[Harp-L] Subject: Re: Atlantic Canada Harmonica Festival/Americans need Passports

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

Hurricane writes:


"Only passengers of international travel on airplanes to and from  the USA 
are required to have a passport on them for entering or re entering the  USA . 
If you fly within the USA and rent a car to drive into Canada you won't  need a 
passport to re enter the USA . "
 
...I never mentioned flyers "within the US" requiring a passport, you must  
have misunderstood.  
 
I guess you didn't read the link then?  Those were the older, more  innocent 
days. The all-powerful "Department of Homeland Security" is putting  into 
place new rules and regulations...bound and determined to force US citizens  to 
require passports to re-enter the U.S. after visiting Canada.....

he  also writes: "I have traveled to Mexico and returned back into the USA 
many  times recently in my car and never had to have a passport on me to re 
enter  ."
 
...that's "recently" and perhaps even "now"  ..but again, the  government in 
its infinite wisdom (that's sarcasm by the way)...is now in the  process of 
instituting a special passport type travel card for those who do live  close to 
either of the two borders and who cross frequently....they're just  running 
far behind on the implementation....so what else is new?
 
..and I specifically mentioned "grey areas"...since the customs officers  
will always have much flexibility in implementing the "rules and  regs". Guess if 
you don't look like a terrorist and they know your  face.....you might get a 
"pass".....
 
 Everything's changing from this year into January of 2008  (when they're 
going to require passports for driving and boating into Canada as  well), which 
is why I posted the information.  If it doesn't ever  affect YOUR travel to and 
from Mexico, I'm very happy for you....  you're a lucky man.
 
Right now, this Summer of 2007, many Air travelers had already been told  
they could not fly to Canada and back because their passports were taking too  
long to process, ergo the relief of this "new temporary ease of the  
restriction"....What....you think I made it up just to annoy people perhaps  interested 
in going to the festival?   lol    -   A family member's been climbing the 
walls because of the  huge delay in getting her passport to go to Toronto for a  
Wedding...  
 
If the link's too difficult to open, here's the pertinent page: 
"U.S. Citizens with Pending Passport Applications Allowed Temporary Travel  
Flexibility Within Western Hemisphere
Release Date: June 8, 2007 
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact:  202-282-8010 
The U.S. Departments of State and Homeland Security announced today that U.S. 
 citizens traveling to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda who have  
applied for but not yet received passports can nevertheless temporarily enter  
and depart from the United States by air with a government issued photo  
identification and Department of State official proof of application for a  
passport through September 30, 2007.  The federal government is making this  
accommodation for air travel due to longer than expected processing times for  
passport applications in the face of record-breaking demand. 
The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) was mandated by Congress in  
the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 to strengthen  
border security and facilitate entry into the United States for citizens and  
legitimate international visitors.  WHTI requirements for air travel took  
effect on January 23, 2007.  
Adults who have applied for but not yet received a passport should present  
government-issued photo identification and an official proof of application 
from  the U.S. Department of State.  Children under the age of 16 traveling with  
their parents or legal guardian will be permitted to travel with the childâs  
proof of application.  Travelers who have not applied for a passport should  
not expect to be accommodated.  U.S. citizens with pending passport  
applications can obtain proof of application at: _http://travel.state.gov_ 
(http://travel.state.gov/) . 
This accommodation does not affect entry requirements to other countries.  
Americans traveling to a country that requires passports must still  present 
those documents.  
Since implementation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has and will  
continue to exercise its current authorities in unique circumstances to allow  
individuals subject to the WHTI requirements into the United States based on  other 
evidence of identity and citizenship. 
As early as January 2008, the departments will begin to implement WHTI at  
land and sea ports of entry.  A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking outlining a  
phased implementation is expected to be published in the Federal  Register within 
the next two weeks. 
Travel document security remains a top priority for the U.S.  Government.  
Both the 9/11 Commission and the U.S. Congress urged  strengthening of travel 
documents to prevent entry of terrorists across our  borders, reduce use of 
fraudulent documents, and speed up entry procedures. 
This page was last modified on June 8, 2007 " 
Elizabeth 







************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.