Archive for August, 2010
Monday, August 30th, 2010
Passports are important documents that not only can be used for identification, but more importantly passports are needed for international travel.

Can the government refuse to provide government services such as processing a passport? Or is this going too far?
The census form is also an important document – but what does it have to do with the passport? Right now – not much… but if Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe has anything to say about it passport renewals will be contingent upon completion of census forms.
There is currently a problem in Canada regarding low census form returns. Duceppe feels that if citizens do not fill out census forms that the government should withhold services such as initial passport applications and passport renewals.
Citizens have rights, but they also have responsibilities.
Can the government refuse to provide government services such as processing a passport? Or is this going too far?
Proponents of withholding passports feel that getting a passport is a privilege that citizens must earn through cooperation with governmental requests. Those opposed to the proposed passport legislation feel that the government does not have the right to withhold passport services regardless of whether or not the census form is completed.
It should be interesting to see how this question of withholding passports turns out.
If you are interested in getting a US Passport or US Passport Card, visit us at http://www.rushpassport.com or call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to speak with a Live Passport Agent. (877) 937-7277 (All 50 States) or (212) 643-9305 New York Passport Agency. Rush Passport™ : Expediter of Passports, serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Miami, Florida.
Tags: census, getting a passport, passport, passport agency, passport agent, passport applications, Passport expediter, passport legislation, passport renewal, passports, rush passport, rushpassport.com, US passport, US Passport Card
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Saturday, August 28th, 2010
US Passport fees saw a hike earlier this year and now an increase in visas is scheduled for September 8, 2010. A decision announced by the United States to charge foreign visitors for the right to enter the country has sparked criticism in Switzerland and Europe.

Starting September 8, passport holders that do not require a visa will be charged $14 USD to be allowed to enter the United States.
Starting September 8, passport holders that do not require a visa will be charged $14 USD to be allowed to enter the United States.
The United States Border Protection Agency is set to collect the surcharge. They reject the criticism, claiming that several other countries have been collecting an entry tax – some as high as $100.
A portion equal to $4 of the $14 that passport holders will be charged is to cover a new Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). The additional $10 will go towards travel promotion to bring more passport holders from foreign countries to America.
Visa-exempt passport holders will need to complete a detailed online questionnaire that includes questions regarding identity, state of health, and possible criminal past of the applicant. Applicants who are approved will receive confirmation from the US Department of Homeland Security within a few minutes.
Passport holders are encouraged to apply for the ESTA form before September 8, to avoid the fees. Once passport holders are approved, the ESTA is valid for two years.
If you are a US citizen and you are interested in getting a US Passport or US Passport Card, visit us at http://www.rushpassport.com or call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to speak with a Live Passport Agent. (877) 937-7277 (All 50 States) or (212) 643-9305 New York Passport Agency. Rush Passport™ Official US Passport Expeditors, serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Miami, Florida.
Tags: ESTA, passport expeditor, Passport holders, rush passport, Switzerland, US passport, US Passport Card, US passport fees
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Thursday, August 26th, 2010
Passport trouble for a Texas school teacher began when Alexis Stevens and her husband, Wayne planned to celebrate their wedding anniversary with a trip to Europe.

If you are a US citizen and you are interested in getting a US Passport or US Passport Card, visit us at RushPassport.com
Alexis Stevens was born in England and adopted by a US military family who brought her home to Texas, where she was raised. She raised her own family, put herself through college and became a school teacher. Stevens always wanted to travel to England to see where she was born.
Neither Alexis nor her husband Wayne had passports, so they filled out passport applications and put down a deposit on the trip. After a few weeks, Wayne’s passport arrived in the mail. When Alexis’ passport did not arrive, they began to wonder what went wrong. They were told that nearly 50 years ago, Alexis’ parents never completed the process to enable Stevens to become a U.S. citizen.
Alexis voted in every election since she turned 18 years old and has always checked the boxes stating that she was a US citizen on college, employment and passport applications.
Stevens was issued a Texas birth certificate, Social Security card, a driver’s license and voter registration card. Her citizenship was never questioned until at 52 years old she applied for a passport.
Thanks to the Child Citizenship Act of 2000, more than 50% of children adopted overseas by American parents become US citizens upon entering the country. However, there were no such laws 50 years ago.
Before Stevens can be issued a passport, she must first become a US citizen. She will have to meet all the requirements and pass the citizenship test. Once the application is made, it can take as short as 5 months or could take several years to process.
If you are a US citizen and you are interested in getting a US Passport or US Passport Card, visit us at http://www.rushpassport.com or call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to speak with a Live Passport Agent. (877) 937-7277 (All 50 States) or (212) 643-9305 New York Passport Agency. Rush Passport™ Official US Passport Expeditors, serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Miami, Florida.
Tags: get a passport, passport, passport agency, passport application, passport expediters, passport expeditors, passports, rush passport, US passport
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Tuesday, August 24th, 2010
Passports may be soon available online in Malaysia. The Home Ministry is considering an online passport renewal service to make it more convenient for Malaysians to renew their passports. This idea sounds like it could be problematic.

