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US Passport Q&A, essentials, trivia, etc.
Last I checked, US citizens were not required to have passports for trips to Mexico. One needed only DL and birth certificate. Then someone said that has changed, is that true? Select Models MM# 2623 https://www.modelmayhem.com/selectmodels has a cruise--and a model wants to know. I know I can ask State Department--but my reflex is to ask MM! LOL. Please provide relevant links, info, intel, experience. Although I'm only asking one specific question now, the title in the Subject line is intentionally broad to allow a wide variety of other topics to be addressed later without it hijacking the thread. Jan 17 17 09:42 am Link Requirements often change. This is not the place to get a good answer. Jan 17 17 10:10 am Link What, is Google broken? Jan 17 17 10:19 am Link Jan 17 17 11:16 am Link Last I heard, US Citizens traveling abroad, no matter where, Canada, Mexico, ANY destination needed a passport or passport card to get back into the US. And that was a couple years ago. But the suggestions to check the State Department rather than here are good. WE are hardly experts on the issue. Jan 17 17 11:49 am Link just went to Mexico needed passport to get in and out. when i went to Bahamas would not et you on the ship without one good luck Peter Jan 17 17 11:56 am Link https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/ … initiative What types of documents are accepted for entry into the United States via land and sea? Jan 17 17 12:00 pm Link Your last hearing is very old, those rules changed around 2010 Jan 17 17 12:43 pm Link WisconsinArt wrote: What is Google?! ;-) Jan 17 17 12:50 pm Link If you are planning to go south of the border, I find this website to be a good source of current information about the violence going on in Mexico. We often don't read these things in the US media unless we search for them. http://www.borderlandbeat.com/ Because of what the lawlessness and corruption has become, anyone can be a target of opportunity now, anywhere, or collateral damage if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time. I grew up going to Mexico since the early 60's and loved it. I've flown my Cessna to explore beautiful places around Baja on six different occasions. I used to enjoy motorhome trips, off-road 4WD adventures and primitive camping in sparsely populated areas. The fishing is great. I've met many kind, warm-hearted and wonderful people. I have been stopped for dumbass "tickets" and other shakedowns many times, especially in Tijuana. My car was impounded in Tecate once. I managed to get it out of the impound yard and bolted for the border without stopping to answer questions. I was forced to pay a bribe under the threat of confiscating my airplane at the main airport near Cabo by a government official. Needless to say, that was the last time I flew my plane to Mexico. I was thrown into a scuzzy little local jail in the hills south of TJ with two traveling companions from Norway. The excuse to put us in jail was totally bogus. We were released after 10 hours when they were convinced we gave them all the money we had on us and stashed in the car. I think the two guys claiming to be plain clothes police were frauds, as was their interpreter. Because of the deteriorating criminal and political situation, sadly, I stopped going to Mexico about 10 years ago. I enjoy adventurous travel and I understand calculated risks, but IMHO, traveling in Mexico now is just flat out foolish. If you encounter no problems, then it's no problem. If you encounter a problem, things can quickly snowball and there are often no easy solutions. You don't have your "papers" right? ... good luck with that. Please be careful. Don't be naïve. Jan 17 17 01:32 pm Link "Regarding Carnival Cruises to destinations in Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, the Bahamas and Bermuda, there is a notable exception to this US passport rule, pertaining to land and sea crossings for US Citizens. US Citizens on closed-loop cruises (cruises that begin and end in the same U.S. port) and travel to destinations in Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, the Bahamas, and Bermuda are able to re-enter the United States with proof of citizenship other than a passport or passport card. Acceptable proof of citizenship includes an original or certified copy of a government issued birth certificate (raised seal and signature) and a laminated government issued picture ID (typically, driver's license), Consular Report of Born Abroad Certificate, or a Certificate of Naturalization." https://www.passportsandvisas.com/cruis … al-cruises Called Carnival 1800-819-3902 EXT 70121 to confirm that this is not obsolete. BOTTOM LINE: Passport nice but not necessary--BC and DL will suffice (in US trip to Mexico and back). Jan 17 17 04:45 pm Link WisconsinArt wrote: I googled for google being down and found this website: Jan 18 17 03:30 am Link Now that I got my original question resolved let me ask another question. Much more arcane, historical...and VERY few people will even know nor care. [I wish John Fisher were still available to answer a question like this! Even if he didn't have the answer he would likely have some plausible idea he could come up with!] After a passport expires one has a period of time where one can still renew it. After that period expires one has to restart all over--de novo--as if you never had one. As I recall that period was ONE year but now it's TWO years. Why would the US DOS extend it? Is it for administrative convenience? In this