TRAVELING? BETTER READ UP ON PASSPORT RULES
Wednesday, February 6th, 2008 -- 10:24 AM
If you're lucky enough to travel to Mexico this year, there are some passport rule changes you should know.Clark County Clerk of Courts Gail Walker, who is also a Passport Acceptance Agent, says they will soon be offering a passport card for land travel to Mexico and Canada?
"These cards won't be available until Spring 2008. They will be used to travel between the United States and Canada and Mexico by land," explains Walker.
Applications for the card could be accepted as of February 1st. The card is seen as a more convenient means to cross North American borders. The passport card will contain a chip that will link to a stored record in secure government databases.
If you're planning to fly to Mexico this winter, and you haven't been there for awhile, Walker says the rules have recently changed.
"If you are to fly to Mexico, you'll need a passport book, not a card," Walker says. "You used to be able to travel with just a birth certificate," Walker notes.
To get a passport, you'll need two pictures, a birth certificate and driver's license?and give yourself plenty of time.
"It would be nice if it were a couple of months. They're saying 6 to 8 weeks."
For an extra fee, you can have your application expedited, in which case you'll get your Passport in three weeks.
On The Web
[url=http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html]State Department Website[/url]
Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.