Posted on 04/05/2005 5:45:47 PM PDT by QQQQQ
Those of you who travel to Mexico will now need a passport to return back to the states. The state department announced the policy change Tuesday, April 5, calling it the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.
Starting December 31, U.S. citizens will need a passport to get back into the country from the Caribbean, Central and South America. Flights and ships from Mexico and Canada will be phased in next year.
By 2008, all travelers, including drivers will need a passport to cross the border. Travel Consultant with National Travel Systems in Lubbock, Ronnie Miller said the new policy will make travel safer.
"Carrying a passport is easier for the government to track them and know where they are and where they've been. It's definitely safer, and I think it's a positive for U.S. citizens," said Miller.
Currently, U.S. citizens returning from Canada or Mexico only need a photo ID.
Or you could just walk across the border like the mexicans do.
Or, better still, don't go to Mexico.
Nothing wrong with this. The citizenship of the passport holder is verified before it is issued. Unlike a driver license.
Like I would even visit that skiffy place. There must be a reason that all of the Mexicans want to be here.
I got mine in a day...
For an extra fee. :-)
I seems ironic that our government does not want to prevent tens of thousands of illegal aliens from walking across every year, but Americans will now need a passport to do so. If combined with an attempt at border security, this would make sense. As it is, I'm doubting al Queda agents will be driving over when walking over is so easy.
A few yrs. ago my wife and I decided to see Niagara Falls.
Since we are from NC I guess the Canadian authorities at the border thought we were smuggling cigarettes. They stopped us and rifled our car and luggage.
I'll never be going back.
I have no desire to visit Mexio either.
Guess I don't need to renew my passport.
Nothing wrong with this. The citizenship of the passport holder is verified before it is issued. Unlike a driver license.
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There is a problem with CITIZENSHIPS --- some countries allow you to be a citizen of more than one country. I feel this is wrong == would solve ALOT OF PROBLEMS in the U.S.A. if people who want to come here and become Amercians (which many who come here DO NOT) they should be just that, an American citizen, and a citizen of NO OTHER COUNTRY. I would like to see that a requirement for U.S. citizenship. Presently, a U.S. citizenship is just a license "to kill" and really has little or no value -- as we clearly see with the APPROVAL OF ILLEGALS IN THIS COUNTRY BEING FED COPIOUS QUANTITIES OF TAX DOLLARS, and rights of citizens (which I feel is TOTALLY WRONG).
It will be harder for a US citizen to enter the US than an illegal immigrant.
Pretty ironic isn't it?
If this is a part of a measure needed to restrict illegals from sauntering over to sponge off our social services, then sure.
Like I'm going to go to Mexico.
Sheesh.
How about just putting a 50' wall covered with razor wire across the border? It will stem the tide of illegals coming to America frmo Mexico, and it will do likewise for Mexico, protecting them from all our migrant workers going down there to scam them.
And so it goes.....
So US citizens will need passports to recross the border from Mexico....but illegals won't.
Ain't that grand.
Now if they would only ask for a passport at the voting booth...
Don't feel bad, that just what happens when you cross any border anywhere. You really think the US Customs is any nicer to foreigners? US Customs definitely isn't in the PR business.
I'm a dual citizen, what exactly is the problem?
See if the following explanation makes you feel all warm and fuzzy.
"Carrying a passport is easier for the government to track them and know where they are and where they've been. It's definitely safer, and I think it's a positive for U.S. citizens," said Miller.
This part isn't true, I got grilled by a border agent at the Lynden, WA border over the weekend for not having my passport, he told me two forms of ID were required, one being your passport. Said just because I could speak english didn't mean I was an American. Getting into Canada was a different story, that border agent barely looked up as he waved me through.
Can legal resident aliens get passports? If not, would they still be able to travel back and forth from the U.S. to Canada and Mexico?
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