Passports - Bracing for new Mexico & Canada border rules
Could the rules for crossing borders get more confusing? You need a passport to leave the country. No, wait. To return from Canada and Mexico, you need one only if you fly. If you drive or go by sea, an oral declaration plus a government-issued photo ID are enough. No, wait. Starting Thursday, you will need at least a birth certificate plus the ID. Um … unless you’re 18 or under. Then a birth certificate is enough.
Cross a border. Carry a passport. How hard is that? This being America, it’s way more complicated, thanks to some businesses, foreign governments and travel interests that have lobbied against tightening borders, even as they say they support the goal. Add a compliant Congress and government bungling, such as last year’s passport backlog at the State Department, and you’ve got a snarl of shifting rules that rivals an IRS form.
Riding to the rescue, at last, is U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Department of Homeland Security. Under fire for not adequately publicizing Thursday’s changes, the agency is posting a 30-second public service announcement [Windows Media audio file, opens in a new window] on its website that it will soon ship to broadcast outlets, said spokeswoman Kelly Klundt. Sung by Canadian Shirley Myers, the country-flavored song has lyrics only a bureaucrat could love (rhyming “common sense” and “documents”), but at least it delivers the message.
Klundt told me her agency has held 18 media events in two weeks on the border-rule changes. But she said a lack of money has hampered the campaign. “There are markets out there that we need to get into,” she said. “We will be able to ramp up and expand our communication efforts now that we have funding.”
As for the changeover Thursday, Klundt promised that border officers will be merciful. “We will not deny entry to a bona fide U.S. citizen,” she said, “but if you have documents, it’s going to help you cross the border.”
She added, “We’re not expecting any significant delays.” Stay tuned.
See my related passport story about rising U.S. passport fees.
— Jane Engle, Assistant Los Angeles Times Travel Editor
[Audio courtesy U.S. Customs and Border Protection]
18 Comments on “Passports - Bracing for new Mexico & Canada border rules”
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January 30th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
I have been going to Canada for 30 years and never a problem at the Boarders. This is just another President Bush thing to get more money out of the public to run his war.It is time the US improves reationships with Canada, and not find ways to close the boarders.
January 31st, 2008 at 10:10 am
Over the years I have watched the deterioration of the the status of America in the world. For most of my adult life I have defended America, not only to other Canadians but to people from other parts of the world as well. Whenever there was a complaint from a Canadian about the Americans my stock reply was,”who else would you rather have along that 3,000 miles of border?” the reply was inevitably ‘well, I guess your right’ or some other confirmation that we are both very fortunate to have each other as neighbours. As for other nationalities when they made unjust complaints, I would ask them “If your country suffered a natural catastrophe or were attacked by an aggressive neighbour to whom would you turn for help?” sometimes after a bit of prodding there was reluctantly a confirmation that ultimately America would be the one to come to the rescue.
Sadly, I can no longer be so confident in my gratitude. We have watched as America has become increasingly a pariah in the world
No longer the proud (if sometimes arrogant) just (though occasionally misguided) example of rule of law and rights the world has looked up to for these last 232 years. America has slowly declined from being a hero and beacon of light to a dark eyed bully. Like a bully, fearful of his own vulnerability and trying to make everyone else more afraid of him than he is of them.
America has nothing to fear from Canada, there is no reason for increasing border security to try to protect yourselves from any threat real or imagined from Canada or anyone else which cannot be much better defended against by returning to the America that I knew and I, like many others in the world, loved. The America that stood for something we all wanted and want now, Freedom, Justice and the Human Rights we all should enjoy.
Please America, Americans, For the good of the world, but more than that for your own good, return to your place as a beacon and a hero to the friends you once had and the people you once inspired.
Nothing else you do will bring you more security than this.
Regards
Brian
January 31st, 2008 at 12:35 pm
[...] The rules are actually more complicated than that, but carrying a passport is your best bet. [...]
February 6th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
People need to stop attacking our president as if he is the enemy. We all voted in an effort to get the president we thought would run this country better then the president before. These rules and guidelines are put into place to protect ALL of Americas citizens. Yes it may be tougher to travel then before but in the end I believe it is well worth it. OUR soldiers who are overseas are fighting for our freedom to travel,speak,eat,wear whatever we want, and live where ever we want to live. People need to stop bashing our president and our troops for with out them we would be nothing and you would have nothing. It is time American citizens take back America and if that means we have to imply new rules that inconvenience us to better protect us then that is what we need to do. If you don’t like that then maybe you need to move out of America!
February 7th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
It is time to say NO to more laws restricting our freedoms and get back the freedoms this administration has stolen from us. For you people who are still quivering and want more laws to feel safer. I suggest going to the nearest clinic and having yourself neutered. We don’t need your kind in this country.
February 7th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
When did taking back America become forcing more rules on the citizens? Giving up more freedoms is not going to “take back America”. Did you forget what America is about? I think most people forgot. To be honest, making ridiculous laws at our borders is NOT going to keep terrorist from doing anything. People need to stop living so scared. Just live your life. Stop letting all the media fairy tales scare you into being afraid of everything.
P.S. Brian D…..awesome post
February 7th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
There’s nothing like putting all of your personal, and highly valued, information in a device which without much effort, can be hacked into, examined, copied, and then exploited byt theives. I applaud the idiot that dreamed this one up.
