THE PASSPORT FLAP
It seemed a simple matter at the time. Congress passed the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act in 2004, requiring U.S. citizens and foreign nationals to present a passport or other secure ID when entering or returning to the U.S. from other countries, including nearby points in the Western Hemisphere.
The plan had the potential to seriously disrupt travel because thousands of people come and go every day without a passport, particularly on short trips to Canada and Mexico or on cruises to the Caribbean.
But the deadline was Jan. 1, 2008, a comfortable three years away.
Early on, the Departments of State and Homeland Security hatched a plan to implement the law in three phases, with the first phase taking effect on Dec. 31, 2005, when passports would be required for travelers entering the country by air or sea from Bermuda or points in the Caribbean and Central or South America.
After that, nothing went according to plan.
As public confusion threatened to cause a dip in travel, protests from destinations and industry groups led to a delay of the deadline for the first phase, but the protests continued throughout 2006 that the industry simply wasn't ready.
Uncle Sam wasn't ready either. Adding to the confusion were mixed signals from the administration about a low-cost passport alternative for U.S. residents, the proposed PASS card.
The confusion and complaining culminated in congressional intervention in September. In response to intense travel industry lobbying, Congress called for a deadline of January 2007 for air travelers and set June 1, 2009 as the absolute deadline for the passport requirement for land and sea travel -- or sooner if the administration could perfect the PASS card, coordinate with foreign governments and educate the public about the next step.
The legislation brought some certainty to a confusing process, but it didn't end the rancor among some destinations and suppliers that felt the burden of having a passport was not falling evenly on all travelers.
Adding a grace note in December, the Travel Industry Association and the Travel Business Roundtable rolled out a Web site at www.getapassportnow.com to clear the air for consumers, demystify the process, and provide links to official information from the governments of the U.S., Canada and Mexico -- arguably the smartest action taken during the whole imbroglio.
Credits: Travel Weekly
The plan had the potential to seriously disrupt travel because thousands of people come and go every day without a passport, particularly on short trips to Canada and Mexico or on cruises to the Caribbean.
But the deadline was Jan. 1, 2008, a comfortable three years away.
Early on, the Departments of State and Homeland Security hatched a plan to implement the law in three phases, with the first phase taking effect on Dec. 31, 2005, when passports would be required for travelers entering the country by air or sea from Bermuda or points in the Caribbean and Central or South America.
After that, nothing went according to plan.
As public confusion threatened to cause a dip in travel, protests from destinations and industry groups led to a delay of the deadline for the first phase, but the protests continued throughout 2006 that the industry simply wasn't ready.
Uncle Sam wasn't ready either. Adding to the confusion were mixed signals from the administration about a low-cost passport alternative for U.S. residents, the proposed PASS card.
The confusion and complaining culminated in congressional intervention in September. In response to intense travel industry lobbying, Congress called for a deadline of January 2007 for air travelers and set June 1, 2009 as the absolute deadline for the passport requirement for land and sea travel -- or sooner if the administration could perfect the PASS card, coordinate with foreign governments and educate the public about the next step.
The legislation brought some certainty to a confusing process, but it didn't end the rancor among some destinations and suppliers that felt the burden of having a passport was not falling evenly on all travelers.
Adding a grace note in December, the Travel Industry Association and the Travel Business Roundtable rolled out a Web site at www.getapassportnow.com to clear the air for consumers, demystify the process, and provide links to official information from the governments of the U.S., Canada and Mexico -- arguably the smartest action taken during the whole imbroglio.
Credits: Travel Weekly
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