If you plan to cross the border

[baronessekat]

This goes for US and Canadian citizens...

After this weekend I went and looked up the new regs for crossing the border. If you don't have a passport or other proof of citizenship... get it now so that you aren't scrambling come end of July.

The rules are:

U.S. Citizens
Beginning January 31, 2008, the United States will end the practice of accepting oral declarations of citizenship at the border.
• U.S. citizens ages 19 and older must present documentation that proves both identity and citizenship. Identification documents must include a photo, name and date of birth. View the complete list of acceptable documents at CBP.gov.

Canadian Citizens
Beginning January 31, 2008, the United States will end the practice of accepting oral declarations of citizenship at the border.
• Canadian citizens ages 19 and older must present documentation that proves both identity and citizenship. Identification documents must include a photo, name and date of birth. View the complete list of acceptable documents at CBP.gov.

Drivers' Licenses are no longer proof enough with you saying "I'm Canadian" or "I'm American"

When I last spoke to the folks at the US postal service (a place we can turn in US passport and passport card applications), they have been told the usual processing time is 4-6 weeks though some have gotten them in as little as 3 weeks.

Comments

[much-ado.livejournal.com]

if you live in a city with a passport office, you may be able to walk your application in and get it processed in even less time than that. here in ontario, if i walk into my local passport office (as i have to do later this week to renew my current passport), i'll get my replacement in ~10 days. check your federal passport websites as well; you may be able to expedite the application process by filling out the "paperwork" online and simply completing the process at a regional walk-in office.

again, my experience is all from north of the border, and i expect american beaurocratic mileage will vary wildly :)

[deadised.livejournal.com]

Vary wildly is true:) I got my personal one in about 3 weeks. Still no sign of the "official" one. The walk-in offices in the US are typically post offices. Many of the larger ones have a dedicated line for Passport processing. In all cases, however, the application, fees, and photos must go to the Dept of State in Washington and the completed passport will arrive in the mail some time later. There used to be an "expedited process" (for an additional fee), but my understanding is that due to demand, they are no longer offering that.

This is only valid for NEW US passports, btw. I still believe you can get replacements online in a much shorter time... but I'm not positive on that.