| Since the Western Hemisphere Travel | | | | blaming the federal government, are they |
| Initiative (WHTI) passport requirements went | | | | really to blame? |
| into effect at the end of January, we have | | | | |
| heard numerous horror stories from travelers | | | | In hopes to control this problem, the Bush |
| trying to get passports. We even heard one | | | | administration decided to do something about |
| from a groom that drove from Wilmington, | | | | it. It was recently announced that the rules |
| North Carolina to Washington, D.C. on the eve | | | | for passports will be relaxed for travelers |
| of his wedding to pick up his passport so | | | | flying to and from Canada, Mexico, the |
| that he could go on his honeymoon. He had | | | | Caribbean and Bermuda. This new rule was to |
| applied for his passport over four months | | | | be in effect until the end of September 2007. |
| before. | | | | |
| | | | However, to add even more confusion, it was |
| It has become obvious that the State | | | | recently announced that, thanks to a vote |
| Department was not prepared for the number of | | | | from Congress, the rule requiring a passport |
| passports that have been pouring in. Is there | | | | to travel by land or sea to Canada, Mexico, |
| a problem in relying on a bureaucratic | | | | the Caribbean and Bermuda will be delayed |
| process to efficiently process passports? Of | | | | until June 1, 2009. However, The Department |
| course they try and get more money out us by | | | | of Homeland Security has said they want to |
| charging an extra $60 for a faster | | | | stick to the original deadline. |
| turnaround, but even that is not guaranteed. | | | | |
| | | | So what should a traveler do? What exactly |
| Who are we kidding? Did anyone really have | | | | are the guidelines? Look for more detailed |
| expectations that the federal government | | | | information in the coming weeks and months, |
| could live up to their promise in delivering | | | | but for now if you need to ask the question |
| passports in a reasonable time? Enough of my | | | | "do we need to have a passport to travel to |
| rant on the federal government, who's really | | | | this country?" Assume that the answer is yes |
| to blame? The traveling public! Not to pat | | | | and you will always be safe. If you do plan |
| ourselves on the back but we have been | | | | to travel to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or the |
| warning travelers for over a year to get | | | | Caribbean, be sure to be a valid photo id and |
| their passports and if they had them to make | | | | your birth certificate. |
| sure they were current. In fact, passport | | | | |
| processing had a very quick turnaround this | | | | Please contact Safe Harbors immediately if |
| time last year as regular turnaround times | | | | you are desperately in need of a passport as |
| were just as fast if not faster than | | | | Safe Harbors works with some very dependable |
| expedited processing. So, as much as I like | | | | expediting services. |