Homeland Security’s new border crossing rules to take effect June 1, 2009

by Anna Brones on

You have another 14 months to prepare for the Department of Homeland Security’s tightened border identification requirements. The new requirements will officially take effect June 1, 2009. At that time, US citizens will need to present documents that work as both identification and proof of citizenship.

The identification policy is the final step in the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, which changes the document requirements for travelers who were at one time exempt. Simply put, if you are traveling to and from the United States by land or sea — you always need a passport when traveling by air — you can do so with a passport, WHTI-compliant documents, or a government issued id like a driver’s license, along with a proof of citizenship like a birth certificate. But come June 1, 2009, you will be expected to have a passport or WHTI-compliant card.

Residents of border states will have the advantage of specialized travel cards — like Washington State’s Enhanced ID — that will allow them to cross the border without a passport.

But if you’re not a resident of one of these states, what’s the best thing you can do? You are being told 14 months in advance, so apply for that passport early and avoid the last minute rush of travelers that will all be wanting their passports come May 2009.

What were your biggest traveling mistakes? Here are mine.

by Aaron Hotfelder on

Every traveler makes mistakes. They are rites of passage that even seasoned travelers can never entirely avoid– whether it’s missing a flight or eating a regrettable roadside meal or wandering around lost for hours. If you have the right attitude though, mistakes are part of what keeps traveling interesting and exciting. As Thomas Edison, ever the optimist, once observed: “I have not failed 10,000 times. I have successfully found 10,000 things that will not work.”

That’s why I feel no shame in recalling my greatest travel mistakes, culled from an impressive and ever-growing list. First place goes to the time I was in Ecuador and lost my passport– the veritable cardinal sin of traveling. Thankfully, despite some bureacratic hassle, I got a new one after spending a few weeks in Quito, where I earned about a thousand dollars playing poker at the casino. That’s money I never would have made if I wouldn’t have lost my passport. Thanks, my stupidity!

Some mistakes on the road are more embarrassing than anything else. For instance, after living in Prague for a few months, I thought I had a pretty good idea of the layout of the metro stops. One day I was riding on the the metro with some friends, and we came to the “Muzeum” stop. The doors opened, and an elderly man standing on the platform asked me, in Czech, “Is this Muzeum?” “No,” I told him confidently, in front of dozens of people. “This is M?stek.” He appeared confused, and gave me a look as if to say, “Are you sure?” “Yes,” I said. “To je M?stek.” The doors closed, and the metro sped off, while my fellow passengers looked at me like the idiot I was. I like to assume that old man eventually figured out where he was, but really, who the hell knows.

Of course, these aren’t the only mistakes I’ve made. I’ve missed transatlantic flights, left doors unlocked and had my laptop and mp3 player stolen, been swindled out of money by street husslers, and done scores of other stupid and otherwise inexcusable things that probably should have ruined my trip.

But they never have. It’s a testament to the power of travel that no matter what happens on the road, I’d still rather be there than anywhere else.

Okay, I’ve shared my biggest traveling blunders; now it’s your turn. Got a good story? Feel free to share it in the comments.

Passport boxers for ID?

by Abha Malpani on

Anything goes when it comes to art and boxer shorts.

It’s hard to be original these days, very little phases me — I always feel like “ah, I’ve seen this before.” But boxer shorts with a passport page design is something I have never seen before, nor imagined. The idea has merit, but why would anyone wear underwear with a stranger’s passport printed on them? And pay $33 for a pair?! Tutut.

However, what would validate the price and give these boxers (and the guy wearing them) a 5-star coolness rating if he had his own passport printed on them. Now that’s hilarious and so random that it’s frickin’ cool!

In fact, with a little help from a printer and a tailor, you could totally custom-make these at home for way cheaper; you could even start a business! Many travelers would be suckers for personalized shorts like this, for themselves or as gifts to fellow travelers.

(Sorry Morphine Generation, I might have just killed your boxer business).

Apply for a U.S. passport card on February 1

by Justin Glow on

Starting tomorrow, U.S. citizens can fill out an application for a passport card which will “facilitate entry and expedite document processing at U.S. land and sea ports-of-entry when arriving from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda,” according to the U.S. Department of State’s website.

The card basically carries the same rights and privileges that the standard passport book offers, but it may not be used for air travel. It also houses the ever popular RFID chip which will “link the card to a stored record in secure government databases.” No personal data will be stored in the chip, however.

Cards are expected to ship in Spring 2008, and cost $45 for new applicants.

U.S. passport fees go up February 1, 2008

by Anna Brones on

Mardi Gras isn’t the only place to spend your money this weekend. As of Friday February 1, 2008, U.S. passport fees are going up.

A new passport for an adult (16 years and older) will now cost a whopping $100. Granted the old fee was $97, meaning only a $3 increase, but somehow my eyes widen just a little more than usual when they see a three digit figure. For your kids, plan on paying $85, also a $3 increase over the old fee.

Getting a new passport is obviously expensive, but if you already have one, renewing it seems like something that should only cost some pocket change. The U.S. Department of State doesn’t feel the same way; it increased renewal fees from $67 to $75.

If all of these fees are a source of frustration, you aren’t alone. Last fall, CNN reported that U.S. Senators initiated a congressional investigation to determine whether or not the “execution fee” ($30 of the old fee) was justified. And what did they conclude? That fee was double the actual cost when imposed in 2002; in that year alone, it was estimated that the government overcharged travelers $112.7 million. The U.S. State Department responded, and the new fees that take effect on Friday comprise only a $25 execution fee. But I did my math, and despite the fact that the execution fee is less, paying for a passport is still going to cost you some bucks.

Given that passports are necessary for international travel, and since January 2007, for all air travel to the Caribbean and Canada, the new fees are all part of a bigger mess that can be discouraging for anyone who just wants to make a quick jaunt out of the country.

Or you can spend a little bit less money getting the brand new passport card.

Have you seen the biggest, baddest new airplane yet? Check it out:

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Can new U.S. passports trigger bombs?