Carter Works to Expedite Passport Requests
Congressman John Carter (R, Round Rock), House Republican Conference Secretary, has been taking action to mitigate the recent delays people have been experiencing in obtaining U.S. passports, due to longer than expected processing times for passport applications in the face of record-breaking demand. Congressman Carter has signed two letters regarding this issue to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and will meet with Secretary Rice and Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff with other Members of Congress next week.
"My staff has been working with many, many constituents looking for help in expediting their passport requests. I understand the frustration of people who have followed the rules and now risk missing out on their summer vacations, and I want them to know we are working to fix this problem," said Congressman Carter. "The State Department and Congress are working together to implement solutions that will allow everyone to travel as they had planned, while still maintaining the necessary level of security to prevent entry of terrorists across our borders and reduce the use of fraudulent documents."
The U.S. Departments of State and Homeland Security announced today 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. Adults who have applied for but not yet received a passport should present government-issued photo identification and an official proof of passport application from the U.S. Department of State. Children under the age of 16 traveling with their parents or legal guardian will be permitted to travel with the child's proof of application. Travelers who have not applied for a passport are not eligible for the exception. U.S. citizens with pending passport applications can obtain proof of application at: http://travel.state.gov.
This accommodation does not affect entry requirements to other countries. Americans traveling to a country that requires passports must still present those documents.