'As of January 1st, 2008, American citizens of all ages will need a passport'

[Bobbieo]

A sign at the port of entry between Andrade, CA and Algodones, BC

Is this designed to keep illegal aliens and terrorists from coming into the country or keep Americans from going to Mexico to buy their prescription drugs – or both?

Algodones is a small town of dentists, pharmacies and boutiques to attract the Yankee dollar which will fade back into the dust, like it was 25 years ago, if that immigration ruling is enforced.

[NMDemDist2]

1. it's another poll tax

have you seen what passports cost??

[ncrainbowgrrl]

7. Hmmm... good point.

Those things are EXPENSIVE. I would imagine that the price will go up if the plans for RFID (or other electronic) chips in passports is implemented.


Note to anyone who already has a passport: don't let it expire- it's MUCH cheaper to renew than to get a new one. (as I found out the hard way)

[sweetheart]

14. tell me about it!

I had my passport stolen in 2001, and combined with the way the home office
deals with passports, its been a nightmare since.

My new passport was just fine, but went in to the wash in the back pocket of
some travelling-jeans, coming out a bit wrinkly.

They declared this 'suspicious' and issued me a 1 year passport, for which i
had to travel 700 miles to edinburgh RT, to swear in front of a consular officer.
Combined with all the ancillary charges, washing a passport, cost me near 500 pound.

Then a year later, the hastle to renew it again, involved the same journey to
Edinburgh, and a load of charges that wound up about 300 pound. And even now,
my UK residency stamp is in the expired 1 year passport, so i have to carry both
the expired and new document around, combined with older ones too, that the
visas and whatnot are seen in order.

Its too bad the government(s) can't work out a standard software standard for
visas and passports, so that such things can be updated at any embassy simply.

Its a poll tax indeed, required absolutamente abroad, not an option, every slave is owned,
we all have the right to a nationality in the universal declaration of human rights,
but increasingly US nationality is not a celibration of those rights, but 'owned by' papers.

[SharonAnn]

18. "Show me your papers!"

[Bluebear]

2. California doesn't border British Columbia

;)

[ncrainbowgrrl]

4. maybe they meant baja california?

:shrug:

[Bobbieo]

5. Bluebear - Have you checked your map lately???

Of course it does!!!! I live nine miles from there.

[Bluebear]

9. Uhhhhh. . . .OK! :)

I was being snarky about British Columbia but if you insist! :hi:

[Warren Stupidity]

11. Algodones not in British Colombia in Baja California.

Stop, you are both right. California certainly doesn't border Canada but it sure as heck borders lower California.

[ncrainbowgrrl]

16. Yep! Google Maps has confirmed my prior thoughts upthread... it does border baja california!

:hi:

[brazos121200]

3. I think this is mainly to keep Americans from leaving the country.

You can still leave with a passport, of course, but they are a hassle, take time, and are expensive to process. The government also will make money from processing passports, usually done at your local post office. Just another infringement of our rights and liberties by the Bush admin.

[Bobbieo]

8. This will be alsolutely devastating for border communities.

My dentist is there!!! I get my prescription drugs there.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

6. Let the bitching commence.... n/t

[babylonsister]

22. Well said from someone who has no choice but to have a

passport. A birth certificate and pic. ID used to work, but no longer. No impact on me, but I do feel for people who cross borders regularly.

[babylonsister]

10. I think the US wants/needs the revenue. We've recently been informed

that people leaving the country cannot be tracked; I don't think a passport can track people. But DHS and the gummint love their bureacracy and paperwork. And the money won't hurt their war chest.

[Bobbieo]

13. From what I was told. $240 American for his and her passports!

[Igel]

19. That seems high.

It's about $100 per person, plus postage and any addition fees for telling them to hurry.

When we got our toddler's passport we were cutting it close, timewise, and paid almost as much for speed as for the passport. (BTW, never take a 15-month kid to a non-touristy town in Poland for a month.)

[Solo_in_MD]

12. Neither

The passport is a once a decade thing. Having to get one should in no way impact whether you seek medical care outside the country.

[liberal N proud]

15. Let me see your papers

Where are your papers?
If you do not have papers, you must be an enemy.

Is this 1930's Germany yet?

[NashVegas]

17. I'm Glad I Got One Last Year

Before the electronic embedding thingie came about.

[HockeyMom]

20. Passport to cross Niagara Falls?

Are we in American or Canadian waters?

[Bobbieo]

21. This is gonna raise hell with the tourism industry on both borders.