U.S. to require passports for nearly all

[baldguy]

WASHINGTON - Nearly all air travelers entering the U.S. will be required to show passports beginning Jan. 23, including returning Americans and people from Canada and other nations in the Western Hemisphere.

...

Until now, the department had not set a specific date for instituting the passport requirement for air travelers, though the start had been expected to be around the beginning of the year. Setting the date on Jan. 23 pushes the start past the holiday season.

The requirement marks a change for Americans, Canadians, Bermudans and some Mexicans.

Currently, U.S. citizens returning from other countries in the hemisphere are not required to present passports but must show other proof of citizenship such as driver's licenses or birth certificates.

more
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061121/ap_on_go_ot/passports_air_travel

Welcome to the Police State. Get ready to present your papers.

[BrainRants]

1. Your papers please!

The transition is nearly complete!

[slackmaster]

2. Good news for me is, boss says work will pay for renewing mine

I work for an international conglomerate and may have to travel to the Great White North some time next year.

[williesgirl]

3. Then they need to reduce the FEES for getting a passport. way too high

[mrreowwr_kittty]

4. Well I hope they make it a little simpler to GET a passport!

By that I mean the paperwork process, not necessarily the identity verification. Also, when I updated mine about 6 years ago, and this was prior to 9/11, I had to show an itinerary for an upcoming overseas trip. My understanding is that they are even more adamant that you must have a specific need for a passport, rather than just getting one to have one. If they want you to have one just to go between the US, Mexico, and Canada, I should think they would ease up on that a bit.

[Retrograde]

9. renewing mine 2 years ago was trivial

fill in the form, send in old passport and $$, get back new passport (and old one) about 3 weeks later. I'm on my third one, and no one's ever asked why I wanted it.

There is talk of a special border card for people who cross the US/Canada frequently, at a slightly lower cost. Don't know about other countries, though.

[tammywammy]

12. I got a passport this past June

It was easy. You can print off the paperwork online too, fill it out, just don't sign it until you get to the office.

There was no detailed questioning why I was getting one either.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

13. Really? I had to show them my entire itinerary

And this was at the local government office.

[Igel]

14. We keep ours up to date, with

no special reason needed. When we got one for our baby we didn't need to give a reason.

It's handy ID. Whenever I've gone abroad, even to Nogales or Montreal, I've taken a passport. I've used it for I-9 forms, when opening bank accounts, and when making large withdrawals from bank accounts.

[tridim]

5. "Could James Bond and Q come up with a fake passport"

that could fool inspectors? Chertoff asked, referring to the fictional British spy and his espionage agency's technical genius. Of course, he replied, "Nothing is completely perfect."

So, then what's the point?

My guess is the plan was to push for embedded RFIDs as the next step.

[Union Thug]

6. Every day something else happens to give me less hope.

Is this country too far gone? I don't know, but I'm starting to think so.

[indepat]

7. Amurikkka, Amurikkka, God shed W's grace on thee

[China_cat]

8. How long before you need one to cross state lines?

[Tellurian]

11. yep, you hit the nail..

it's a commin!

[BeHereNow]

22. You are absolutely correct...

it is coming...the day when we will need our "papers"
to travel from state to state.

And to think people actually believe the border wall
is intended to keep people out- try again.
They intend to keep us from leaving.
The window closes a little more every day.

BHN

[Boston Critic]

10. We already have "official papers"

Ask anyone who doesn't drive and hasn't gotten a passport. Just try to get on an airplane without state issue photo ID. Or start a new job. Or open a bank account.

I gave up arguing and paid the non-driver tax (i.e., the fee for a state photo ID) after 9/11.

[Raine]

15. Never had one

cause I never have the opportunity to travel beyond Canada and Mexico but I guess I will need one now. x(

[UTUSN]

16. Treasure down the rat hole (instead of working "smart") n/t

[John Q. Citizen]

17. Every accused 9/11 hijacker had a passport. So why this? n/t

[flaminbats]

18. so what purpose does NAFTA serve?

just wait..if our country begins requiring this of citizens in Mexico and Canada, then what stops these countries from bringing back tariffs on our exports? it will not be caused by tariffs on goods we import from those countries, because according to these neocons.."that would only be an assault on free trade!" :eyes:

Something tells me Mexico and Canada are not going take this with no response.

[junior college]

19. Hello RFID n/t

[shanti]

20. we knew this was coming

for quite a while...:eyes:

[dipsydoodle]

21. Welcome to the rest of the world

where the same rules apply.

[HockeyMom]

23. Just found out I DON'T need a Passport

for a CRUISE to the Bahamas this January, only if I was flying. Damn. I am not only out the $97+ (pictures), but now they have me on record which I wanted to avoid.