Many of our clients have expressed confusion regarding the new passport legislation and regulations. Below are frequently asked questions and answers and Brownell's recommendations for dealing with passport issues.

Q. What if I am flying from the US to Mexico this year? Do I need a passport?
Q. I have applied but have not received my passport. How do I prove that I applied?
Q. Does this new suspension allow me to fly to Europe without a Passport?
Q. How long should I expect to wait to receive my passport?
Q. My trip departure is approaching, and I am concerned. How can I check the status?
Q. I have not applied for a passport but need to, will I be covered by the suspension of the rule?
Q. If I apply tomorrow, how long should I expect to wait?
Q. Do new policies cover travel to U.S. territories in the Caribbean and elsewhere?
Q. I'm planning a Caribbean cruise from the U.S. this year. Do I need a passport?
Q. Will my Children need a passport to drive to Mexico or Canada?
Q. Are there some cruises for which I already need a passport?
Q. What about cruises to Alaska?
Q. What documentation do I currently need to cruise to Mexico
Q. Given the delay, should I still get a passport if I don't plan any international air travel this year?

Q. What if I am flying from the US to Mexico this year? Do I need a passport?

A. Because of a huge backlog of passport applications - and delays of 12 weeks or longer in processing these applications - the State Department has suspended a passport requirement through Sept. 30 for those who can prove they have ALREADY applied. Under current policies announced June 8, Americans flying to Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean and Bermuda who have applied for but not yet received passports can temporarily enter and depart from the United States by air with a government-issued photo identification and Department of State official proof of application for a passport.

Also according to the State Department, children younger that age 16 traveling with their parents or legal guardian will be permitted to travel by presenting the child's proof of application upon departure from and arrival to the United States. Children traveling alone should carry a copy of their birth certificate, baptismal record or a hospital record of birth in the United States.

This suspension applies to the regulations implemented in January 2007, at which point you were supposed to possess a passport to fly outside the United States, even if you were just going to Mexico or Canada. This is an outgrowth of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, which also covers travel to the Caribbean and Bermuda. [ TOP OF PAGE ]

Q. I applied some time ago but have not received my passport. I have no receipt, so how do I prove that I applied?

A. According to the State Department, U.S. citizens with pending passport applications can obtain proof of application at: http://travel.state.gov. The department's June 8 advisory reads in part: "Once their checks for passport fees have cleared their bank their application should be traceable within a day or two and then they will be able to print a "Proof of Application." People who do not have "Proof of Application" are still going to need a passport, and they should not expect to be accommodated under this new program. There will be people who have applied but whose applications have not cleared the lockbox/processing center. They are NOT going to be helped by this program." [ TOP OF PAGE ]

Q. I am waiting for a passport, but my travel plans include Europe, not Mexico. Does this new suspension allow me to fly to and from London and Paris without a passport?

A. No. Americans traveling to a country that requires passports must still present those documents.
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Q. How long should I expect to wait to receive my passport?

A. According to the State Department, routine applications are now taking up to 12 weeks for processing. Some travelers report longer waits. Applicants requesting expedited service (for a higher fee) can expect about a 4 to 6-week delay, perhaps longer. The State Department, however, anticipates reducing this waiting time; it has hired almost 200 new employees and opened a new passport center in Arkansas. Brownell is advising all travelers to expect a 16-week delay for UN-expedited passports. We do NOT recommend that you apply, renew or amend through the US Postal Service if you plan to travel within 3 months. Contact your Brownell Travel Consultant for help expediting your passport application. [ TOP OF PAGE ]

Q. I keep waiting for my passport to arrive? My trip departure is approaching, and I am concerned. How can I check the status?

A. The National Passport Information Center's toll-free phone line (877-487-2778) is now staffed 5 a.m.-11 p.m. Mondays-Fridays and 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The State Department says it has doubled the center's staff to handle inquiries, but many travelers still report difficulty - even at off-peak hours - in getting through to an operator despite repeated calls. You may also contact your travel consultant to help check status.

Travelers can check the status of their application online at www.travel.state.gov/passport/get/status/status_2567.html. According to the State Department, information on routine applications is normally available about four weeks after the application is submitted. Information on expedited applications is normally available about one week after the application is submitted.

