Effective January 23 of this year, U.S citizens must carry passports to enter back into the United States from Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.  Due to these regulations, the board predicted a 2.2 percent decrease in tourism revenues, but the opposite happened.  Tourism in Mexico increased 20.2 percent in the first half of this year, compared to 2006.  As of January 31, 2008, travelers will need to present a government-issued I.D (e.g. driver’s license) and a proof of citizenship (e.g. birth certificate) or a green card, in order to re-enter the Country after travel.  Even though they had this increase, the new regulations still caused a stir.

 First, the US citizens flooded the congressional offices with calls complaining because the Department of State couldn’t keep up with the passport applications.  With over 1,200 inquiries within a four-month period between March and June, the turnaround time went from an average four to six weeks to a considerably longer 12 weeks or longer.  18.4 million Passports were issued for 2006, ending September 30.

 But the complications have been resolved, and in September the State Department announced that the processing times were back to normal, after bringing in 400 new people and continuing to hire more.  But the complaints will not end, as in no later than 2009, they may pass a requirement for travelers by land and sea to also carry passports.  There may be light at the end of the tunnel though, as the DHS has proposed a plan for the REAL ID; an enhanced driver’s license/identification card that will include the security features needed into the application process and the card itself.

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