According to a small paragraph in our bad local paper..

As of Jan 23rd you will need a passport to go Mexico and Canada and other places that we havent had to have one.

Does anyone know anything more about this? I figure this adds to the planning of going to Mexico. Are they informing people that they will need to get one?

Just curious.

Yes, the 3 Mexican doctors I spoke with are letting their patients know. You only need a passport if you are flying into Mexico. If you are driving across the border, a valid id is okay until next year. I think they are changing it to completely passports in Jan. 08.

Amy

Thanks! I was wondering how they were going to do that. The article was so small and on the last page and i think this is a much more important issue. Esp since it takes a month to get the documents! :confused:

Sometimes it can take even longer and of course, you have to pay a premium for that "fast" service. :phanvan

Here's more info re passports for travel for anyone who may need it.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html

Amy

Thanks! I was wondering how they were going to do that. The article was so small and on the last page and i think this is a much more important issue. Esp since it takes a month to get the documents! :confused:

It is taking more than a month right now, as people who never felt like they needed a passport run to apply.

Give yourself plenty of time and apply early. You can download the application, fill it out, and print it. Then take it to the post office (some, not all). You also need 2 passport pictures, your birth certificate, and a photo ID. Cost is now $97.00

I was banded almost 9 months ago in Mexico, and they warned us then that this was going on, and advised us to make sure to get ours taken care of before we were in need of a fill, or to be seen without warning. It is not a new thing---they knew of it back last April I know. We went and got my SIL's taken care of the week after we returned, and it took 3 weeks---but that was before the rush. We also noticed the cost for everything have went up in the last few weeks. She went to Walgreens and had her passport photo done, and she got 2 for $6.99---now they are "on sale" and 2 are $11.99!! You do not have to go to them---it was just handy, and quick, but even they are jumping on the bandwagon to make more money out of this!!

We did ours 2 years ago, or actually re-did them, and it was way less expensive. DH's work pays for ours, but I know it cost less!

Now everyone will have them, and we can all work on filling them up!

Kat