New Passport Relief Good News for Oklahoma Travelers
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Many Oklahomans finding themselves without passports due to a new federal regulation set in place by the United States State Department may see a bit of summer relief. House Minority Leadership along with State Department officials have worked to temporarily suspend new passport regulations that took effect this year resulting in a significant increase in passport processing time. The new suspension will be in place until September 30, 2007, allowing Oklahoma summer travelers to still travel to certain areas without a passport.
"These new regulations will help alleviate some of the summer travel stress for many Oklahomans by allowing them to travel in and out of specific areas with their proof of passport application and official government issued identification," Congressman Cole said. "I am happy to see the administration take the first step in assisting summer travelers with their plans; however, this suspension will only last until September 30, 2007, so those travelers planning fall or holiday vacations should still apply for their passports as soon as possible."
According to the State Department website, adults who have applied for but not yet received a passport should present government-issued photo identification, such as a state issued driver's license, a state issued identification card, or military identification and an official proof of application from the U.S. Department of State. Children under the age of 16 traveling with their parents or legal guardian will be permitted to travel with the child's proof of application. Travelers who have not applied for a passport should not expect to be accommodated. U.S. citizens with pending passport applications can obtain proof of application at: https://travel.state.gov.
The suspension only applies to those travelers entering Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda. It does not affect any requirements to travel to and from other countries. Americans traveling to countries that require passports must still present those documents. Beginning as early as 2008, all U.S. citizens traveling by air, land and sea will be required to present a valid passport.
Travelers planning on traveling in and out of the continental United States should keep in mind the following tips.
· Travelers who have applied for passports should monitor the status of the application online at https://travel.state.gov/passport. Customers may track the progress of their applications within one week of applying. The online status check will verify that the application is in process, and will update to confirm that the completed passport has been mailed.
· If a customer is within two weeks of travel and the website does not show that the passport is completed, traveler s should call the National Passport Information Center (NPIC) at 1-877-487-2778 for information and assistance in arranging to have their passports ready for their trips.
· Travelers not needing immediate assistance should leave phone lines opened for those with immediate travel needs.
· Travelers who benefit from the flexibility permitted for travel to Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean and Bermuda do not need to contact the NPIC about their application. Passport applications will continue to be processed.
· Applicants traveling in two to three weeks may apply using expedite service at their nearest passport acceptance facility. The nearest passport acceptance facility may be found at https://iafdb.travel.state.gov/.
· Applicants traveling in less than two weeks who have not applied for a passport should contact NPIC by email using the form at https://travel.state.gov/passport/about/npic/npic_896.html.
· Applicants should be sure to indicate on their application their travel plans and departure date.
· Applicants requesting and paying for expedited service must write "EXPEDITE" on the outside of the envelopes containing their application.
· Travelers who have not applied for passports should do so as soon as possible.
· Complete information on how to apply for a passport is available at the Consular Affairs website, https://travel.state.gov.
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