For those of us that visit Baja, starting in 2008 the State Department will require us to have passports.
Americans will need passports to re-enter the United States from Canada, Mexico, Panama and Bermuda by 2008, part of a tightening of U.S. border controls in an era of terrorist threat, three administration officials said Tuesday.
That’s good to know. I contemplated not even bringing my passport when moving down here. I wonder if a passport is really more difficult to forge than a driver’s license though. My passport looks like it was made at Kinko’s.
Making you have a passport seems pretty logical. I know at the US Mexico border, they would just ask if you’re a citizen. If you seemed nervous, they’d ask for ID. There’s a lot of good liars out there.
I fear this will be devastating to border town economies that rely on shopping and tourism. How many of the people who patronize TJ bars (the weekend drinking crowd) or restaurants have Passports?
The last time I checked, an adult passport cost less then $100 and was good for $10 years. It’s a small price to pay for a little increase in security at the border.
$100 for an occasional trip south of the border is expensive to some people.
I don’t know for sure, but my hunch is that most Americans don’t have passports. Most people I’ve asked don’t even know where you get them.
On the matter of security I say b$%& b$#%. People interested in getting into this country for malicious purposes can get whatever documents they need.
Forgot to mention, in response to Thai’s comment:
After 9/11 every person is asked for identification, not just citizenship. If you don’t have ID, expect delays and interrogation. If you’re American, you’re expected to have a State ID or Drivers license. This has been my experience at the US/Mexico border.
It’s 2008 and still no passport requirements. This new requirement keeps getting pushed back further and further!!! Last time I came across the border a couple weeks ago they asked that I have a state issued ID AND birth certificate but I don’t typically carry my passport on me and they let me cross and asked that I bring it next time.