Passport Regulations

IF YOURE TRAVELING TO A NEIGHBORING COUNTRY OR THE CARIBBEAN ANYTIME SOON, YOU MAY NEED A PASSPORT... THE REGULATIONS HAVE CHANGED ONCE AGAIN. IF YOU ARE GOING OUT OF THE COUNTRY AS EARLY AS OCTOBER, YOURE GOING TO NEED A PASSPORT, BUT ONLY IF YOURE FLYING. THE STATE DEPARTMENT DECIDED TO SUSPEND NEW RULES REQUIRING AMERICANS TRAVELING ABROAD TO HAVE A PASSPORT AFTER SO MANY PEOPLE HAD TROUBLE GETTING ONE, AND THE SYSTEM BECAME OVERWHELMED WITH APPLICATIONS. AT THE END OF THE MONTH HOWEVER, THAT SUSPENSION WILL BE LIFTED, AND YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO HAVE A PASSPORT IF FLYING BACK INTO THE U-S FROM ANYWHERE. WHILE YOU CAN STILL DRIVE ACROSS THE BOARDER OF TAKE A CRUISE WITHOUT A PASSPORT, SOME TRAVEL AGENTS STILL RECOMMEND HAVING ONE. THE POST OFFICE IS OFFERING A PASSPORT FAIR TOMORROW TO HELP TRAVELERS GET READY FOR THE NEW RULES. FOR NOW, THE REQUIREMENT FOR PASSPORTS FOR TRAVEL OTHER THAN BY PLANE HAS BEEN PUT ON HOLD, BUT ONLY FOR ANOTHER YEAR OR SO. AFTER THAT, YOULL NEED A PASSPORT TO TRAVEL BY LAND, AIR OR SEA. THE PASSPORT FAIR IS TOMORROW FROM EIGHT UNTIL TWO OCLOCK AT IVY TECH COLLEGE. YOULL NEED TO BRING AN APPLICATION THAT YOU CAN DOWNLOAD OFF THE INTERNET, AN OFFICIAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE--NOT A COPY--TWO PASSPORT PHOTOS, YOUR DRIVERS LICENSE, AND SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER. NOW SENATOR LUGAR IS CONCERNED ABOUT ANOTHER POSSIBLE BACK-LOG, SO HES ENCOURAGING ANYONE TRAVELING AFTER SEPTEMBER 30TH, WHO DOESNT HAVE A PASSPORT TO CONTACT HIS OFFICE.