The need for a US Passport

[floridacargocat]

See the latest on US passport requirements on http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20050405115609990002
Even though US citizens will have time until 2008, it makes entering the US easier if you have one.

[Abacoparrott]

The article does NOT mention that Bahamas travelers need a passport by 2008! Great news Axel......Ken

[JJ]

Having just gone through the process of getting U.S. passports renewed and new ones for the kids, I have to say that the process is pretty painless. Doesn't take much time, particularly for a renewal, which you can do by mail. For new passports, you can download the forms from the internet, get pictures taken almost anywhere (Walgreen's, Costco, etc), then take the forms to your County tax collector's office with an original birth certificate. We received our passports within about 4 weeks -- if you need them quicker, you can pay more for expedited service.

[hakmat]

This is the second or third thread when I've gotten the impression that travelers somehow object to having a passport. I travel a great deal and can't imagine leaving the U.S. without one, particularly in this day and age. What gives? It can't be the cost... if amortized over the lenth of time a passport is good for its pennies. It can't be an issue of personal privacy.. if weighed against the cost of security for our country it is worth the sacrifice. Plus it might speed up the lines at the ticket counters and immigration, less having to sort through various odd types of identification.. one quick scan of the barcode and you are on your way.
Personally, I don't think anyone should be allowed to enter the U.S.A. without a valid passport.
No offense meant, just my two cents.
Yours aye,
Hakmat

[floridacargocat]

The need for a passport extends to US citizens coming back from The Bahamas based on the revocation of the Western Hemisphere exemption (see the Intelligence Reform Bill). This covers Canada, and other nations on this hemisphere. So, Abacoparrot, no hurray, sorry.

[johnnycake]

You also now need a passport for a dog. My daughter came home from college for a week with her Yorkshire Dog. All her paper work was in order for her dog. My wife called before our daughter was going to return to Georgia from Abaco to make sure that there was no other paperwork required for the dog to return to the US. My wife called US immigration they told her that since she had the paperwork on the dog it would be OK but that a passport should be obtained for the dog. My wife said, "But this is a Yorkshire Terrior DOG?" The US immigration person said "Yes I know" APRIL FOOLS. (Yes it was the morning of April 1)

In regards to passports for Bahamians. All Bahamians are required to have a passport AND a US Visa obtained from the US embassy to travel to the United States. Some Visas are issued on a 1 trip basis or some visas are issued for a few years. Bottom line is, If a Bahamian arrives into the US and does not have a passport with a current Visa, they are denied entry into the United States and are put back on a plane the Bahamas.

[It'lldo]

Too funny Johnnycake, you had me going with the dog passport. We always take our dog and if a passport is what it takes then hey...whatever it takes.

[beachdreamin]

Did you know that you can get passports at the post office now? It began last year, I believe. You can apply at the post office, only during certain hours (call and they will tell you). If you download the forms first and have them filled out, as much as possible, the process goes pretty quickly.

[Abacoparrott]

I just don't understand why some folks seem happy to report that things are getting tougher........besides, for a counterfeiter, wouldn't it be just as easy to fake passports as ID's and birth certificates? I've always found it interesting the the Bahamas are perfectly happy to accept ID and birth certificate to enter their country and our own customs folks frown on it......hmmmmmm......ESPECIALLY since we apparently have a huge hole in security on the Mexican border. The US government often talks out of both sides of its mouth.......ken

[jeff&carin]

this whole topic is a waste of energy the whole world has changed ,including the bahamas, why doesnt everyone comply and move on, the time you all waste talking about this you all could have had obtained a passport by now. get over it and move on.

[Abacoparrott]

Most of us DO have passports and we STILL talk about it.......you can tell that we have waaaayyy too much time on our hands.....ken

[floridacargocat]

Click http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html, and you will see the implementation time table. Returning US travelers from the Caribbean (includes The Bahamas, isn't it?) will need a passport by latest
DECEMBER 31, 2005 as per this news bulletin. So get ready to obtain your passport, wether it is the current (non-biometric) version or the next generation biometric passports (available by the end of this year).

[AbacoPeach]

this whole topic is a waste of energy the whole world has changed ,including the bahamas, why doesnt everyone comply and move on, the time you all waste talking about this you all could have had obtained a passport by now. get over it and move on.
If you are going to do any air travel, whether in or out of the U.S., it is so much more efficient and convenient if you have a passport. It is a lot less hassle to apply for a passport than it is to renew your driver's license!

[Abaco Skippy]

Plus, as someone stated earlier, it saves time going through INS upon arrival and upon my return! ANYTHING that will shorten my time in an airport is OK with me! If everyone else would do the same thing, we would all be better off. Now we will be forced to. Why is this so tough to understand....more efficient, saves time, less paperwork, etc, etc.

[hakmat]

I'm not so sure a U.S. Passport would be that easy to fake. The new ones have a number of sophisticated protections built into them and if you don't have the right bar code for scanning you wouldn't get too far. I've read that the newest ones will also have a chip embedded in them for more protection. The last Birth Certificate I got was a photocopy on Office Max paper with an embossed stamp that anybody could replicate. Seems to me that the Passport is by far a more secure document.

Yours aye,
Hakmat