March 2008

By Travis Marshall

The passport. It's the mark of a world traveler, and if you're a far-flung diver, you probably share the traveler's pleasant nostalgia of flipping through its pages and seeing the hastily smeared stamps that serve as badges of your life's wanderings. But for years, many American divers have bypassed the passport by sticking close to home--Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean--where relaxed travel restrictions allowed them to come and go without one. However, in today's brave new world of increased security concerns evolving alongside rapid advancements in technology, a valid passport has become more important than ever, and in the past year, passports and border security have taken some notable first steps into the age of high-technology that will make navigating both security checkpoints and your personal security a changing priority.

Q: What are the new travel rules I should be concerned about?

A: The major changes in travel restrictions for U.S. citizens happened as part of the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), which requires passports at border crossings when traveling in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. Pre-WHTI, passports were unnecessary for near-home travel--for example, Americans could cross in and out of many Caribbean islands with as little as an oral declaration of citizenship, perhaps flashing a state driver's license and birth certificate along the way. Those days are no more; as of January 2007, WHTI went into effect at all U.S. airports, and by the summer of 2008 similar rules will apply across the board at land and sea borders as well--again, that includes all U.S. citizens and yes, even children. Most of the rest of the world has needed passports to travel beyond the borders of their own countries for many years--in many places abroad you can't even check into a hotel without one--and today Americans are basically being asked to do the same. So, unless you plan to hole up for the rest of your days in the good ol' U.S. of A. or you want to do a little unscheduled night diving in the Rio Grande on the way to Cozumel, you'll have to suck it up and get a passport if you haven't done so already.

Another program that ultimately affects American travelers is the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), jointly implemented between America and 27 other, mostly European, countries to allow the exemption of their citizens from visas for visits of less than 90 days to other VWP counties. The program itself isn't new--it started in 1986--but a recent agreement required the U.S. and all VWP countries to incorporate wireless chip and biometric technology into their passports and border security procedures. The culmination of this agreement can be found in the new style of U.S. passport issued over the last year. Dubbed electronic passports (also e-passports or biometric passports), the redesigned travel documents have a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip--the same technology Wal-Mart uses to track products in its warehouses--embedded into the back cover. They still have the same ink-on-paper information as the old style, but this information is backed up electronically. When a border control agent scans your passport, it provides a digital version of your passport's photo page along with an electronic signature.

Q: Did you say there's a "chip" in my passport?

A: Possibly. The U.S. government began issuing the new "chipped" passports in August 2006, and by May 2007, all U.S. passport facilities were producing e-passports only. The chip itself is not visible--it's quite small and incorporated into the passport cover itself--but the new passports do have a logo on the front that let's you know you're wired. If your passport was issued before the switch and is still valid, there's no need to go out and upgrade. All nonelectronic passports will remain valid until their expiration date, but when it's time to renew, the e-version will be your only option.

Q: Is my information safe?

A: Passports with RFID technology have caused some controversy among people who fear their personal information may be scanned, stolen or used to track their whereabouts, but the State Department claims it has addressed potential leaks in the system with integrated security features. Here's how it works: The RFID chip in these passports is "passive," meaning it has no internal power supply. When a border agent takes your passport, he or she will place it close--about four inches--to a RFID reader, which sends a signal to the chip requesting its information. This signal includes enough power to turn the chip on so it can fulfill the request. To keep potential baddies from using their own reader and "skimming" your passport info while you're out on your travels, a radio-frequency (RF) blocking material is incorporated into the cover of the passport. This blocks signals from getting in or out when it's closed. When the passport is open, the chip is unencumbered by the blocking material and can communicate with a nearby reader. Some e-passport holders who worry this may not adequately block the transmissions choose to carry their passports in specially designed bags or wallets also equipped with RF blocking materials--or if you're a frugal neurotic, you can create a poor man's "Faraday cage" (a metal enclosure that blocks wireless signals) by simply wrapping the whole thing in aluminum foil.

The State Department also tells us that protecting the chip's signal is simply the first line of defense as there are added security features built into the electronic information itself, suggesting that just because someone could potentially read your information, they can't necessarily do much with it. The obvious feature is the photograph. The electronic file contains a digital image that should match a visual confirmation of the passport photo printed on the inside front cover. This digital image can also work with biometric facial recognition programs that measure facial features using footage from surveillance cameras around your port of entry and match them against a photo database. If any of these photo evaluations don't match up, border control will have reason to investigate.

