Braley Office Can Help with Passports for Iowa Travelers in Need

Press Release

Braley Office Can Help with Passports for Iowa Travelers in Need

Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) today reminded eastern Iowans that they can contact one of his three district offices for assistance if they are in imminent need of a passport for upcoming foreign travel.

"My Iowa staff is here to help you navigate the passport bureaucracy if the recent changes in passport rules have affected you," Braley said. "If you need a passport for a quickly approaching trip to a foreign country and the backlog has prevented you from getting your passport, you can contact my Waterloo, Dubuque, and Davenport offices for help.

Braley's district offices can assist constituents in tracking and expediting their already-applied-for passports. If a constituent's departure date is within two weeks, Braley's offices can request the State Department expedite passport processing so no one misses their departure date.

On June 8th, the State Department temporarily relaxed its new passport rules for foreign travel after an overwhelming backlog of passport applications overwhelmed passport processing offices, resulting in long lines, delays, and passports not delivered in time for travel.

Now, US citizens traveling to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, or countries in the Caribbean who have applied for but not received passports do not need a passport to re-enter the US by air. To re-enter the US, citizens must present (1) a government-issued photo-ID, and (2) a Department of State official proof of passport application form. This form can be printed off the State Department's website, at http://travel.state.gov.

This relaxation of rules only applies until September 30th. After that date, all travel to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean will require a passport.

Remember: travel to other destinations (except Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean) still requires a passport. And travelers still must obey the entry requirements of the country they are traveling to.

The State Department is recommending that travelers allow 12 weeks for new passport applications to be processed, but the earlier an application is submitted, the better.

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