Passports or ID cards will be required, effective June 1
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — Officials with the National Passport Center and Customs and Border Protection were on hand April 23 at the Mark and Emily Turner Memorial Library in Presque Isle to raise awareness of the changes in international travel laws that will go into effect June 1 as dictated by the last phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
JAN BARKER, customer service manager with the National Passport Center in Portsmouth, N.H., displays an wallet-sized ID card, one of two forms of ID that will be accepted at borders as of June 1. Pictured in the background are Allison and Ruth Ewings, of Littleton, who attending a meeting at the Mark and Emily Turner Memorial Library in Presque Isle to apply for their passports.
Under the initiative, individuals traveling across the border between Maine and Canada will be required to present a passport or other documentation that proves identity and citizenship when entering the U.S., based on the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. Air travelers have been required to present such documentation when traveling since Jan. 23, 2007.
The library served as a processing center, with officials meeting with applicants to help fill out paperwork and answer questions.
“This is the first leg of a four-week northern border tour. We started in Machias and will be going all the way to Buffalo, N.Y.,” said Jan Barker, customer service manager with the National Passport Center in Portsmouth, N.H.
Barker said the tour is designed to make people aware of the requirements.
“Starting June 1, travelers will need approved documents to cross the border,” she said.
Two documents are suitable for this purpose, according to Barker.
“The passport book is the traditional form of identification for travelers. Those cost $100 for adults applying for them or an adult who hasn’t updated their passport in the past 15 years. If renewing, it costs $75,” she said.
The second option is a card, similar in size and appearance to a driver’s license.
“The passport card is a new product that meets the requirements of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. It costs $45 for adults,” said Barker, noting savings are available if a person wants both items.
“If you already have a passport or apply for both, the card is an additional $20,” said Barker. “There’s a $25 execution fee for first-time document processing, to have someone review documents.”
Like a driver’s license, each item has an expiration date.
“Each product is good for 10 years,” said Barker.
Passports cost $85 for minors, under 16 years of age, with the card cost for minors set at $35.
“Minors always have to appear when an application for a minor is presented,” said Barker.
Barker said the cards are primarily designed for people who live in border communities.
“The wallet-size card is only good for travel by land or sea, such as travel by ferry or the CAT to Nova Scotia. It can’t be used for aircraft travel. It can also be used for ID purposes domestically,” said Barker.
Barker said the card can speed up traffic at the border, since it has a chip imbedded that allows for faster processing when crossing the border.
“The card has a chip and works similar to an Easy Pass. A traveler can put their card up to a reader and the number stored in the card is then read electronically. It acts as a key to computerized data, providing officials at the border with your information, thus speeding up the process of clearing you at the border,” she said.
While not all border crossings have the technology in place right now, sites that do, according to Barker, have special lanes to use the card, speeding up travel.
“The Buffalo Peace Bridge is the second place in the country to employ card use,” said Barker.
Barker said the initiative came about as the result of the events of 9-11.
Littleton residents Allison and Ruth Ewings were on hand at the library, applying for their passports. The couple said they have a number of reasons to travel between Maine and Canada and plan to use their passports on a regular basis.
“I go for medical care. I see a doctor in Canada,” said Allison Ewing, a U.S. Army veteran.
“I have relatives there. I go to Canada to see family,” said Ruth Ewings.
Barker said the U.S. was one of the last countries to implement use of a passport when crossing the border into another country. She said the use of such documentation will make it easier to ensure safe borders and the safety of travelers as well.
“The 9-11 Commission, at the recommendation of Congress, came up with the idea to ensure safer borders. This will facilitate people crossing the border more easily and safely,” said Barker. “This makes borders secure but won’t hinder travel.”
Complete information on how to apply for your passport and passport application forms can be found at www.travel.state.gov. Passport information is also available by calling the National Passport Information Center at 877-487-2778.
