NEWS from AAA Oklahoma, June 8 2007 – AAA, North America’s largest travel organization, commended the U.S. State Department for providing temporary relief for travelers with pending passport applications, but still is urging Americans to get their passports as soon as possible for future travel.

“This is just a temporary solution in response to heavy summer travel, but make no mistake, if you are planning to take a trip to Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean this fall or winter, you should still apply for a new passport,” said Krista Mullenger, AAA Oklahoma’s Vice President of Travel. Mullenger noted that the new rules allowing travelers to fly to Canada and Mexico with just a driver’s license and proof of a passport application expire on September 30, 2007.In addition, passports are still needed for international travel.  

Today the  U.S. Departments of State and Homeland Security announced that U.S. citizens traveling to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda who have applied for but not yet received passports can temporarily enter and depart from the United States by air with a government issued photo identification and Department of State official proof of application for a passport through September 30, 2007. The federal government said it is making this accommodation for air travel due to longer than expected processing times for passport applications in the face of record-breaking demand.

AAA applauded the move citing that Canada and Mexico are, by far, the top international destinations for Americans and the current backlog was forcing many travelers to cancel or postpone summer vacation plans because they do not have new passports.

However, Mullenger added that Americans will likely need passports for travel in 2008 and for their winter cruise and Caribbean vacations this year. She said that soon passports will be required for land border crossings so it makes sense to get a passport now and not be deterred by this momentary change in federal policy.

“In general it just makes sense to have a passport. They are the most universally accepted forms of ID, and they can be used for purposes unrelated to travel. In addition, they are a great value. A passport costs $97 and is good for 10 years. That is less than $10 a year,” Mullenger said.

For travelers who are planning a vacation and need to get a passport in a hurry, AAA and its partner Travisa can expedite processing of a passport so that the traveler can get a passport quickly. AAA is also one of only two U.S. organizations that can issue the State Department’s International Driving Permit.