Passport fees  increased July 13

New passport fees for the U.S. Passport Book, the U.S. Passport Card, and other passport services went into effect on Tuesday, July 13, 2010.  If applying for or renewing a passport after this date, visit the fees page on U.S. State Department site to learn the right fee so you don't slow down your application.

U.S. Passport Agencies  an Option When Traveling Within Two Weeks

If you need a passport in a hurry - less than two weeks - below is a list of U.S. Passport Agency websites where you can see how to make an appointment to apply for a new or renewed passport in person.

For more detailed info, go to TripNewsWire's
Passports and Visas page for their address, phone and hours.

Or, if you prefer to have a private agency do it for you, check out PassportsandVisas.com

• BOSTON
• CHICAGO
• COLORADO
• CONNECTICUT
• DALLAS
  
• DETROIT
  
• HONOLULU
  
• HOUSTON
• LOS ANGELES
• MIAMI
• MINNEAPOLIS
• NEW ORLEANS
• NEW YORK
• PHILADELPHIA
• SAN FRANCISCO
• SEATTLE

WASHINGTON DC

NEW! WESTERN PASSPORT CENTER in TUCSON, AZ

SPECIAL ISSUANCE Agency

Did you know?

U.S. Territories - No Passport Required

No passport is required for U.S. citizens to travel to the U.S. commonwealths and territories such as Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands -  St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas - as well as the following islands:

• _{American Samoa}
• _{Baker Island}
• _{Howland Island}
• _Guam
• _{Jarvis Island}
• _{Johnston Atoll}
• _{Kingman Reef}
• _{Midway Islands}
• _{Navassa Island}
• _{Northern Mariana Islands}
• _Palau
• _{Palmyra Atoll}
• _{Wake Island.}

Puerto Rico Passes New Birth Certificate Law

So far, will not affect
their U.S. passports

The Puerto Rican government has passed a new law that will invalidate all Puerto Rican birth certificates starting July 1, 2010.

The Department of State is currently accepting Puerto Rican birth certificates for passport services and will do so until further policy is announced. The new law does not affect individuals who currently have United States passports.

For more information on the Puerto Rican birth certificate law, please visit the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration website:

http://www.prfaa.com/birthcertificates/.

Canada changes
refugee laws

Visiting Canada: Who is eligible

To visit Canada, you must:

• have a valid travel document, such as a passport
• be in good health
• satisfy an immigration officer that you have ties, such as a job, home and family, that will take you back to your country of origin
• satisfy an immigration officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your visit and
• have enough money for your stay. The amount of money you will need can vary with the circumstances of the visit, how long you will stay and whether you will stay in a hotel or with friends or relatives. For more information, ask the Canadian visa office in your country or region.

You may also need:

• a Temporary Resident Visa, depending on your citizenship (see Visas and Exemptions below)
• a medical examination and
• a letter of invitation from someone who lives in Canada.

Travel documents

Transport companies, such as airlines, must ensure you have proper, valid travel documents when you enter Canada. If you do not have the proper documents, you may be delayed or denied boarding.

Visas and exemptions

You may or may not need a Temporary Resident Visa to visit Canada, depending on your citizenship. Even if you are exempt, though, there is important information you need to know before you plan your trip.

If you need a visa, see How to Apply for a Visa in the Learn About section below to find out how to get your visa.

If you do not need a visa, see Visa Exempt – Important Information for Travellers in the Learn About section below.

If you are not sure, see Do You Need a Visa? in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page.

Inadmissibility

Some people are inadmissible—they are not allowed to come to Canada. Several things can make you inadmissible, including involvement in criminal activity, in human rights violations or in organized crime. You can also be inadmissible for security, health or financial reasons.

Criminal inadmissibility

If you have committed or been convicted of a criminal offence, you may not be allowed to enter Canada.

Criminal offences include both minor and serious offences, such as theft, assault, manslaughter, dangerous driving and driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. For a complete list of criminal offences in Canada, consult the Canadian Criminal Code.

If you were convicted of a crime when you were under the age of 18, you can probably still enter Canada. See the Related Links at the bottom of this page for more information about admissibility.

FreeTranslation.com Offers Online Language Learning

FreeTranslation.com has partnered with Transparent Language to bring together a comprehensive collection of learning resources for people who are learning a language.