If Malaysia is successful in bringing the online passport renewal service to its citizens, it may not be long before other countries begin developing their own online passport renewal services.
Sparked by long lines at the Passport agency counters, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Lee Chee Leong believes that online passport renewal service will provide a solution to a growing problem.
The proposed online passport system is not yet ready to be implemented but is expected to save time and money by reducing the cost of manpower at the passport agencies.
Proponents feel that online passport renewal would address a problem in Malaysia that has been going on for quite some time.
Those opposed to online passport renewal feel that the system may compromise passport security.
Lee added that the new online passport renewal system will be equipped with security features to prevent it from being abused.
If Malaysia is successful in bringing the online passport renewal service to its citizens, it may not be long before other countries begin developing their own online passport renewal services.
Fortunately, you don’t have to wait for the United States to implement an online passport renewal service – all you have to do is apply for a passport through the traditional method – in person. If you are interested in getting a US Passport or US Passport Card, visit us at http://www.rushpassport.com or call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to speak with a Live Passport Agent. (877) 937-7277 (All 50 States) or (212) 643-9305 New York Passport Agency. Rush Passport™ : Expediter of Passports, serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Miami, Florida.
Tags: Malaysia passport, online passport, online passport renewal service, passport, passport agency, passport connecticut, Passport expediter, passport renewal, passport renewal service, passport security, passport system, passports, rush passport, rushpassport.com, US passport, US Passport Card
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Sunday, August 22nd, 2010
Passport applications are very much in high demand. With the National Passport Agency experiencing high volume in processing passport applications, those in need of passports are advised to consider using expedited services. Passport applicants are encouraged to apply for their passports as soon as possible.

Expedited services are recommended due to the high demand for passports. Regular passport processing times without the expedited delivery option can take from four to six weeks.
If you are scheduled to travel within 14 days we can assist you by getting an appointment with the National Passport Agency. It may require a trip to New York City – but the end result is that you will receive your passport within 24 hours.
Expedited services are recommended due to the high demand for passports. Regular passport processing times without the expedited delivery option can take from four to six weeks.
Applications may be obtained at Rush Passport’s™ Passport Agency, 875 6th Avenue
Suite #1606, New York, NY 10001. Applications and related information also can be found online at http://www.rushpassport.com/new_passport.php .
Our New York City Passport Agency has experienced, helpful, English and Spanish-speaking staff ready to assist you in any way we can. We are dedicated to making the passport process as simple as possible.
If you are interested in getting a US Passport or US Passport Card, visit us at http://www.rushpassport.com or call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to speak with a Live Passport Agent. (877) 937-7277 (All 50 States) or (212) 643-9305 New York Passport Agency. Rush Passport™ Official US Passport Expeditors, serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Miami, Florida.
Tags: live passport agent, National Passport Agency, passport, passport agency, passport applications, passports, rush passport, rushpassport.com, US passport, US Passport Card
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Friday, August 20th, 2010
Getting a passport in time for his next bout may have been an even bigger challenge than the fight itself for boxer, Chad Dawson. Born in Hartsville, South Carolina, Dawson is being hailed as boxing’s next American superstar. He has won 29 bouts with 17 knockouts. Even though he hasn’t been knocked out inside the ring – outside the ring presents another story. Dawson has had problems with his manager and trainer – and most recently passport problems stood to score a big knockout!

