Plan ahead
When asked what is the most important thing
Passport Canada wants people to know during this busy and frantic passport application season, Charbonneau said "planning."
"Please don't go booking flights if you don't have your passport in hand," she said. "Our service has always been standard and they've never been guarantees. Right now we do have delays of up to 25 business days."
If you're applying by mail it could take up to two months to get your passport, according to Charbonneau.
"We're receiving on average approximately 21,000 applications a day," she said. "Our infrastructure is currently set up to only process 20,000, creating some backlog."
Don't take risks
If you don't have a passport don't take chances traveling in and out of the U.S., even if that isn't your main destination. A lot flights connect there.
"If you're flying on an international flight you need your passport to get into the States, regardless," said Charbonneau. "It is the law now. From what Passport Canada has been observing, the U.S. has been lenient in some circumstances but they do have the right to say 'No, you're not entering our country to anyone."
"They might have a grace period right now but that is not a guarantee and it is also the airline's discretion to let you on the airplane without a passport."
Passengers boarding U.S. domestic flights are not legally required to have a passport; however, all passengers must show proof of their identity, according to the Passport Canada web site.
What if you're traveling by ground?
"If you're driving into the U.S. Passport Canada is not as concerned right now," Charbonneau said.
The laws regarding passports and entering the U.S. by ground are expected to change somewhere between January 2008 and June 2009.
Be safe
Be safe and enjoy your winter break vacation. Check the next page for 10 hot passport tips before you leave.
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