Specially designed for those learning a language, you will find the BYKI™ 'Word Of the Day', learning cards, language and local culture blogs, survival phrases, online tests, as well as online games.

So whether you are French, German or searching Spanish survival phrases, you can get free express software to help with learning a language, and access to discounts on complete language learning packages. Language learning resources are available if you are learning Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish.

FreeTranslation.com also offers the ability to translate words and phrases online from English into these languages, as well as instantly translate many languages into English.

 

The TSA Blog

The following is a recent blog from the TSA which TripNewsWire finds useful to world travelers

TSA Goes Mobile 07.26.2010

Whether you fly twice a month or a few times a year, if you get injured on vacation, lose your ID, or pick up a special souvenir on a trip, you might need information to help you get through the security checkpoint. We know that sometimes those questions come late at night, on a weekend, or right before you leave for your trip, so you don’t have a lot of time to get the answer.

• Just type the item, for example, “baseball bat” – don’t include “my,” “a.”
• Only enter one item at a time.
• Make sure you’ve spelled the item correctly.
• Enter “deodorant” instead of “Old Spice Deodorant.” In most cases, avoid brand names.
• Instead of typing a general item like “food,” be more specific and type “apple,” “sandwich,” or “yogurt.”

The “TSA Guide” includes information on TSA’s liquids rules, information on IDs, and tips for military travelers, travelers with children and those with special needs.

Volcanoes, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes and other natural travel disasters

Tropical storms,  hurricanes, earthquakes, floods and even volcanoes can cause  travel interruptions and air traffic delays -- reason to really check your destination's current weather and read up on what to do if caught in weather -- before you go.  

 The U.S. State Department has issued a current hurricane season warning
that tells travelers what to do when traveling overseas and a hurricane hits.

Our World Weather page has links to the weather centers in specific countries, plus the Pacific Disaster Center has news  and maps of impending world disasters. The USGS Hazards page has updates for U.S. situations and if you like to see things as they happen, NASA has a site with great live photos.

Although the widespread travel disruption caused by the Iceland volcano is over, at least for now, TripNewsWire says take note - U.S. embassies throughout Europe offered assistance to U.S. citizens during the crisis and are there to help you if something similar happens again. Check out our U.S. Embassies Overseas page and go to the embassy page of the country you are traveling to - write down their address and phone number, just to have in case you can't get to the internet when abroad.

And if traveling to a region affected by a natural disaster, TripNewsWire says call your airline first to check schedules - if your flight has been canceled ask to be "reaccommodated" to the next flight or "protected" on another airline. 

 
Is there an entry tax? Do I need a visa?

TripNewsWire was created to provide quick, easy to understand answers to your world travel questions.

For example, Argentina recently  joined Chile in charging a hefty $131 entry tax to U.S. citizens upon arrival. Called a "reciprocal" tax since we charge them the same amount to come to the U.S., the tax is and payable by credit card - whew - and good for 10 years,  still a shocker if you didn't check with your airline or a consulate beforehand.

So we say check the rules for entry taxes, visas, customs, etc. at the time of booking and again the day before you go.

The best place to go for this info is the country's embassy or consulate web page - not always easy to find online.

So on TripNewsWire, we have a list of foreign embassies in D.C. as well as some of the major country's foreign consulates in the U.S.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) Travel Centre website enables you to type in your destination to find out a number of useful travel facts --  airport taxes, currencies, what documents you need and other basic travel information all in one fell swoop. This is what most of the airlines use when you call them for international document requirements.

The U.S. State Department also has A to Z Country Specific Information about visas, taxes, news and other travel questions -  although be certain to go to this link vs. the other A to Z link that simply has a map and flag on it. The country specific link is also good for looking up current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts. 






Tips for Traveling Abroad

The U.S. State Department provides  detailed information about steps you can take to ensure a safe trip, see How to Have a Safe Trip.  Meanwhile, here are some quick tips to make your travel easier and safer:  

• Register so the State Department can better assist you in an emergency:  Register your travel plans  with the State Department through a free online service at https://travelregistration.state.gov.  This will help us contact you if there is a family emergency in the U.S., or if there is a crisis where you are traveling.  In accordance with the Privacy Act, information on your welfare and whereabouts will not be released to others without your express authorization.
  
  
• Sign passport, and fill in the emergency information:  Make sure you have a signed, valid passport, and a visa, if required, and fill in the emergency information page of your passport.
  