Fortunately, you don’t have to be traveling abroad for a boxing match to get a passport – all you have to do is apply for a passport.
Dawson was supposed to fly from Hartford, Connecticut to Montreal for a press conference. He was told repeatedly that he needed to have a passport to enter Canada. However, on the day of the flight, Dawson realized that he could not find his passport.
Because Dawson could not find the passport, he missed the flight to Montreal and appeared in the press conference by telephone instead of in person.
Dawson was worried that he would end up missing the fight altogether if he could not locate his missing passport or get a replacement passport issued before his fight.
As it turns out, Dawson got the passport on time – but he probably wishes that he hadn’t… Unfortunately for Dawson, he found his passport – but he lost his WBC light heavyweight belt! Dawson lost the fight to Jean Pascal on August 14th after the fight was stopped in the 11th round.
Fortunately, you don’t have to be traveling abroad for a boxing match to get a passport – all you have to do is apply for a passport. If you are interested in getting a US Passport or US Passport Card, visit us at http://www.rushpassport.com or call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to speak with a Live Passport Agent. (877) 937-7277 (All 50 States) or (212) 643-9305 New York Passport Agency. Rush Passport™ : Expediter of Passports, serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Miami, Florida.
Tags: Expediter of Passports, getting a passport, passport, Passport expediter, passports, rush passport, rushpassport.com, US passport, US Passport Card
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Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

Barack Obama's passport says that he was indeed born in the United States of America.
Obama’s Passport may be the final proof against the “birther” conspiracy.
The Official White House website recently featured a video clip that included a glimpse at President Obama’s passport. The president’s passport confirms that he was indeed born in the United States.
The passport clip was posted during a segment dedicated to answering questions from regular citizens. A citizen, Johnathan Talcott, of Pittsburgh, PA, asked a question regarding the President’s passport. In an effort to answer the question, an administration trip coordinator, Jordan Whichard, is seen on the video clip not only showing where Obama keeps his passport – but a glimpse of the passport itself.
A close-up view of the passport reveals that the President was born on August 4, 1961. On his passport, the “Place of Birth” is listed as Hawaii, U.S.A.
According to the US Dept of State website, in order to get a passport, American citizens must provide a “certified birth certificate issued by the city, country or state.” This requirement suggests that President Obama would have had to produce documentation that confirmed when and where he was born in order to obtain the US Passport.
Proponents of the “birther conspiracy” argue that Obama was not born in the United States, thus ineligible to be President. They have argued that he was actually born in Kenya. Some say that he was born in Indonesia. They believe that the passport is a fake.
In the short video clip, some of details on the passport, including the date of issuance and expiration, are blurred out. This may add fuel to the ‘birther conspiracy”.
Whether or not you think Obama’s passport is real or fake, if you are interested in getting a genuine US Passport or US Passport Card, visit us at http://www.rushpassport.com or call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to speak with a Live Passport Agent. (877) 937-7277 (All 50 States) or (212) 643-9305 New York Passport Agency. Rush Passport™ : Expediter of Passports, serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Miami, Florida.
Tags: barack obama passport, birther conspiracy, birthers, Connecticut Passport, Hawaii, New York Passport Agency, obama passport, passport emergency, Passport expediter, passports, president passport, rush passport, US passport, US Passport Card
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Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

Initially, many foreign governments reject the Haudenosaunee passport, but after an explanation the passports are eventually allowed to be used.
In a previous Rush Passport™ passport blog entry, it was reported that there was a problem with the Iroquois Nationals lacrosse squad because of a federal law that does not allow a tribal document to be used in lieu of a United States passport when traveling outside the United States.
However, while the Iroquois Nationals were stuck waiting in New York City due to passport problems, Kenneth Deer was in Geneva, Switzerland.
Kenneth Deer, a member of the Mohawk Nation, traveled to Switzerland using only his Haudenosaunee passport.
Deer, a Haudenosaunee passport holder, lives in Kahnawake, a Mohawk community in Quebec. He has used his passport over 100 times in the past 25 years.
The Haudenosaunee passports have been around since 1977. The passports first came about when Iroquois citizens in the U.S. and Canada first used the travel documents to attend a United Nations conference on human rights in Geneva.
Last month, when the Iroquois Nationals tried to use their Haudenosaunee passports they were refused entry to England. This caught the public’s attention and cast a spotlight on the Haudenosaunee passport saga.
Initially, many foreign governments reject the Haudenosaunee passport, but after an explanation the passports are eventually allowed to be used.
If you are interested in getting a US Passport or US Passport Card, visit us at http://www.rushpassport.com or call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to speak with a Live Passport Agent. (877) 937-7277 (All 50 States) or (212) 643-9305 New York Passport Agency. Rush Passport™ : Expediter of Passports, serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Miami, Florida.
Tags: Bronx, Brooklyn, Connecticut, Expediter of Passports, Florida, Haudenosaunee passport, Kenneth Deer, live passport agent, Long Island, Manhattan, Miami, Nassau County, New Jersey, New York City, passport, passport agency, passport blog, passports, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Queens, rush passport, rushpassport.com, Staten Island, Suffolk County, US passport, US Passport Card
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Monday, August 16th, 2010
Passports may be too expensive, evidenced by the decreased tourism between the United States and Canada. There may be room for improvement should the two countries make it cheaper to get a passport.

