Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Spring Break, Summer Fling, Where the Kids Go...



Spring Break Adventures

Spring break in Mexico- like most college students, you may want to spend you spring break vacationing in Mexico.

Mexico is a popular vacation destination among college students is because it is close to the USA, inexpensive to travel there, and because of the legal drinking age. Unlike in the United States, the legal drinking age is only eighteen in Mexico and many times the Latins will not check ID of foreign students if they look old enough . Because of the law and customs, college students are able to drink alcohol on their spring break and do all the activities they enjoy.


News Stories

As of October 31st, 2007 a valid passport IS REQUIRED by all U.S. citizens of all ages returning BY AIR from any international destination. Grace period has ended! DO YOU HAVE YOUR PASSPORT?

If you do not already have your passport you need to get in gear and get one if you are planning to travel outside the U.S. for Spring Break. Last year there was a temorary accomidation period, but it ended on October 31st. 2007. Now in 2008 is the time to get your US Passport


The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative requires all U.S. citizens, Canadian citizens, citizens of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda, and Mexican citizens, to have a passport or other designated secure document to enter or re-enter the United States.

To obtain a passport for the first time, you need to go in person to one of 7,000 passport acceptance facilities located throughout the United States with two photographs of yourself, proof of U.S. citizenship, and a valid form of photo identification such as a driver’s license.

Acceptance facilities include many Federal, state and probate courts, post offices, some public libraries and a number of county and municipal offices. If you wait until the last minute, there are also 13 regional passport agencies, and 1 Gateway City Agency, which serve customers who are traveling within 2 weeks (14 days), or who need foreign visas for travel. Appointments are required in such cases.

You’ll need to apply in person if you are applying for a U.S. passport for the first time: if your expired U.S. passport is not in your possession; if your previous U.S. passport has expired and was issued more than 15 years ago; if your previous U.S. passport was issued when you were under age 16; or if your currently valid U.S. passport has been lost or stolen.

Since August of 2007, the U.S. has been issuing only e-Passports. According to the State Department , "Passports without chips will still be valid for the full extent of their validity period."


The New e-Passport

It took four years of study by the State Department to finalize the design of a new e-Passport with an embedded RF tag in the back cover. The chip will securely store the same data visually displayed on the photo page of the passport, and will additionally include a digital photograph. The inclusion of the digital photograph will enable biometric comparison, through the use of facial recognition technology at international borders.

Over the next 12 months, it is estimated 15 million U.S. citizens will be issued passports containing the RFID chip. As current passports begin to expire, the newly issued replacements will also include the RF tag, so within 10 years, all U.S. passports will incorporate an RFID.

Want to check out the latest College getaways? This new spring break Website tells all the secrets...

http://spring-break.aadventuresz.com/


No comments: