More Passport Confusion

Congress and President Bush have again delayed the passport requirement from 2008 until at least mid-2009. Travelers and those living along the borders of the United States can continue to freely cross the border with a picture id and birth certificate.

However, keep in mind if you plan on traveling to Canada by air or ship, you will need a passport.

Travel Travel Carlson Wagonlit recommends that every person traveling out of the United States get a passport. "It just makes things so much simpler, and in case something goes wrong, your passport ensures you will be able to make it back to your country. The prices for passports continue to rise and this law will come into affect at some point in time, so travelers might as well just apply now," said a Travel Travel Carlson Wagonlit representative.

The State Department issued a record 18.4 million passports in fiscal 2007, compared with 12.1 million in 2006. The number is expected to keep rising.

The delay of the passport requirement is a relief to many living along the borders. Many Canadian border residents and Americans alike are upset about the eventual passport requirement. Some feel it will make the borders a little less friendly.

The requirement would also hinder the economies of several border towns on both sides of the divide.

What do you think? Should travelers be required to have a passport to travel in-between Canada and the United States? Why?