Even travelers bound for a vacation in Mexico or the Caribbean should consider carrying a U.S. passport. While a passport is not required for Mexico (nor for Canada) and most Caribbean islands, a passport is your best proof of U.S. citizenship.
Foreign Entry Requirements, a publication issued by the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs, notes that most Caribbean islands require proof of U.S. citizenship in the form of an original or certified copy of a birth certificate, a photo ID and an onward/return ticket. If you’re on a cruise, the ship handles entry details, but you still must have the required proof that you’re a citizen.
Jamaica, for example, asks for a passport (or original birth certificate and a photo ID) while Trinidad and Tobago requires a passport.
“Today somebody told me about a person who had some difficulty over proof of citizenship in Mexico,” said a State Department spokeswoman. “Normally you just need proof of U.S. citizenship and a tourist card. I was told the person wound up having to get a U.S. passport in Mexico to get out of the country.
“It really is up to the country. It makes it easier when people re-enter the country if they have a U.S. passport. We know for sure a passport is acceptable, whereas an immigration officer might question a birth certificate for some reason.”
Guidebooks and other sources used to list a voter’s registration card as proof of citizenship, but a lot of countries don’t accept them as proof of citizenship, the spokeswoman said.
I once used a birth certificate to enter Mexico, and it took me longer to clear immigration at the airport than it did my wife, who used her passport. At Toronto’s International Airport, I saw a U.S. businessman denied entry to Canada because he lacked proper proof of citizenship.
While these incidents may be isolated, they emphasize the value of carrying a valid U.S. passport.
Obtaining a passport isn’t a big deal for most citizens. According to the State Department, 40 million Americans have one. Nationwide, passport issuances are up 20.6 percent through July of this year, according to the U.S. Passport Agency in Washington. The agency issued 4,034,642 passports in seven months compared to 3,345,232 last year, when a total of 4.2 million applications were processed.
The Chicago Passport Agency, which covers Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin, said it generated 345,461 applications through July.
For people in a rush to get a passport, effective Oct. 1 applicants can get three-day service for an additional charge of $30. According to the State Department, the expedited service is for applicants who must travel within 10 days. “Applicants requiring the expedited service must be able to document the imminent travel with tickets or confirmed reservations,” a spokesman said. “Travelers who need their passports urgently in order to apply for foreign visas, which often take two or three weeks, may also get their passport expedited.
“Routine passport issuance normally takes an average of two weeks, although the processing could take longer during the busy season from February through July.”
If you want to skip the lines normally found at U.S. Passport Agency offices, there are options. Whether applying for a passport for the first time or renewing one, you can go to one of more than 2,500 courts and 900 post offices in the United States that accept passport applications. In the Chicago area, including northwest Indiana, 38 post offices and six clerks of court serve as acceptance facilities.
Another option is to use one of several firms listed in the Yellow Pages under Passport & Visa Services that specialize in helping people to get passports and visas for a fee. The same passport application procedures apply, but the firm does the walking and standing in line for you.
In Chicago, for example, American Visa Service (312-922-8860) charges $30 for its passport service, said Tamara Pendley, an employee there. “We save the person from running around,” she said. “A lot of our business comes from outside Chicago.”
The Center for International Business & Travel (312-629-9500) in Chicago, which works mainly with corporate clients, describes itself as “a third party processing service.” For an individual, the firm charges $148 to get a passport in a day, $68 in three days and $48 for normal processing. “We take the onus off standing in line,” a spokeswoman said.
Passport Renewal Service (312-372-2711), also in Chicago, will do the standing-in-line for passport applicants for $25, said Mirsa Cifuentes.
You can get a passport anytime. You can apply now even if your trip isn’t until next year. Cost of a passport is $65 for first-time applicants, $55 for renewals. Passports are good for 10 years. By allowing yourself ample time, you can apply by mail and avoid lines altogether.
The State Department’s leaflet, “Passports: Applying for Them the Easy Way,” is available for 50 cents from: Consumer Information, Dept. 356A, Pueblo, Colo. 81009. It tells you everything about the application process. Or call the Chicago Passport Agency’s 24-hour information line, 312-353-7155.
Once you have a passport, treat it as a valuable, the State Department spokeswoman advised. Last year, 14,343 passports were stolen and another 12,213 were lost, she said. Only 5,614 were recovered. Before you leave home, make copies of the information page, which has your photo on it. Leave one copy at home. Keep another copy apart from your passport, should it be stolen or you lose it.
