By Justin Burch
On January 8, 2007, all travelers to Aruba and other Caribbean destinations will need a U.S. passport for air travel. The change comes as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security attempts to alleviate travel concerns about border security under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) and the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. Unlike previous years when passports were not required for travel to Caribbean beach resorts, this upcoming season has added potential for traveler headache. As many tourists that have planned their Aruba family vacation or scheduled a wedding may not be aware of the new rules, there could well be a rush on new passport applications near the end of the year. Also, because the program will be in its first season, there certainly exists a possibility of delays beyond the outlined timeframes for passport applications.
So, as you plan your activities for your Aruba wedding or vacation, you should also organize your materials for your passport application. Currently, the State Department claims that passport applications take 4 to 6 weeks to process. As backlogs are certainly expected this season, it is recommended that you either apply for your passport now as a couple of months remain before the legislation goes into effect, or apply as soon as you know you are going to travel.
To alleviate some of your concern, here are some additional recommendations to secure your passport as quickly and easily as possible for your Aruba vacation and even an outline of what to do when you don't have enough time to apply for a passport via traditional methods.
Regardless of how you plan on applying for your passport, the first thing you need to do is obtain proof of U.S. citizenship, usually in the form of a birth certificate. If you have an expired passport in your possession, that can also serve as acceptable documentation. Next, you will need to have a pair of passport pictures made. This is one of the easiest steps as many businesses such as drugstores and copy shops offer the service. Then, carefully complete the passport application available on the State Department website, or obtain an application from any post office or government facility.
Now you have to determine if you have enough time to wait 6 weeks or possibly longer for your passport to return. If you have ample time, prepare the necessary payment and mail through one of the accepted locations. To find a location to apply and pay for a passport in person, visit http://iafdb.travel.state.gov/.
If you are in a bit of a time crunch, you must determine what method will be the most effective for expediting the completion of your passport. Your best choices are expediting the application directly through the State Department or working with a third-party service. Though only the Passport Services Office of the State Department has the authority to issue passports, companies such as Passport Express and Travisa work directly with the government to secure passports in as little as 24 hours.
Either way, if it is your first passport or you have lost your expired passport, you must go to a passport acceptance facility with your passport photos, proof of citizenship and photo ID to have your application validated. The State Department lists about 7,000 locations, including courts, post offices, libraries and government offices.
At this stage, one of your options is to remit payment and mail applications from these approved locations. When mailing directly to the Passport Services Office, you will also have the ability to pay $60 for expedited shipping. Though this method doesn't guarantee passport completion for immediate departures, it can be useful if you are traveling within 3 to 4 weeks to ensure you receive your passport.
In lieu of submitting your application directly to the Passport Services Office, your alternatives are to have your materials approved for mailing via the aforementioned third-party expediting services, or to make an appointment with one of 13 regional passport agencies. The regional offices serve citizens traveling within 2 weeks and can usually provide passports within 2-3 business days. After making an appointment at such an agency, you will need to provide proof of travel within the allotted timeframe. Yet, because these offices are located in only 13 cities, the third-party companies serve as more convenient methods for simplifying and expediting your passport application.
It is also worth noting that a Passport Card, or PASS Card, program is in development for land and sea travel to and from the Caribbean. When approved for use, this credit card-sized passport alternative could eliminate the need for a traditional passport if you were to travel to Aruba via cruise from the U.S. without any international air travel.
About the Author: This article was written by Justin. Justin writes select pieces about travel in Aruba for the Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino
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