New passport law adds traveling requirements

Planning a trip to Mexico or Canada for spring break? Now is the time to apply for a passport, after a change in the law has caused the lines at passport offices to grow and the processing time to lengthen.

A new law went into effect Jan. 8, requiring that any person leaving and returning to the United States by air must possess a valid passport before boarding a plane. Previously, travelers were allowed to visit Canada and Mexico with only a driver’s license in hand, but now a passport is required. On Jan. 1, 2008, the same law will go into effect for travelers crossing those international borders on land.

“This law was designed to keep our borders safe from terrorists,” said Kerry Jeffrey, the customer relations coordinator for the postal service in Portland. Congress voted for the law in the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 after hearing the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission.

“If students are thinking about spring break travel,” Jeffrey said, “it may be a little late already. Now is definitely the time to plan for summer travel, and since a passport is good for 10 years, anyone with a possible trip in their future should invest that time.”

Passport agents said that the volume of applicants has increased dramatically in anticipation of the change. “I’d say it is about a 25 percent increase,” said Jane, an agent at the main post office branch, with a growing line of customers awaiting her attention. “It’s really best to plan on being here for at least an hour.”

With a standard processing time of six to eight weeks, applicants should count on eight weeks due to the heavy volume that has backlogged the system. For an extra $60, processing time is shortened to two weeks.

PSU currently requires valid passports for all study abroad participants, so the new law has had little effect on students traveling overseas.

“This really hasn’t impacted us negatively at all,” said Ron Witczak, director of international education. “As far as I’m concerned, everyone should have had passports already.”

As soon as February, passports may also contain a computer chip that would hold an individual’s personal information and make for a speedier check-in.

Travelers must also renew their passports six months before the expiration date, a rule that is printed in the fine print on the cover. If outside the country when the six-month window begins, a traveler may return to the United States during that six-month period.

Many people do not come to a passport office prepared with the necessary documentation to obtain a passport, and end up returning for a second visit.

The nearest passport office to PSU is located in the University Station Post Office at 1505 S.W. Fifth Ave., and is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Set aside at least an hour, because there is frequently only one agent available, and each interaction usually lasts about 20 minutes. The main office is near the train station, at 715 N.W. Hoyt St., and offers extended hours, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For additional information visit http://travel.state.gov/passport

Here is what you will need:

A completed application, available at the post office and online

Proof of citizenship: either a previous passport or an actual birth certificate

Proof of your identity: state driver’s license, government ID or military ID.