Passport to Confusion

Rules Change Again for Americans, Air Travel, and Passports

Just when one thought the passport rules were relaxed for the summer of 2007, it seems that an entirely new timeline has been created for U.S. citizens traveling outside of the United States on airlines. If you blink fast, the rules could be changed again.

New passport rules for air travel came into effect January 23, 2007. Included in these rules was a passport requirement for air travel to countries such as Canada and Mexico, where previously only proof of citizenship was required for U.S. citizens.

In early June, record demand and a backlog on passports led to the government amending its policy - temporarily. Until September 30, if you applied for a passport, but hadn't received it, you could still travel by air - if you could prove you had applied for your passport.

But now, another passport policy flip flop - the government has voted to extend the passport deadline for air travels to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean to 2009! It is not clear of the exact date, and it seems that there have been no changes to the 2008 deadline of having a passport for travel by land or sea.