Applicants leaving within two weeks can access www.travel.state.gov/passport/about/npic/npic_896.html to send an e-mail inquiry to check the status. [ TOP OF PAGE ]

Q. I have not applied for a passport but need to do so in the next week or so (prior to Sept. 30). Will I be covered by the suspension of the rule?

A. Yes, but only after you have submitted your application -- and only if you show proof of that application. This applies to planned travel only before September 30th. We do NOT recommend that you apply, renew or amend through the US Postal Service if you plan to travel within 3 months. Contact your Brownell Travel Consultant for help expediting your passport application. If you choose to apply or amend yourself, be sure to mail all documentation via US Priority so that it may be tracked. [ TOP OF PAGE ]

Q. So what advice does the State Department give to travelers who have not applied? If I apply tomorrow, how long should I expect to wait?

A. The State Department's newest advisory says that travelers who have not applied for passports should allow 10 to 12 weeks for standard passport processing and two to three weeks for expedited processing.

Brownell is advising all travelers to expect a 16-week delay for UN-expedited passports. However: Brownell works with several preferred partners who can expedite the expedition process! Working with their travel consultant, Brownell clients have received their passports in 3-6 weeks in some cases. [ TOP OF PAGE ]

Q. Do new policies cover travel to U.S. territories in the Caribbean and elsewhere?

A. No. U.S. citizens do not not need a passport to fly directly to or from any U.S. territory, including Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Swains Island and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. This won't change if the suspension is lifted Sept. 30. [ TOP OF PAGE ]

Q. I'm planning a Caribbean cruise from the U.S. this year. Do I need a passport?

A. For now the rules of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative just apply to air travel, but eventually they will kick in even if you're driving or taking a cruise. Original plans were to require passports for all cruises beginning this year. But the latest timetable, as mandated by the 2007 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill, calls for the rules on land and sea travel to go into effect as early as Jan. 1, 2008 and as late as June 1, 2009. [ TOP OF PAGE ]

Q. Will my Children need a passport to drive to Mexico or Canada?

A. No. Since those new rules were posted, the Bush administration has decided to go with "proposed passport flexibility" for kids. U.S. and Canadian children 15 or younger will be allowed - with their parents' permission - to cross the borders by land or sea with certified copies of their birth certificates instead of passports or passcards. Those who are flying will need passports, just as they do now.

In addition, birth certificates will be sufficient for 16- to 18-year-olds traveling by land or sea with school, religious, cultural or athletic groups under adult supervision. [ TOP OF PAGE ]

Q. Are there some cruises for which I already need a passport?

A. Yes. You need a passport now for cruises that stop at ports in South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and Antarctica.

Central America can get a bit tricky: Some Texas-based ships sail to Belize City and Roatán, Honduras. According to law in Belize and Honduras, all Americans must have a passport to enter either country. The State Department's most recent Consular Information Sheets for Belize and Honduras also specify that a passport is required. But Belize and Honduras are currently waiving the requirement for cruise passengers unless those passengers start or end their voyage there. Bottom line: On round-trip sailings from Galveston or Houston, a passport isn't required but it's strongly recommended. Cruisers are encouraged to keep up with potential changes. Air travelers to Belize or Honduras do need a passport.

Matters can get complicated, too, in the Caribbean where some nations require passports for air arrivals but exempt port calls. [ TOP OF PAGE ]

Q. What about cruises to Alaska?

A. Under guidelines implemented in January, you needed a passport this summer if you flew to or from Vancouver, British Columbia, in conjunction with your cruise but not if you drove to Vancouver or sailed from Seattle. Now, you can fly to Vancouver without a passport but only if you possess a government issued photo identification and Department of State official proof that you have applied for a passport. [ TOP OF PAGE ]

Q. What documentation do I currently need to cruise to Mexico?

A. You need an approved photo ID (a driver's license qualifies) and proof of U.S. citizenship. According to the State Department, accepted documents include a certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate (not a simple photocopy or facsimile), a Naturalization Certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, a Certificate of Citizenship or a passport. [ TOP OF PAGE ]

Q. Given the delay, should I still get a passport if I don't plan any international air travel this year?

A. Yes! Brownell recommends contacting your Travel Consultant to renew, apply or amend your passport even if you do not currently have International travel plans. We feel this is very important in case of emergency or short-notice travel. [ TOP OF PAGE ]