February 7th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
Have the supporters of increased restrictions seen the Canadian border? It’s HUGE (and in many places wooded and mountainous). How these new restrictions are going to keep out terrorists is beyond my comprehension. The Israeli’s can’t control the borders of Gaza which is, I believe, less than 15 miles long. What the restrictions will keep out are honest Americans like me, with families, who can’t afford passports.
February 7th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
No, Charlene, WE didn’t all vote for Bush, YOU voted for him. Why don’t you go ahead and say that our soldiers are fighting for us to drive SUVs, shop at Walmart, watch porn on the Internet, and play with our iPods?? You have completely missed what it means to have a democracy, and for that, you assume that the wars and the trampling of the Constitution is just for you.
February 7th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
Now this is sad but true…..
I have two cousins, one is 16 and the other is 17, that were born in the United States but raised in Guadalajara, Mexico. So obviously, the only documents that they only had was a birth certificate and their social security card. And on January 15, I picked both of them up from the Tijuana airport and headed back to the Los Angeles. Once I arrived at the border checkpoint at the borderline. The border agent started questioning who I was and who the minors where.. Understandable…
.But….it got interested when he started saying that my cousins needed a passport. I was shocked because this agent was insisting that without a proper passport my cousins were not going to be able to enter the United States. Even though they had a legitimate birth certificate document, the agent went as far as saying that my cousins were not U.S. citizens. I was completely pissed off at this fellow and mentioned that he was taking the law into his own hands. The agent also insisted that my cousins should go back to Guadalajara and take care of the passports because that is the only place that they can get them…With that comment I was completely shocked. The agent was allowing me to pass without my cousins. This guy wanted me to leave behind two U.S. citizens, which are minors, at Tijuana and on their own…
It took me about an hour to talk to the supervisor in charge to justify that my cousins are United States citizens… The agents at that hour did not want to admit that they were wrong and just allowed me to leave after that hour after when they verified and searched their computer system… that my cousins were U.S citizens.
In conclusion…Thanks Mr. President. I feel very safe…
February 7th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
To Brian D from Canada - I only wish we could return to what was! Since we can’t, I only wish I could move to Canada - but I’m too old. Here’s to the good old days with love from south of the good border!
February 7th, 2008 at 11:02 pm
Anyone who thinks we have to take BACK! our country truly is confused. We never lost. This country has always been and always will be of latin american people. They have rigorously cultivated these lands long before any of you arrived, and will continue to do so. This topic always comes up and becomes in issue when it is convenieant to distort from the truth. Our president, who was voted in by just about half of the american people in this country, deserve what they have to deal with. He has always mislead us. Everything that he has promised has turned out to be the complete opposite, and he was this kind of a man before he became President. He has been a failure in everything he has been a part of. So what we have now does not surprise. So you must distinguish the difference. This has nothing to do with what our troops are doing. They take orders and they have a job to do, and i beleive every single american truly supports them. I know, I whole heartedly do, regardless of the presidents agenda. As far as legal documentation to get in & out of our country. Perfect. We need to know who enters. Those that are here illegally, it is not there fault. we created this mess, we encouraged it, we to this day, still legitimize it by still using thier services. We need to stop hating and start being humane about this & stop destroying families. Atleast give those that are here temporary work permits with time limits. Separating families, mothers, daughters, fathers or brothers is tuly sad. We are beter than this. We are americans, where is our compassion for one another.
February 8th, 2008 at 2:04 am
From Ron Paul’s website…
“The biggest threat to your privacy is the government. We must drastically limit the ability of government to collect and store data regarding citizens’ personal matters.
We must stop the move toward a national ID card system. All states are preparing to issue new driver’s licenses embedded with “standard identifier” data — a national ID. A national ID with new tracking technologies means we’re heading into an Orwellian world of no privacy. I voted against the Real ID Act in March of 2005. ”
Ron Paul is still in the running for president. He can win with your support!
He’s moved up to 3rd place behind Huck.
There are about 20 primaries/caucuses to go.
You may have already wasted your vote in the elections here, but you can still vote with your wallet in these other primaries and help Ron Paul win!
Donate to the Ron Paul campaign:
http://www.ronpaul2008.com/donate
February 8th, 2008 at 5:59 am
One more step in the Nazification of America.
February 8th, 2008 at 8:21 am
Why not just get a passport and go out there and discover a beautiful, wonderful world?
February 8th, 2008 at 8:50 am
*laughs* People honestly don’t see it when the government does it gradually, and to protect America from “outsiders” America was built by foreigners, brick by brick, rail by rail. Xenophobia and bigotry are always easy buttons to push to make people afraid and panicky.
February 8th, 2008 at 9:01 am
An excellent first step in protecting our Way of Life. But we need to have, say, the attorney general or one of his minions add to the passport the essential information of whether we’re Good People or Evil-doers.
February 18th, 2008 at 9:54 am
While I do NOT support the current administration, it kills me to see how many people complain about securing our borders. While Candadians or Mexicans may not be crossing to attack us, TERRORIST do cross the weak borders of Canada and Mexico. In addition to securing our borders, ALL immigration should be halted and our government needs to start taking care of the people that are here, not people from other countries. It is unfair that Mexico gets singled out, what about the middle east? Why are we allowing them to come here?