Randy posted yesterday about US people needing passports to attend her
Symposium. And, while the rules are changing, passports will not be
required in June of 2006. So, Randy asked me to post the following
information.
The new requirement does not take effect until Dec. 31, 2006 - more then
a few months after the Symposium. And then, that is only if you are
flying or traveling by boat between the countries. For driving, the
rule does not take effect until Dec. 31, 2007.
Here are some links to US State Department webpages with more
information on the rule change.
http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2224.html
http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2225.html
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2005/44228.htm
When the rule does take effect, the passport will be required only when
returning to the US. As far as I know, Canada does not plan on requiring
passports for US residents to go to Canada.
Also, my own experience with getting a passport is that there is not a
long time between when you submit your application and when you receive
the passport. What can take a long time is getting the necessary
documentation to apply. To apply, you are asked for a certified birth
certificate, which you have to get from the local authorities where you
were born. A certified birth certificate has a registrar's raised,
embossed, impressed or multicolored seal, registrar's signature, and
the date the certificate was filed with the registrar's office, which
must be within 1 year of your birth. There are other ways of proving
your citizenship, but the certified birth certificate is the one most
often used.
I have included a link here with information on obtaining a passport, for
anyone who is interested.
http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html
I have heard that some airlines are already asking for passports for
people traveling from Canada to the US, but they can not actually require
it of US residents yet. Until Dec. 2006, all you need is a valid picture
ID and proof of residence. So, a valid US driver's license will work.
Some people also carry their birth registration form, as further proof of
US citizenship. For anyone flying to Toronto for the Symposium, the best
thing to do is to ask the airline what they require when you book your
flight.
With rules concerning entering the US from other countries being
tightened, it is probably a good idea for everyone to look into getting
a passport. The current cost is $97.00, which includes the application
fee, a security surcharge and the execution fee. However, I would not
be at all surprised if the fees do not go up in the next year or 2. I
have found that having a passport can be very useful, as it also serves
as a form of identification.
--
Danee
International Ferret Congress Health Issues Coordinator
http://ferretcongress.org
ADV - If your ferret hasn't been tested, you don't know!
For more information visit: http://www.ferretadv.com
You can help fight ADV! Visit:
http://help4adv.terrabox.com/
[Posted in FML issue 4872]
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