Q: OK. I need a passport, but how do I get one?

A: Yes, getting a passport is nearly unavoidable these days, and this means the demand for passports has gone up significantly in the last few years. Last year, the State Department produced a record-breaking 18.4 million passports, and it expects to produce even more this year. At that time, the rush of applicants in what has never been a particularly speedy process meant getting one took quite a while--normal processing time is four to six weeks, but during last year's crunch it sometimes took months. "We've already hired 400 new people and we're hiring hundreds more," State Department spokesman Steve Royster says. "We've opened new facilities. We also have contingency plans and can summon up reserve troops to handle any surge in passport applications." However, planning well ahead of time wouldn't be a bad idea. Late winter and spring is usually the busiest time for passport applications because people are gearing up for summer vacations, so applying at a slower time of year can keep the processing time to a minimum. Also, avoid common mistakes like forgetting to sign your application, not including the right fee amounts or including photos that don't meet the requirements, as these will certainly cause delays. All instructions and requirements for getting a passport can be found at www.travel.state.gov/passport. You'll also find links to download an application and to search for your local passport office. For adults the cost is $67 ($52 for children under 16) for the application and a $30 execution fee that includes a $12 security surcharge. You can also opt to pay an extra $60, plus overnight delivery fees, for expedited service that should get your passport to you within three weeks. Royster also explains that, as of February 2008, children 16 and under (previously 14 and under) who need to get a passport must have the written consent of both parents/legal guardians--even in a single-parent household.

Q: What if my passport is lost or stolen?

A: The integration of RFID chips is supposed to make it harder for someone to use a stolen passport because a forger would not only need to alter the physical information on the passport's photo page, but also the digital information on the chip, which is designed as a read-only file. But it is, of course, still a good idea to keep your passport as safe as possible.

Before you leave home, make copies of all important travel documents. The traditional method for this is to make photocopies (at least two), leaving one copy at home with someone you can contact in an emergency and taking the other with you, carrying it in a different place than the originals. Another option is to scan the copies onto your computer and either email them to yourself at a web-based account or use an online document database service like www.keepyousafe.com, which encrypts your sensitive files and allows you password-protected access from anywhere with an internet connection.

On a trip, keep your physical passport with you as much as possible--the best way to do that: put it in something waterproof (a zippered sandwich bag works well) to protect it from sweat and water, then carry it in a money belt or a wallet that fits under your clothes. If it does get stolen, report it as soon as possible. Abroad, this means contacting the closest embassy or consulate; the people there will help you get a replacement once you've proven your citizenship. "If you have a copy of your passport and you didn't lose your driver's license--that helps," Royster says. "If you lose everything, that's a little harder." Some countries--like many in the Caribbean--don't have a U.S. embassy. In that case, contact the nearest U.S. representative--Customs and Border Protection or the State Department can help. Once you make it home, or if your passport goes missing domestically, go to www.travel.state.gov/passport/lost/us/us_848.html to download form DS-64, Statement Regarding Lost or Stolen Passport, and follow the instructions for getting a replacement.

U.S. Territories

If you're traveling to Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Swains Island, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, you can technically go with no passport required. But that doesn't mean you can breeze in and out unchecked. U.S. Customs and Border Protection will be at the border checking IDs, so proof of citizenship is highly recommended. A passport is still the most definitive option, and if you plan on day-tripping to non-U.S. territories--to the British Virgin Islands from their U.S. counterparts, for example--you'll need one anyway.

U.S. Department of State - Passports

www.travel.state.gov/passport
The one-stop shop for all U.S. passport information, including applications, renewals and what to do if your passport goes missing.

Where to apply: Go to [www.iafdb.tr avel.state.gov](http://www.iafdb.tr avel.state.gov) and type in your ZIP code to find your closest acceptance facility.
Prices: $67 ($52 for children under 16) to apply, $30 execution fee. That's $97 for adults and $82 for children.
Expediting Fee: $60, plus overnight delivery charges.
Processing time: Four to six weeks for normal processing; three weeks or less with expedited service.