Some New Spring Break News
The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative will require all U.S. citizens, Canadian citizens, citizens of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda, and Mexican citizens, to have a passport or other designated secure document to enter or re-enter the United States at airports and seaports by January 8, 2007.
A passport is an internationally recognized travel document that verifies the identity and nationality of the bearer. A valid U.S. passport is required to enter and leave most foreign countries. Only the U.S. Department of State has the authority to grant, issue or verify United States passports. Processing time is now running about three and a half weeks after submission of your application
It took four years of study by the State Department to finalize the design of a new e-Passport with an embedded RF tag in the back cover. The chip will securely store the same data visually displayed on the photo page of the passport, and will additionally include a digital photograph. The inclusion of the digital photograph will enable biometric comparison, through the use of facial recognition technology at international borders.
There is no published start time for issuing the e-Passport, so depending on how you feel about your privacy, you might want to get your passport now. According to the State Department , "Passports without chips will still be valid for the full extent of their validity period." In any case, the currently stated timeline for needing a passport to get back into the U.S. is January 7th.
Over the next 12 months, it is estimated 15 million U.S. citizens will be issued passports containing the RFID chip. As current passports begin to expire, the newly issued replacements will also include the RF tag, so within 10 years, all U.S. passports will incorporate an RFID.
How to get yours!
To obtain a passport for the first time, you need to go in person to one of 7,000 passport acceptance facilities located throughout the United States with two photographs of yourself, proof of U.S. citizenship, and a valid form of photo identification such as a driver’s license.
Acceptance facilities include many Federal, state and probate courts, post offices, some public libraries and a number of county and municipal offices. There are also 13 regional passport agencies, and 1 Gateway City Agency, which serve customers who are traveling within 2 weeks (14 days), or who need foreign visas for travel. Appointments are required in such cases.
You’ll need to apply in person if you are applying for a U.S. passport for the first time: if your expired U.S. passport is not in your possession; if your previous U.S. passport has expired and was issued more than 15 years ago; if your previous U.S. passport was issued when you were under age 16; or if your currently valid U.S. passport has been lost or stolen.
