|
|
 |
|
|
||||
| Passport Assistance DHS REMINDS CARRIERS AND TRAVELING PUBLIC ABOUT THE END OF THE TEMPORARY WHTI ACCOMODATION The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is reminding air carriers and the traveling public that the temporary Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) accommodation allowing U.S. citizens to travel by air within the Western Hemisphere using a Department of State (DOS) official proof of passport application receipt will end as scheduled at midnight on Sept. 30, 2007. U.S. citizens who departed the country under this travel accommodation prior to Oct. 1 with a Department of State official proof of passport application receipt and government-issued identification will be readmitted with these same documents if returning to the United States after Sept. 30. As a reminder, through Sept. 30, 2007, U.S. citizens traveling to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda who have applied for, but not yet received, passports can temporarily enter and depart from the United States by air with a government issued photo identification and DOS official proof of application for a passport. Effective Oct. 1, 2007, U.S. Citizens traveling by air to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda must present a passport or other WHTI-compliant documentation to enter or depart from the United States. It is always strongly recommended that U.S. Citizens verify the specific documentary requirements for their destination country. DHS and DOS announced the temporary WHTI accommodation for air travel in June. The federal government made this accommodation due to longer than expected processing times for passport applications in the face of record-breaking demand. WHTI was mandated by Congress in the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, and addresses core 9/11 Commission findings for secure and reliable identification documents. It requires all travelers to and from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda to present a passport or other approved document that establishes the bearer’s identity and nationality in order to enter or re-enter the United States. For more information about WHTI approved travel documentation, please visit our website at www.dhs.gov. For information on obtaining a U.S. passport please go to www.travel.state.gov. If you need further passport assistance, please contact Nikki Gonzalez in Congressman Donnelly’s South Bend office at (574) 288-2780. Passports Passports are obtained through the Passport Services Division of the Department of State. Through your local passport acceptance agent, usually the Post Office or county courthouse, you can apply for a new passport, renew your old one, or do any of a number of things, including replacing a lost, stolen, or damaged passport, or adding new pages to your existing book. Traveling Overseas Once you have your passport, you still have to check with the country or countries you'll be visiting to determine whether or not you'll need a visa. A visa is permission from a country to cross their borders and comes in the form of a page inserted in your U.S. Passport. You usually have to mail your passport to the Embassy or Consulate of the country you'll be visiting, so allow plenty of time to accomplish this. Also, check the State Department website for travel warnings and consular information sheets that provide very helpful information about the country you plan on visiting. The State Department services website also contains very comprehensive information on all the services it provides both stateside and abroad. This includes crisis assistance for U.S. citizens living or traveling abroad, and various travel publications available on-line. American Embassies and Consulates General Many U.S. Diplomatic Missions abroad have information on-line. For those that don't, check the State Department's Key Officers of Foreign Service Posts for addresses, and phone and fax numbers for U.S. Embassies and Consulates throughout the world. Passports in a Hurry Passports usually take from 30 to 40 days to issue. For a $60.00 fee -- plus the cost of 2-way overnight mail -- you can "expedite" this process and receive your passport in 7 to 10 working days. |
 |
| Washington, DC U.S. House of Representatives 1530 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-3915 Fax: (202) 225-6798 |
District Offices South Bend Logansport La Porte Michigan City Kokomo |
| Constituent Services | Issues | District Information | Legislation | About Joe | Resources | Contact Us | Sitemap |
