Passports

[TECK]

This was in the Star and Tribune - I'm probably the only person that didn 't know this or doesn't have a passport. But just in case!

Marcia

Passport rules

April 6, 2005 BORD0406.BOX

Passports soon will be required for Americans traveling within the Western Hemisphere, to be phased in as follows:

• By Dec. 31, 2005, for all travel to or from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Central and South America.

• By Dec. 31, 2006, for all air and sea travel to or from Mexico and Canada.

• By Dec. 31, 2007, for all land or water border crossings with Mexico and Canada.

[Hemlock]

Yes, we got talking about this in another thread. There are going to be some mixed feelings here and I have to admit, I'm on the fence.

Security and Safety is good for all of the great nations of the world. I feel a passport is a legit document that should be used to it's most effective ways.

However, as others have stated...coming to Canada for fishing, hunting, shopping, or whatever just got a whole lot more difficult. It's easy for people like me to go and get a passport, but it's not that easy for the kids, or the kids friends, etc...

Crossing the border should not be taken lightly and there will always be the inconvieniences of doing so. Passports are definitely another road block in getting up here. Does national security out weigh the inconvienience of getting passports? That's what we're faced with...

[Hemlock]

Just wanted to add something...not trying to play the devil's advocate, but....

Passports are $96 I just went through it with my wife's. It took half an hour, and it'll be mailed to us. It's good for ten years.

Second of all, we've got 2.5 years before it's in effect.

Just to get back on the fence again, I do believe with a weak(er) US$ and a passport "hassle" that this will draw less Americans up, resulting in an already struggling tourist/hotel market.

Any other thoughts out there?

[jerkin'm]

I'm sure it will have an adverse effect on the tourism (fishing) as far as families go. Since kids need one too the upfront cost for a family of four would be around 300 bucks just for the passports. Ouch. Add in some 3 or 4 dollar a gallon gas and presto. Trouble. If that family drives a full size vehicle, pulling a boat, you are into the 500.00 dollar range by the time you get to the border, just for gas and passports.(I'm still gonna go though!)

[Eastwind]

Hemlock,

Not to be over-dramatic but national security does outweigh the trouble and expense put upon us by the requirement of a passport. I'm in as much of a hurry to get back on the road as anyone when I reach the border heading back in to the U.S. after fishing but their idea of checking who enters the U.S. is a joke at the Canada to Minnesota crossings. I've only been asked for my picture I.D. less than half of the times that I've come back in to the U.S. and never, that I can recall, when entering Canada. I fish in Canada at least four times yearly. As far as the extra expense goes, even with the extra cost ( $10.00 per year per person) of having to purchase a passport, the fishing and accomodations in Canada are a bargain when compared to what I used to get for my money when I fished more in Minnesota. More money, more boats on every spot, less cabin and no fish. I don't understand the theory of a struggling tourist market in Canada. The resorts that I patronize are rarely slow during the fishing season.

[Hemlock]

Eastwind, good points. And if I had to pick a side, it would be "Get a passport" side. The resorts are busy in the summer, I just hear a lot (in Kenora) about some numbers being down. Not just tourist camps, but the other business's that have the ripple effect of tourists. We HAVE to be busy in June, July, and August. I think #'s might be down in the fringe months (April, May, Sept, Oct) and then of course negative cash flow for 5 months of the year.

I know it's a joke when crossing. I cross twice a month, each way and get very little bother. Good thing? Probably not.

This discussion will probably keep on rolling here, and I'm all for that. Let's keep it clean, informative and have fun!

[bluewater]

I agree with all that when it comes to both countries security, cost should not be a factor (maybe). But looking at the facts on passport remenber the following. (please remenber I'm not a expert on this matter) To get a passport you need a birth certificate, ss card, picture ID. Isn't that what you needed for a drivers liscense?

[Canuck]

Hemlock: When did Canada put their passports up to 10 yrs? I was under the impression that it was 5 yrs.

If U read the press releases (media)it does not actually say passports does it? Doesn't it say secure travel document. I would sugguest we wait and see the fine print. I personally have carried a Canadian Citizenship Certificate since 1984. This document is issued by the Canadian Govt. with your photo and is good for life. I was born in Canada and alot of Canadians are not aware that such documents are available.

I personally am going to wait for the fine print. If U are correct and it is 10 yrs I applaud the govt for finally changing it as the US and alot of other countries had passports vaild for 10.

[Hemlock]

Canuck, I actually was quoting the ten years to the US passports, referring to the one my wife (US citizen) just applied for. I have got to get a Canadian Passport. That's news to me that they are only good for 5 years. Sister in law just applied for one (CDN), and sounds like it's a headache spent a half day or more in an office in Winnipeg. (two hours away for us). When my wife and I applied for hers, we went to the local county office (Could've gone to any of the 87 counies in the state) and applied for it..half an hour, peice of cake, ten years.

As far as documentation required for my wife's US passport: Birth certificate and a photo ID is all, I do believe. They might have taken her SSN.

When I was living in MN, all I needed for a Driver's license (if my memory serves) was my old valid Manitoba DL and had to pass the written test. No other documentation is necessary for a DL. That was easier than I thought it should've been to attain a MN driver's license. But I do beleive this is why there isn't much "weight" in a state driver's license.

[marknamy]

I agree completely with security being number one.

My problem is actually with the US passport itself. My son is 2, if this law does go into effect Jan. 1, 2008 he will be 4 when he needs a passport. So I go to the courthouse with a picture and birth certificate. $95 and six weeks later he has a passport, no problem. I am just curious about the 10 year expiration. He will still be crossing with me when he is 11, 12, 13 years old using a passport with a picture of a four year old. Maybe I don't understand the passport process but it sounds strange to me.

Not fighting the passport idea, just think that now may be the time to update the process of issuing and renewing pasports as this will effect many people.

No way this will stop me from crossing the border.

[Wild Thing]

Remember, all the 9/11 terrorists had "valid'' passports. Most of them had been living in the U.S. for months, if not years.

Requiring us to show passports at the border will do nothing to imporve security, just as the silly checking shoes at the airport hasn't helped anything. It's all a ruse to make us feel safer. The real hard and costly steps needed to truly improve security won't be made. And as long as people hate us so much, they'll find a way to kill us. Maybe we should work on that.

But that's another story!

Besides, my passport picture is even sillier than my driver's license photo!

[jerkin'm]

From what I understand, kids under 15 have to renew every 5 years, but the cost is half the adult price passport.

[JZ]

Like Terance and Phillip would say!!! (Blame Canada!!!) Ha Ha

[Canuck]

My wife & I don't have a passport YET but we will be getting them this fall. I am just waiting for the next step, having to have a visa to enter the US. I sure hope I am wrong.

I retired 6 1/2 yrs ago from the RCMP after 30 yrs with 15 of those years spent in Immigration & Passport. We worked quite closely with the Border Patrol and USINS and even made a presentation to a FBINA conference in Michigan on how to detect counterfeit Canadian documents. I can say I seized as many counterfeit documents that came from the US as did from Canada, crooks are crooks and they know NO borders. Ask your local police dept. what a valid Canadian legal document (passport) has for security features and I will bet that they don't know. What has happaned is, we (the govt) has put so many documents out there that the normal guy/gal can not keep up with them. I am not saying we shouldn't keep improving but rather don't get upset with the guys/gals trying to do their job at the border etc., they are just human.