Effective December 31, 2006, travelers to Panama, Bermuda, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Canada will be required to have a passport if they travel to these countries by air or sea.

Previously, you could travel to these countries with only a birth certificate and a driver’s license. No longer.  Now you need a passport, regardless of your age or the length of your trip.

This requirement change has caused a huge bottleneck in passport offices all over the country. Where it was once easy to get a passport in 2-3 weeks, now it is taking 2-3 months or longer.

An overview of these new policies can be found on the U.S. State Department web site:  http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html.

Information about the passport application process can be found on the same web site:  http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html

The experts at Global Travel are happy to advise you on how to obtain your passport in a timely fashion.  For many the most complicated aspect is finding proof of citizenship. You will need a certified copy of your birth certificate or naturalization papers. Xerox copies are not adequate. If you are older or were born in a very small town, it may be difficult for you to obtain this proof.

Don’t let this new requirement spoil your vacation plans!!!