Sigh, what a ridiculous mess! As far as I am concerned, if you are going to travel internationally, have an international document. I think it's ridiculous that people have been allowed to travel on birth certificates and driver's licenses, how on earth is every immigration agent in Mexico and Canada supposed to know what a legitimate Kansas/Iowa/Arizona dl looks like? Do you know how easy it is to get fake dl's and bc's? Every underage kid in Canada and the States can get them so they can buy their beer! Passports are far more secure, far more difficult to fake and internationally recognized. Mexico is not the 51st state, it's a foreign country and as such, you should definitely need a passport to travel here. Canada too. I've had a passport since I was five years old, can't imagine why you wouldn't have one if you plan to leave your home country. The government gave PLENTY of notice about these requirements, it's not as if it was a big surprise, they should not be back tracking now. Ok, off my soap box, carry on.
Well said Canuck. It is backwards thinking to book and pay for a trip first, then apply for the passport after. Counting on the inefficient US government to get your passport to you in a relatively short amount of time is not good planning.
I have had my passport for a few years. I applied for my daughter’s passport 10 weeks ago. My mother and niece applied for theirs 12 weeks prior to our trip date. If I would have been told to apply 15 weeks in advance I would have done it. I was told to give them 10 weeks and that is what I did. We should not have to suffer because they did not estimate the time properly. This trip was planned rather quickly because we did not know if my mom would be healthy enough to travel. As soon as we knew that she would be able to travel, we started the process in what we thought was plenty of time. We as citizens can only believe what we are told by “officials” and I was told 10 weeks.
Ellabear~I applied for my sons March 7, finally got it yesterday, after calling everyday this week and really b*itching on Thursday morning. They lady I b*tched out told me I should have booked such an expensive trip until I had the passport in my hand! :shock: (He is going to Argentina w/ his soccer team).
Thank God you got it. Helllllooo, I asked plenty of people plenty of questions regarding our passports. At that time I was told over and over again, "Give it up to 10 Weeks." 10 seemed to be the magic number coming out of everybody's mouth. So I gave them a little over 10 weeks for my daughter's passport. My mom and niece gave them over 12! And they want to act like we have done something wrong. I don't think so. I spoke with my Rep. in Congress last night and he said that they would have my daughter's passport here by the 16th. So we shall see. I work with these politicians everyday of my life so I should have known better than to believe a word that comes out of their mouth. I do happen to have faith in the one I spoke with last night. My daughter is leaving for New York on the 15th, coming back home on the 19th and leaving for MX on the 22nd. So I really do not need this stress. I hope your son has a blast in Argentina!!!!!! Are you going too? EB
That is what they told us too. 10 weeks. He leaves on Thursday the 14th. I called my senator 2 weeks ago about this, week went by and didn't hear anything back, then I called monday, they finally got back to me wednesday, telling me it wasn't done we were to go to Chicago, 3 hrs away on thursday. I called again and thats when they told me it was done and on its way out. Good Luck!!
They are allowing you travel without a passport if you have proof that you applied for one as long as you have 3 documents. 1- The letter stating you have applied. 2- A picture ID (drivers license or state id) 3- YOUR BIRTH CERTIFICATE. Didn't you have to send your birth certificate to the passport agency when you sent in your application for a passport? So if you still don't have your passport and are planning on traveling without it better apply to another goverment agency for a "proper" birth certificate, the original copy with the raised seal. Still don't understand the term "Original Copy". Geo
Good Point! I have an extra certified copy of my daughter's BC. I will have to check on the rest of the gang. Thanks, EB
