No passport, no travel

PALMER — Heading down the AlCan this summer? You’ll need to bring a passport.

Currently, and for the next couple weeks, people traveling by land or sea into the United States need an identification card such as a driver’s license, plus proof of citizenship — a birth certificate or naturalization certificate. A passport will also work.

That changes on June 1 when rules go into effect that require people crossing in an out of Canada to present a passport, passport card, or a TRUSTED Traveler Card. Children under 16 years old without one of these documents will need to present a birth certificate or other proof of citizenship.

“We want to remind Alaskans the land and sea deadline is just around the corner,” U.S. Sen. Mark Begich said in a press release announcing the change. “Some might consider it a hassle to have a passport to cross in and out of Canada, but in the post 9/11 world, there are many new restrictions designed to keep us safe.”

Instructions on how to apply for a passport can be found at the U.S State Department’s Web site at travel.state.gov. The cost for a passport is $75 to $100, according to that site.

Passports can be applied for by mail at any U.S. Post Office, including those in Wasilla, Palmer and Willow. Most accept passport applications between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Also on that Web site, the wait times for routine passport service are pegged at four to six weeks and for expedited service at two to three weeks. Expedited service is also more expensive — $135 to $160.

“During busier times, such as the summer travel season, we encourage customers to expedite their applications if traveling in less than 10 weeks,” the State Department says on its Web site.

The Passport Card program has been in place since last summer and issues a card akin in size to a driver’s license. It works the same as a passport except it can’t be used for air travel, according to the Web site.

The State Department touts the cards as more convenient and less expensive than passports. The application fee is $35 to $45. But those seeking to avoid the wait times are out of luck.

“Applications for the U.S. Passport Card are being processed in approximately 4-6 weeks from the time of application,” the State Department says.

And the TRUSTED Traveler option? The State Department Web site describes it as a program open to U.S. and Canadian citizens who pass a criminal background check. Certain entry points — airport customs checkpoints and border crossings — have dedicated lanes for the program. Folks using the program either present their TRUSTED Traveler card or have their irises scanned.

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.