Beat the Surge of Passport Applications

 

Record numbers of people are applying for US passports this year. In some cities, crowds of people are lining up at Passport Acceptance Agents, trying to get first-time passports for themselves or their children. Meanwhile, an unprecedented number of passports will expire this year. That means the State Department will be getting more passport renewal applications than they've ever seen before!

If you need to get a new passport this year, read on for our tips on how to beat the crowds to get your passport

A Perfect Storm of Passport Applications

There's no doubt about it - 2017 is going to be a banner year for passports! We're already seeing huge numbers of passport applications. It's very likely that there will be far more US passports issued this year than in any year in history.

Ever since records have been kept, there's been a steady upward trend in the number of US passports issued each year. But this year is special. Several factors have come together to increase the number of passport applications beyond anything ever seen before:

• 10th Anniversary of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. WHTI, the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, went into effect in 2007. This law requires everyone traveling in or out of the US by air to have a valid passport. More than 18 million people applied for US passports in 2007, and all of those passports are now expiring.
• REAL ID Deadline Approaching. Starting in January 2018 - just eight months from now! - you'll need to have a Federally-approved form of identification in order to board any flight, domestic or international. Some driver's licenses are not accepted as REAL ID, so many travelers are applying for passport books or passport cards to use for domestic travel.
• The Trump Passport Surge. We called it back in November, and we were right. There has been an increase in passport applications as a result of President Trump's policies, particularly the immigration raids that were launched as part of the crackdown on illegal immigration.

 

Skip the Lines at the Passport Acceptance Facility

If you're applying for your first passport, a child's passport, or for a replacement for a lost, stolen, or damaged passport, your first stop will be a Passport Acceptance Facility. From Florida to California, from sea to shining sea, Passport Acceptance Facilities are reporting long lines of applicants. At some locations, people are lining up hours before the facility even opens! We know you don't have time for that.

To cope with the high number of passport applications, new facilities are opening up all the time, and many existing facilities are extending their operating hours. 

If you need to visit a Passport Acceptance Facility, use our locator to find all the locations near your home, school, or business. Make sure to consider all of your options, including:

• Walk-In Facilities. These locations don't require appointments, but take passport applications on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Appointment-Only Facilities. Although appointments may be harder to come by these days, the good news is that you won't need to wait in line for hours to be seen! It's a good idea to plan ahead and schedule your appointment well in advance of your trip.
• Facilities with Evening or Weekend Hours. Some locations offer service outside of normal business hours -- very convenient for people who work full time!
• Passport Fairs. Some Passport Acceptance Facilities will host special "Passport Fairs" or "Passport Days." These events, typically held on Saturdays, allow travelers to bring in passport applications for service on a day that the facility is normally closed. Sometimes they are held at locations outside the Passport Acceptance Facility. Passport Fairs are usually first-come, first-serve, so plan to get there early! For example, this coming Saturday, April 8, Passport Fairs will be held at:
  
  
  • Mountain Home Post Office, Mountain Home, Arkansas
  • Yankton Post Office, Yankton, South Dakota

Make the Most of Your Caribbean Resort Vacation

In the dark days of February, nothing sounds better than an escape to a Caribbean resort! It’s the classic definition of a vacation – sunny skies, white sand beaches, palm trees, and tropical cocktails. When you’re feeling energetic, there are plenty of activities available, like snorkeling and tennis. And if you just want to chill out, no shame in that game, there’s a lounge chair on the beach waiting for you! If you are ready to make your dreams of a Caribbean resort vacation a reality, check out our tips to make the most of your trip.

Tip 1: Make Sure Your Passport is Up to Date

At PassportInfo.com, we get a lot of questions about what kind of passports are needed for travel to the Caribbean. Passport cards can be used if you are entering many Caribbean countries by sea, but let’s face it — not many of us have the luxury of sailing our yacht to a Caribbean paradise! If you are flying to any country, including all the countries of the Caribbean, you will need a valid passport book.
But wait, you say, I actually am planning to sail my yacht around the Caribbean! If that’s the case, you can use a US Passport Card to enter the following Caribbean nations by sea: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Jamaica, Montserrat, Netherlands Antilles, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and the Turks and Caicos. These countries are all part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.
There are some Caribbean destinations you can visit without a passport at all. As a US citizen, you don’t need a passport to enter Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands. These islands are US territories! You will need to have identification to board your flight, though.

Tip 2: Choose the Caribbean Resort That’s Right For You

These days, you can find resorts that cater to just about every type of traveler!

• Families with kids will enjoy a trip to a family-friendly
  resort. Look for a resort that has a kid’s club where you can drop off the kids — they’ll have fun, while you have a chance to relax on your own! All-inclusive resorts are a great choice for families. With all meals and snacks included, it means that Mom actually gets a vacation from doing all the cooking and cleaning up! Some family-friendly resorts even have over-the-top amenities like water parks on site.
• Fitness fanatics can consider a trip to a yoga retreat. If you’d rather burn your calories enjoying the sun and surf rather than doing sun salutes, look for an all-inclusive resort that doesn’t charge for activities like windsurfing, paddleboarding, and snorkeling.
• Lovebirds looking for a romantic escape will find it at an adults-only resort. You’ll be able to hold hands and watch the sunset, and enjoy decadent dinners uninterrupted by noisy kids!
• Nature lovers can explore the rich tropical environment at an eco-resort.

Tip 3: Find Out What’s Included in Your “All-Inclusive” Resort

 

A lot of Caribbean resorts advertise themselves as being all-inclusive, but read the fine print before you book! Some resorts may charge extra for amenities like:

• Specialty dining
• Alcoholic drinks
• Child care
• Activities like golf or sailing
• Beach chairs or loungers
• Tips and gratuities
• Airport transfers

Take these possible hidden costs into consideration when you compare the prices of resorts. What looks like a great bargain might not be, if you have to pay extra for things that other resorts include in their base price.

Tip 4: Don’t Be Afraid to Leave the Resort

Hey, we don’t blame you if you don’t want to stray any farther than the resort’s beach or the swim-up bar… but you’re also free to explore beyond the gates of the resort! If you want to shop for souvenirs, you’ll find way more options in town than in the resort gift shop. You might also want to check out nearby attractions, try some authentic restaurants, or go to hear live music from local bands!

Tip 5: Pack Like a Pro

It’s worth it to do a bit of research before you leave to find out what you should pack. Check out your resort’s website as well as forums like TripAdvisor to get advice from other guests. There, you’ll be able to find out if you need to pack your own hairdryer, or if you need jackets or cocktail dresses for the more upscale dining options at your resort.
Another thing to decide is whether you need to bring your own sports equipment. Does your resort charge to rent snorkeling equipment? If it does, you might want to pop your mask and fins in your suitcase! Avid golfers and tennis players will also need to decide if you’ll use the resort’s equipment or bring your own.
You may also want to consider bringing your own beach toys for the kids, if the resort doesn’t supply them. It’ll be a lot cheaper to pick them up at the dollar store at home than to buy pails and shovels at the resort store! Best of all, you won’t feel guilty leaving them behind, which gives you more room in your suitcase so you can shop for treasures.

Source: https://passportinfo.com/caribbean-resort-vacation-tips/