(8 Jun 2007) HEADLINE: Feds relax travel rules as passport lines lengthen
—————————————
CAPTION: Responding to protests, the State Department and the Homeland Security Department said they would temporarily relax a rule requiring passports for air travel to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean. (June 8)
—————————————-

[Notes:ANCHOR VOICE]

Before you can fly away
you have to inch along
Waiting to get a passport these days
requires a lot of patience:
SOT: Caitlin Estep
“Well, we put in for this passport like thirteen weeks ago, and so I guess I’m a little frustrated that it didn’t come in but there really nothing I can do about it. Other then wait in line to get one.”
SOT: Michal Rotker – Lawyer/Traveler “I was here all day a couple of days ago, waited about 7 hours.
SOT: Sharron Dagiel
And I’ve been calling them and calling them for the past three weeks to try and get this done, I finally had to call my congressman.”
Passport offices have been swamped ever since the government–as part of post 9-11 security moves–required a passport from U-S citizens flying home from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean.
The wait time has just about doubled to 12 weeks.
With millions of vacations already ruined or delayed and millions more hanging in the balance, the state department suspended the requirement:
And we didn’t think it was fair that the delays in issuing some of these passports would have affected people’s ability to undertake travel when they had legitimately and honestly made a good-faith effort to comply with the laws here.
So Until September passengers will only have to show a receipt that shows they’ve applied for a passport–and a government ID.
They’ll likely undergo extra questioning, or have their bags looked at more carefully.
Still there’s confusion
I heard on the news that the Caribbean is now exempt from the need for a passport. But my question is, I don’t know what the Caribbean is. Is Aruba part of the Caribbean? I think so. But I don’t know, legally, if it is or it isn’t.”
The long lines are gone for now at this passport office but they’re sure to be back and they may be an indication of what’s to come.
This summer passport crunch may just be an indication of what’s to come.
The government is sticking to its plan that come January–you’ll need a passport at all border crossings–and that could touch of a new rush of passport applications and more delays.
JB the ap washington

Find out more about AP Archive:
Twitter:
Facebook: ​​
Instagram:

You can license this story through AP Archive:

source