security-conscious society, I would expect them to tighten rather than loosen the standards. Jan 18 17 08:04 am Link FFantastique wrote: I am in this situation. The renewal period expired. Jan 18 17 08:16 am Link Glad to know you're in that situation BUT the question is WHY did the United States Department of State allow a passport that is expired up to TWO YEARS as the basis for a renewal? When did it change from ONE YEAR? https://www.modelmayhem.com/list/572489 Passport-ready people based on self reports on profile. Jan 18 17 02:50 pm Link FFantastique wrote: When it comes to border crossing or any remotely related it, I would rather carry my passport to avoid confusion and speed up in the crossing process. Why challenge this system when we travel just to prove that we have the rights? Of course this is just me talking. Jan 18 17 03:00 pm Link FFantastique wrote: I think this may be because the Department wants to encourage the citizens to renew their passport in a timely manner. I am sure the Department must have all the visas they have even issued in their database. While U.S. does not have the national ID system in place. Passport is the next best thing. DL is good, but it is only at the state level. Jan 18 17 03:09 pm Link If you're encouraging timely renewal wouldn't you SHORTEN rather then LENGTHEN the allowed time? Jan 18 17 04:17 pm Link Connor Photography wrote: Civil rights are like muscles. Jan 20 17 03:41 am Link Flex them! Jan 20 17 07:04 am Link Connor Photography wrote: TomFRohwer wrote: I agree and good for you if you think if it is the right thing to do. Jan 20 17 07:44 am Link i was looking into this for travel to canada and it appears there's a distinction between land-based travel and air-based travel. for instance if you go from us into canada by train i think a passport card is sufficient. but by air i think you need a real passport. at least that's the way i read it online. if funds aren't an issue i suppose that getting a real passport is more flexible than just a passport card. i have an expired passport but apparently it's not worth anything toward the purchase of a fresh one. Jan 20 17 08:04 am Link I lived in Buffalo for more than 12 years crossing to Canada (Fort Erie, Niagara Falls, and Kingston) over a thousand times. In the 80's, I worked just a mile for Peace Bridge in Buffalo, we often crossed Peace Bridge to Fort Erie to have lunch and buy gas. Those days, gas was cheaper in Canada. We practically knew all the agents at the border and our NYS license plate on our car was issued locally in Buffalo. So crossing borer going to and coming from Canada was the last thing in my mind. I took it for granted. Two incidence happened that forever changed me. These happened long before 9/11. One Sat morning, we were on our way to Toronto crossing Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls. With only my driving license and vehicle registration, the Canadian border control refused my entry. We ended up driving to 30 miles away to Kingston to enter Canada. What a pain!!! It is their country, they have the rights to refuse entry. In a separate incidence and unrelated to the above, we were on our way home after a weekend in Toronto, crossing at Rainbow Bridge at around midnight. The U.S. custom refused our reentry but they could not send us back to Canada. We were there for more than two hours. Ok, may be my rights was being violated. Should I pick the fight with the U.S. government. No, I would rather provide the things that need so they can do their job and I move on. At that stage of my life, I would rather spend my time to develop my career, make more money, and buy more big toys. No regrets. Jan 20 17 08:45 am Link FFantastique wrote: What percentage of models have current passports of any country? Just curious. Jun 21 17 09:17 pm Link Since I have had to pass through the boarder patrol traveling in Texas and New Mexico, I always bring my passport, just like going to Europe or Asia. Jun 21 17 09:24 pm Link FFantastique wrote: Divide that percentage by the number of models who are on the forums compared to the total number of models. Jun 21 17 09:25 pm Link I think the reason for extending the grace period for renewing your passport was when they introduced the new rules where you needed a passport for Canada and Mexico. They expected there to be a backlog in processing applications so they extnded the grace period. I need to renew my UK passport but I have to send mine now to a 3rd party company who then send it to the passport office in London, who then send it back to me. No more going to the consulate to renew, which is a total PITA! Jun 22 17 02:01 am Link FFantastique wrote: Far more europeans have passports than north americans. There's plenty of US citizens who have never so much as taken a bus let alone left their country. International travel just isn't a thing we do here (which makes a bit of sense when it takes 13 hours just to cross through Texas, you can hit at least 3 different countries in the EU in that time) Jun 22 17 12:06 pm Link FFantastique wrote: Just a guess, but since the cost of data storage gets cheaper and cheaper every year, perhaps State decided they can now afford to retain expired passport data for longer than they used to... thus giving us longer to renew without having to start from scratch again. Jun 22 17 05:51 pm Link I got both the card and booklet. The card is good for land and sea travel; Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda according to what it says on the card. If you fly, then a booklet is required from my understanding. Jun 22 17 07:27 pm Link |
