Travel Agent - August 6, 2007 - (Page 17)

not big enough. But we can promise to make the passport headache you’ve been feeling for the last year or so throb a little less by providing some clarity on the subject. We will also give you a brief overview of what visa facts you should be sharing with clients. Relaxing Passport Restrictions The WHTI was mandated by Congress in the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 to strengthen border security and facilitate entry into the United States for citizens and legitimate international visitors. WHTI requirements for air travel took effect this past January. U.S. Rep. John E. Peterson (R-Pleasantville) announced in early June that the Departments of State and Homeland Security relaxed current travel restrictions for U.S. citizens traveling abroad within the Western Hemisphere in response to an overwhelming backlog of passport applications. It was recently reported that an official with the State Department said the department had predicted that passport issuance would rise from 12.1 million last year to 16.2 million this year with the implementation in January of new national security rules requiring those returning by air from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda to present a passport. That is number was about 2 million off, as applications are expected to approach 18 million this year. The normal six-week waiting period for getting a passport swelled to 12 weeks this spring. Many people mistakenly believed that the passport requirement also applied to land and sea entry, even though that phase of the law won’t go into effect until 2008 at the earliest. The State Department has responded to the backlog through such steps as hiring 2,500 new staff members over the past three years, ordering young diplomats to help clear the backlog, operating two or three shifts at passport offices and opening some offices on Saturday for emergency appointments. But hiring additional staff members is not a quick and easy solution, since it takes someone at least two months to be certified as an adjudicator. Adjudication is the process of approving a passport. An adjudicator is someone who reviews the application and constituted the proper background check to make sure someone qualifies for a passport. “There is a lot of confusion about when a passport is required,” says Margie Jordan of ASAP Travel in Jacksonville, FL. “‘Do I need a passport to cruise?’ is a common question I get. With the ever-changing passport requirements, you can’t just give a general answer anymore. You should determine where your clients’ destination is and the method of travel (air, car, or ship). All of those will be determining factors in providing the correct answer. In addition, with the latest relaxation of the requirements, proof of application in some instances is enough.” Proof of Passport Application Adults who have applied for but have not yet received a passport should present government-issued photo identification and an official proof of application from the U.S. Department of State. Children under the age of 16 traveling with their parents or legal guardian will be permitted to travel with the child’s proof of application status document. “I feel like with each change or relaxation of the requirement, the more confusion there seems to be,” Jordan says. “It’s less black and white and very gray now.” Children traveling alone should carry a copy of their birth certificate, baptismal record or a hospital record of birth in the United States in addition to their passport application status documentation. This accommodation applies to all American citizens who apply for passports until September 30, when this accommodation period ends. U.S. citizens with pending passport applications can obtain proof of application at http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/ status/status_2567.html. The concept that all a traveler needs to get on the plane is the official receipt of passport application and photo ID, as opposed to having to produce proof of citizenship (a certified birth certificate copy) and picture ID to take a cruise vacation, is confusing to clients, as well as flawed, says Colleen Gillette of NYbased New Paltz Travel Center. “That, coupled with fact that the countries being visited have entry requirements that sometimes do not match the documentation rules of the United States government, has become overwhelming to some passengers,” Gillette says. “My business has suffered because of it. We have counseled far too many potential customers this year who had not applied for their passports in a timely fashion. They were extremely disappointed when we had to tell them of our professional reservations and reluctance in committing them to a booking with cancellation penalties that will not be covered by travel insurance if passports are not received in time for travel.” Agents such Heather Dolstra of Democracy Travel in Washington D.C. recommend directing clients to the State Department web site (www.travel.stat. gov) to make sure that their application is recognized as being in process. If the Continued on page 18 I The Problem: Ever-changing passport regulations are creating confusion among clients and could be costing agents money. I Guide Them: There are a lot of precautions clients can take to ensure that they receive a passport before their trip. I Be Smart: Tell clients what they need to know; explain what is required when they travel. Tell them why everything is backed up. Let your clients know that you are on top of the changing rules. August 6, 2007 TravelAgent 17. http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/status/status_2567.html http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/status/status_2567.html http://www.travel.state.gov http://www.travel.state.gov

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - August 6, 2007

Contents Editor's Letter News You Can Use Cover Story - Passports and Visas: What Clients Should Know About Them EUROPE: Capella Debuts Two Properties This Year LAS VEGAS: The De-Theming of Luxor HAWAII: Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea Renovates CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA: Cruising the Panama Canal Lavishly CARIBBEAN & BAHAMAS: Bahamas’ Grand Isle Resort & Spa News and Notes Meet the U.S.V.I.’s Tourism Commissioner CRUISES: Defining Regent Seven Seas HOTELS: InterContinental Harbor Court Baltimore Agent Exchange Luxury Travel Expo Update Ad and Edit Index Classified Marketplace People & Places

Travel Agent - August 6, 2007

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