| If you need to make frequent land | | | | to hire and train additional staff to |
| crossings between the U.S. and Canada or | | | | shorten the wait time from an |
| Mexico, the U.S. Passport Card could | | | | unacceptable 4-6 months. |
| work for you. It really is a great | | | | The next phase, which would apply these |
| idea. And as is typical with so many | | | | documentation rules to all air and sea |
| things proposed by the U.S. Federal | | | | travel to or from Mexico and Canada, |
| government, it is being implemented | | | | began a year later. And the last |
| late. | | | | phase, which affects the most people, |
| Efforts have increased since 911 to make | | | | took effect on Dec. 31, 2007, applying |
| U.S. borders more secure. These very | | | | the requirement to all air, sea and land |
| same efforts have made it difficult for | | | | border crossings with Mexico and Canada. |
| Mexicans and Canadians, who often have | | | | Many border communities requested an |
| legitimate requirements for frequent | | | | alternative to a traditional passport. |
| visits to the U.S., to make quick and | | | | In response, the Department of State |
| smooth transitions through border | | | | announced a proposal for developing a |
| control. | | | | card-format passport for travel between |
| Because of how easy it is to obtain | | | | the United States, Canada, Mexico, the |
| fraudulent drivers' licenses, a new | | | | Caribbean and Bermuda. It would be a |
| policy was developed out of a desire to | | | | limited use wallet-sized card that would |
| reduce reliance on the licenses for | | | | cost significantly less than a |
| entry into this. The first phase of | | | | traditional passport. The media note |
| the new rule went into effect Dec 31, | | | | for this card was released October 17, |
| 2005, which required all U.S. citizens, | | | | 2006. |
| traveling by air or sea, to or from the | | | | Now, fast forward (if such a term is at |
| Caribbean, as well as Central and South | | | | all possible when referring to the |
| America, to have passports. | | | | United States government) and |
| The result of this ruling caused, | | | | applications are finally, now, being |
| literally, a months' long backlog to | | | | taken for this card. Production is |
| obtain a U.S. passport. The Department | | | | projected to start next month. That is |
| of State was totally unprepared for the | | | | June 2008 for a policy that was |
| volume of applications. Even when it | | | | implemented LAST December. If a |
| became apparent that the State | | | | passport card will work for you, better |
| Department was woefully understaffed, it | | | | get in line fast. |
| still took an inordinate amount of time | | | | |