Bonners Ferry Local Guide including all of Boundary County Idaho

Regulations to require passports

Wednesday, January 17, 2007; DB

The days of crossing the border by showing a driver's license or a birth certificate are on their way out. Although a firm date has not been put into place, new regulations are in the works that will require travelers headed to Canada to show a passport to cross the U.S. border. The change -- which will be in effect for air travelers going to and from Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean and Bermuda on Jan. 23 -- could also become a requirement for all land and sea travelers heading to those same destinations as early as Jan. 1, 2008. And for many who don't want to fork over $97 to obtain a passport, a new passport card or "e-passport" -- which has a computer chip that will store a traveler's photo and personal information -- will be available by the end of this year. Welcome to the digital age of security identification. - Full Story