  
• Leave copies of itinerary and passport data page:  Leave copies of your itinerary, passport data page and visas with family or friends, so you can be contacted in case of an emergency.
  
  
• Check your overseas medical insurance coverage:  Ask your medical insurance company if your policy applies overseas, and if it covers emergency expenses such as medical evacuation.  If it does not, consider supplemental insurance.
  
  
• Familiarize yourself with local conditions and laws:   While in a foreign country, you are subject to its laws.  The State Department web site at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1765.html has useful safety and other information about the countries you will visit. 
  
  
• Take precautions to avoid being a target of crime:  To avoid being a target of crime, do not wear conspicuous clothing or jewelry and do not carry excessive amounts of money.  Also, do not leave unattended luggage in public areas and do not accept packages from strangers.
  
  
• Contact us in an emergency: Consular personnel at U.S. Embassies and Consulates abroad and in the U.S. are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to provide emergency assistance to U.S. citizens.  Contact information for U.S. Embassies and Consulates appears on the Bureau of Consular Affairs website at http://travel.state.gov.  Also note that the Office of Overseas Citizen Services in the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs may be reached for assistance with emergencies at 1-888-407-4747, if calling from the U.S. or Canada, or 202-501-4444, if calling from overseas.
  
  

Travel Warning

June 15, 2010

The U.S. Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the risks of travel to Nigeria and continues to recommend U.S. citizens to avoid all but essential travel to the Niger Delta states of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers; the Southeastern states of Abia, Edo, and Imo; and the city of Jos in Plateau State, because of the risks of kidnapping, robbery, and other armed attacks in these areas. Violent crime committed by individuals and gangs, as well as by persons wearing police and military uniforms, is a problem throughout the country.  This replaces the Travel Warning for Nigeria dated May 24, 2010, to update information on violent activity and crime in Nigeria. Read More

   Thailand

May 27, 2010

The Department of State warns U.S. citizens traveling to and residing in Thailand of recent political demonstrations and unrest in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Due to recent violence in central Bangkok, demonstrations in Chiang Mai, and other incidents throughout Thailand, the Department of State recommends against non-essential travel to Thailand at this time.  The Department of State earlier authorized the departure of all non-emergency U.S. government personnel and eligible family members from Bangkok.  This replaces the Travel Warning dated May 15, 2010, to provide updated information on the security situation in Thailand. Read More

       Burundi

The State Department warns U.S. citizens of the risks of travel to Burundi before, during, and after nationwide elections scheduled from May to September 2010. This notice replaces the Travel Warning for Burundi, dated July 22, 2009, to provide information regarding travel to and within Burundi during the election period, as well as revised information on security restrictions for Embassy personnel.  

Burundi was plagued by a civil war from 1993 to 2006 that often involved non-governmental and non-combatant targets.  In December 2008, the government and the last rebel group, the PALIPEHUTU–FNL, signed their final cease-fire agreement. The rebels have since demobilized and were transitioned into an officially-recognized political party known only as the FNL. In the past, Burundi has experienced violence in Bujumbura and other areas of the country throughout campaign seasons, elections, and in the weeks following the announcements of election results. Read More

Cote D'Ivoire

Travel Warning

May 12, 2010

The Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the continued risks of traveling to Cote d’Ivoire and urges them to exercise caution while traveling there.  This replaces the Travel Warning for Cote d’Ivoire dated September 22, 2009 to update information on the security and political situation, and to advise of the increased probability of political demonstrations and unrest.  Read More

The Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the risks of travel to Niger and recommends against all travel to the north of the country due to kidnapping threats against Westerners.   

Al-Qaida in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), a terrorist group, continues its attempts to kidnap Westerners, including U.S. citizens in Niger, and has been successful in kidnapping Europeans in the region. On April 20, a French citizen was kidnapped by a group affiliated with AQIM in a location west of Agadez.  In November 2009, heavily armed individuals attempted to kidnap U.S. embassy officials in Tahoua.    Read More

May 03, 2010

The Department of State continues to warn U.S. citizens of the risks of travel to certain areas of Georgia. This Travel Warning replaces the one dated April 9, 2009, and updates advice to U.S. citizens in Georgia.

American citizens are urged not to travel to the separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia and to be aware that the potential exists for gunfire, increased risk of crime, and ongoing potential for violence in these and areas adjacent to these regions. Read More