correct facts. http://travel.state.gov/passport or the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security.

Bottom line: It's a different world and the various governmental departments are working really hard to ensure our safety. Let's give them a break, let them do their jobs, and travel safely.

Here's the latest scoop You should apply right away for an official U.S. passport. Period.

The rules governing travel ID for international trips to and from the United States have changed frequently since the 9/11 attacks. Last month alone, you may have seen news reports about a handful of states that have been fighting with the U.S. Homeland Security Dept. over whether their driver's licenses are secure enough to allow their residents to continue boarding airplanes in the near future! That's why recommending valid passports to our clients is the best option. No matter how the rules might change down the road, the passport will continue to be the gold standard for travel ID to and from America's borders.

Here's a quick rundown of the rules as they stand today:

Passengers traveling by air: Now, all U.S. citizens (including children!) must present a passport or another approved type of secure travel document when they enter any U.S. gateway via air. Don’t worry about the “secure travel document” comment, unless your clients serve in the military or meet other special conditions; the basic rule now is presenting a passport when clients return to the U.S.A. via air.

Passengers traveling by land or sea:Now through May 31, 2009, U.S. citizens ages 19 and older must present a valid passport or another combination of approved documentation establishing both (a) identity and (b) citizenship. Here's the official list of IDs that your clients can present to satisfy this “two document” rule. Meanwhile, U.S. citizens agents 18 and under only need to show proof of citizenship, such as an official copy of their birth certificate.

Starting June 1, 2009, though, these land and sea rules change. On that date, the requirements for re-entering the U.S.A. via land or sea will convert to the air standards above - a valid passport, basically. However, your clients can also opt for a wider range of WHTI-compliant documents that will also work for land and sea travel. For example, the U.S. government is already taking applications for the new passport card that's less expensive than a full-blown passport, but they only work for trips within the Western Hemisphere. Also, some states like Washington have begun issuing “enhanced driver’s licenses” with security features that make them acceptable as ID to federal officials. (Other states working on such licenses including Arizona, New York, and Vermont, but more states will follow suit.)

Note that one new option for land and sea travel - getting a U.S. passport card -- will only work for land and sea travel. Passports cards will not be accepted for air travel.

And, to make matters more interesting, cruise passengers on a sailing that begins and ends in the same U.S. port (e.g., a roundtrip cruise from Fort Lauderdale to the Caribbean) will still be allowed technically to present a government-issued photo ID and proof of citizenship (such as an official copy of their birth certificate) instead of a passport. However, if they’re not sailing roundtrip to and from the same U.S. port, they will need a passport for sure starting June 1, 2009.

Thoroughly confused? Join the club! And, of course, some of our clients will try every possible loophole.

Again, the best advice we offer is urging everyone to secure a passport as soon as they can.

For more details, check the rule details posted at these sites: http://www.dhs.gov/xtrvlsec/crossingborders, http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html