An adult Canadian passport costs between $87 and $105 and an adult US Passport costs between $110 and $135. Keep in mind that Canadian passports are only valid for five years while US adult passports are valid for 10 years.
Provincial and state politicians have been talking about trying to convince Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and U.S. President Barack Obama to cut passport fees in an effort to stimulate tourism.
An adult Canadian passport costs between $87 and $105 and an adult US Passport costs between $110 and $135. Keep in mind that Canadian passports are only valid for five years while US adult passports are valid for 10 years.
Passport rates in Canada for children under the age of 15 range between $20 and $39 and children pay $105 for a US Passport. Passports for children under 16 years of age in both countries are valid for only five years, with the exception of passports for Canadian children under three years old – which are valid for three years.
The Canadian government estimates that nearly 50% of Canadians have a passport. The US Passport figures come out at somewhere between 25% and 30%.
While the economic recession is partly to blame for the decrease in tourism, some feel that new U.S. border passport requirements may also be at fault. In January of 2007, the US began requiring passports for entry from Canada by air. In June 2009 US Passports became required for land crossings between the US and Canada.
The U.S. began issuing cheaper passport cards in July 2008 that permitted Americans to re-enter the U.S. by land or sea. The passport cards cost much less at rates between $30 and $55 than traditional passports.
Statistics show that a paltry 2.7 million Americans, (less than 1% of the entire population, had applied for a passport card as of March 2010.)
I guess that I am within the top 1% of Americans as I proudly am a US Passport Card holder! If you are interested in being in the top 1% of Americans who hold a US Passport Card or if you are interested in getting a standard issue US Passport Book, visit us at http://www.rushpassport.com or call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to speak with a Live Passport Agent. (877) 937-7277 (All 50 States) or (212) 643-9305 New York Passport Agency / Passport Expediters.
Tags: 24 hour passport, emergency passport, get a passport, live passport agent, New York Passport Agency, passport, passport emergency, passport expediters, passport fees, passports, quick passport, rush passport, same day passport, US Passport Book
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Sunday, August 15th, 2010

An expired passport almost always means trouble. In this case, the expired passport was both trouble as well as a blessing.
An expired passport may cause people to wonder:
An expired passport almost always means trouble. In this case, the expired passport was both trouble as well as a blessing.
For golfer Phillip Brain the expired passport was a problem. It meant that he could not travel to Canada for the Canadian Amateur golf tournament. For golfer Bill Hutcheson the expired passport was a blessing – as Hutcheson secured the final spot in the tournament after Brain was denied entry due to his expired passport.
Phillip Brain was in Nice, France when he found out that his passport was expired. He quickly tried to renew his passport in time for the Canadian Amateur golf tournament, but he could not get the passport in time.
The expired passport meant that Hutcheson would qualify for the final spot in the tournament. Phillip Brain’s brother Jonathan, also a golfer, was in London, England, when he realized that his passport was expired, but he was able to get his new passport in time and he was able to board the plane from London to Toronto.
In the meantime, his brother Phillip never left Nice as he waited for his passport, but his passport never arrived.
It is always best to renew your passport before it expires. If your passport is already expired or if your passport is going to expire soon, we can help. If you are interested in getting a genuine US Passport or US Passport Card, visit us at http://www.rushpassport.com or call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to speak with a Live Passport Agent. (877) 937-7277 (All 50 States) or (212) 643-9305 New York Passport Agency
Tags: can I get a new passport, expired passport, get a passport, how do I get a new passport, live passport agent, my passport is expired, New York Passport Agency, passport, passports, rush passport, US passport, US Passport Card
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