BIG NEWS: For all who are having passport trouble--passports suspended!

Feds Suspend Border Passport Rule

WASHINGTON (June 8) - The Bush administration on Friday suspended some of its new, post-Sept. 11 requirements for traveling abroad, hoping to placate Congress and irate summer travelers whose vacations have been thwarted by delays in processing their passports.

The proposal would temporarily lift a requirement that U.S. passports be used for citizens flying to and from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda.

The suspension should allow the State Department to catch up with a massive surge in applications that has overwhelmed passport processing centers since the rule took effect this year. The resulting backlog has caused up to three-month delays for passports and ruined or delayed the travel plans of thousands of Americans.

Until the end of September, travelers will be allowed to fly without a passport if they present a State Department receipt, showing they had applied for a passport, and government-issued identification, such as a driver's license.

Those without passports would receive additional security scrutiny, which could include extra questioning or bag checks.

The change would help those like Judy and Darrell Green, of Rifle, Colo., who are still waiting to hear whether their son-in-law's passport will arrive in time for a a family vacation to Mexico to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary and Darrell's 60th birthday.

Darrell Green's passport arrived Thursday, only after Rep. John Salazar, D-Colo., helped expedite it. Their son-in-law expects to get his Friday with the help of his congresswoman.

Homeland Security signed off on the proposal Thursday after consultations with the State Department, the White House and members of Congress, who have been deluged with calls from angry constituents seeking help with their passports.

Rep. Thomas Reynolds, R-N.Y., whose district lies near the Canadian border, said White House officials had been on Capitol Hill trying to work out a compromise amid what he called a 'turf war' between State and Homeland Security.

Reynolds faulted 'arrogant' officials for failing to get the system working properly, and said he was worried about even more headaches next year when passports will be required to drive into Canada or Mexico.

Lawmakers had been pushing for a change for weeks.

'To say people must have a passport to travel and not give people a passport is right up there in the stupid column,' said Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., who urged the State Department to lift the rule last month.

The application surge is the result of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative that since January has required U.S. citizens to use passports when entering the United States from Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean by air. It is part of a broader package of immigration rules enacted after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Between March and May, the department issued more than 4.5 million passports. It has millions more to process, according to consular affairs officials.

Wilson's office took more than 500 calls from frustrated travelers seeking help in May alone. The problem has since spread from border states to Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kansas, Colorado and elsewhere.

Associated Press Writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report.

what about me?? i'm going to tahiti!!!

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Posted by jessandjimiswedding



what about me?? i'm going to tahiti!!!

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i think you still need one for tahiti. but you have plenty of time--get that in NOW!

the problem is that sooooo many ppl who only go to the caribbean, mexico and canada---never bothered with a passport cause you could use your driver's license and birth certificate...so now that the restrictions are in, so many ppl are flooding the passport office with applications. this will help those ppl!

this is great news...thanks

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Posted by jessandjimiswedding



what about me?? i'm going to tahiti!!!

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Actually, don't don't have plently of time. I would submit it TODAY and pay to expedite it. I read in the NY Times today that people who paid to expedite their passport applications in Febuary are still waiting! It is supposed to take 3 weeks for expedited service, but better be safe than sorry!!

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Posted by KvsGrl

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Posted by jessandjimiswedding



what about me?? i'm going to tahiti!!!

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Actually, don't don't have plently of time. I would submit it TODAY and pay to expedite it. I read in the NY Times today that people who paid to expedite their passport applications in Febuary are still waiting! It is supposed to take 3 weeks for expedited service, but better be safe than sorry!!

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I don' t know what they're doing at the passport agency. My FH sent for his passport renewal in May, did NOT pay for expediting, and it came last night. THREE weeks later. We got lucky, others have waited 12 weeks. SO WEIRD!

But yeah, I'd send it ASAP so that you don't have a problem getting it back.

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Posted by MrsQ-in2007

I don' t know what they're doing at the passport agency. My FH sent for his passport renewal in May, did NOT pay for expediting, and it came last night. THREE weeks later. We got lucky, others have waited 12 weeks. SO WEIRD!

But yeah, I'd send it ASAP so that you don't have a problem getting it back.

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i think renewals are taking less time cause it requires less background checks. the problems are those who have never had a passport before and they are allllll applying for one at the same time.

i'm glad i listened to my dad and got my passport years ago. i guess since he's a naturalized citizen--he feels the passport is such a big deal and he's proud to have it and always told us to make sure we had ours!

wow = that's stressful!

I've had mine for 7 years already - I made FH apply for his in Nov 06 because I had a feeling the new laws for 2007 would make getting a passport a little more difficult...I'm so glad I did that!

Thanks for the info...I hope they can catch up! I mean, what did they expect would happen??

We sent ours in in April, so I'm almost positive they should be here by December 31st!

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Posted by charisma

this is great news...thanks

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I agree. I can't wait to tell my husband. he has his passport, but I still haven't recieved mine. Now we CAN do a mini vacation before our HM. This information ROCKS!!!!! Thanks again.