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