Passports
Update May 2008:
Are the new passport rules still a mystery to you?
It depends on where you are traveling and the countries you are traveling too. The rules are as diverse as the countries. A good place to go to find out entry requirements is www.travel.state.gov, This is the U.S. State Department Website and if you click on International Travel, then National Travel Information you'll find every destination you'll need. Valid passport dates beyond you're arrival in the country of up to six months after your visit and blank page requirements as well as vaccinations needed for entry are all listed. If you're planning a vacation anywhere outside of the continental U.S. it's never too soon to start this process.
Also remember, if the country requires extra pages, that they are always IN ADDITION to the endorsement/amendment pages at the back of the passport. So, how can you find and add these pages to your passport? You must complete form DS-4085 which you'll find at www.state.gov/documents/organization/80120.pdf. If you're not in a hurry the pages are free and will take four to six weeks to deliver. The service can be expedited, about 10 business days, by sending $60.00 plus the cost of overnighting your document back to you. If you suddenly realize you need these pages immediately you can make an appointment with the passport agency at 877-487-2778 and do this in person.
Don't be refused entry into any country because you tell them you didn't know, they'll still send you home.
Passports are now required for all travelers who enter or re-enter the U.S. by air from any other country.
That means that U.S. citizens and residents who fly back to the U.S. from Vancouver or another Canadian city after an Alaska cruise will be required to have a valid passport.
U.S. citizens driving to Vancouver or flying or driving to Seattle or San Francisco to start an Alaska cruise will not be required to have a passport, but cruise lines recommend it anyway. While highly unlikely, an emergency could arise in which a passenger needed to disembark early and fly home from Canada, and a passport would be required for that flight.
For Canadian citizens and residents, passports are now required for those who fly to Seattle or San Francisco to board an Alaska cruise, or who fly through an airport in the U.S. on their way to or from Vancouver in conjunction with an Alaska cruise or cruise tour.
Canadian passengers driving to Seattle or San Francisco from Canada, or flying or driving to Vancouver to start an Alaska cruise will not be required to have a passport. Again, cruise lines recommend that all passengers travel with a passport anyway, in case an emergency necessitates a flight to or through the U.S.
The passport requirement will be extended to include land and sea entries into the U.S. at some point in the future, but an implementation date has not yet been announced.
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Befitting Just Your Style
378 Northlake Blvd., #282
N. Palm Beach, FL 33408
Toll Free: 800-838-5931
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