Archive for August, 2012
Sunday, August 26th, 2012
In the future, all passports around the world will have tamper-proof electronic chips and digital photos that align with facial-recognition technology. Some passports already have these features, while other countries are lagging behind when it comes to employing the latest technology to the field of passport security.
The US has a very secure passport and Canada is about to make their passports even better. In 2013, the new Canadian passport will be even more secure and technologically advanced than ever!
The new Canadian passports will include security chips as well as iconic Canadian images. The Canadian government hopes that its e-Passport features will prevent passport fraud and speed up border checkpoints. The cost of the new passport will increase, but it will also last longer. Some things never change, so keep in mind that you still shouldn’t smile in your Canadian passport photo. There are some aesthetic changes to the passport that honor some historical events and figures as well as portions of the interior of the passport dedicated to Canadian sports. There are images of children playing football and hockey and references to the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup.
The new Canadian passports will contain a microchip with a digital signature that is a big improvement on the existing technology. The chip will also have encrypted information and a security feature to determine if the information has been altered.
Adults will be able to get a 10 year passport and minors will be able to obtain a passport that is valid for five years.
Of course, the new design also means a higher cost. The 5 year adult passport will cost $120, up from $87 and the 10 year passport will cost $160. Children’s passports will increase from $37 to $57.
If you are interested in getting a passport or visa, give us a call at (212) 643-9305. Rush Passport™ Official US Passport Expeditors, serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Westchester County, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.
Tags: adult passport, Canada passport, child passport, NYC Passport, passport, passport nyc, passports, passports US, rush passport, Rush Passport ny, US passport
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Friday, August 24th, 2012
Overstaying a visa is a serious offense. The penalties can be harsh if you are caught overstaying a visa. A man arrived in China on a multiple entry tourist visa that would allow him to stay in China for 90 days. After 90 days he would need to leave and would be allowed to re-enter the country with his passport.
However, it turns out that the man never actually left. Instead he used six counterfeit passport stamps to cover up the fact that he overstayed his visa for almost a full year. The man was caught when he tried to board a flight to Hong Kong and it was discovered that his visa contained several counterfeit passport stamps.
If he had exited and re-entered the country as he was supposed to, then there would not have been a need to fake the passport stamps. Counterfeit passport stamps can result in fines and arrest. As it turns out, the man received a fine after it was determined that his actions didn’t produce any serious consequences. Altering a US passport is a federal offense.
When it comes to passports and visas it is best to do everything by the book. It doesn’t pay to try to commit passport fraud because eventually it will catch up with you. In the United States, passport fraud is a serious offense and can result in jail time.
If you are interested in getting a passport or visa, give us a call at (212) 643-9305. Rush Passport™ Official US Passport Expeditors, serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Westchester County, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.
Tags: China visa, hong kong passport, hong kong visa, passport, passport china, passport fraud, passport ny, Passport Services, passport US, passports, passports nyc, rush passport, rush passport nyc, US visa, Visa, visa ny, visas
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Wednesday, August 22nd, 2012
Do you think that the passport application process in America is tough? Do you think that the wait time to get a US passport is too long? Applying for a US passport is easy compared to applying for passports in other countries. Up until recently, Filipinos had no other choice but to wait long hours in line to get a passport. All passports had to be applied for in person. There was no passport applications by mail. Also, people had to travel several miles to get to the passport agency. However, now in the Philippines, passports can be applied for through the mail. In addition passport acceptance agencies are now able to accept new and renewal passport applications. Now, more and more passport acceptance agencies are sprouting up. This new procedure makes getting a passport quicker and easier.
This new passport initiative should increase the number of passports processed and also cut the wait time significantly. In the past, it could take several months to receive a passport. Now the passport application process should be much quicker.
The Philippine passport is biometric. The passport was released in 2009 and contains security features including biometric data such as a hidden encoded image, a holographic laminate and a tamper-proof electronic microchip. Many Filipinos who are looking for work overseas need passports.
If you are interested in getting a passport or visa, give us a call at (212) 643-9305. Rush Passport™ Official US Passport Expeditors, serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Westchester County, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.
Tags: passport, passport acceptance agency ny, passport agency, passport US, passports, passports ny office, rush passport, US passport office
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Monday, August 20th, 2012
Did you ever think of lending your passport to someone else? Don’t even think about it! It is a federal offense and you could get into big trouble for lending your passport to anyone else. Recently, an Indian man lent his passport to bail out a colleague. Now, he is stuck because the colleague failed to return with his passport.
The man claims that his colleague asked him to lend him his passport so that he could travel home to deal with a family emergency. However, the colleague left with the passport and has not returned. Now the man is stuck without his passport and cannot travel.
Now, without his passport, he is unable to leave and claims that he is unable to apply for a job. It is hard to understand why he did not report the passport stolen and apply for a replacement passport. Did you know that if your US passport is lost or stolen, you can apply for a new passport. You would be eligible for a replacement passport and would just have to wait for the passport to be processed.
If you are interested in getting a passport or visa, give us a call at (212) 643-9305. Rush Passport™ Official US Passport Expeditors, serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Westchester County, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.
Tags: lost passport, passport, passport ny, passport stolen, passports, rush passport, stolen passport, US passport
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Saturday, August 18th, 2012
Have you ever considered applying for your passport online? Surely you are concerned over possible security risks by having an online passport application process. An online passport system in theory would eliminate
long lines at the passport agency and could make the process of getting a passport easier. However, there are many risks involved with putting the passport process online.
Online passport applications would be tough to monitor and the possibility of passport fraud is of great concern. The thought of eliminating waiting several hours in line to get a passport may be intriguing enough for experts to
consider giving the online passport application process some consideration.
Currently, US passport applicants can wait several hours just to get into the passport office to submit paperwork. Once the passport application is handed in, there is no certainty of the passport application being accepted.
Some countries including India are looking to the internet as a way to solve their passport application problems. An online passport application system could be used for passport renewal as well. Passport renewal seems like an easier task to complete online rather than the application for a first time passport applicant.
Who knows if an online passport application system is in our immediate future or if we will forever be doomed to waiting in long lines at the passport office? However, with Rush Passport™ you have a choice. You never have to wait on lines at the passport office. Contact us and you will see just how easy getting a US passport can be.
If you are interested in getting a passport or visa, give us a call at (212) 643-9305. Rush Passport™ Official US Passport Expeditors, serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Westchester
County, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.
Tags: first-time passport, new passport, passport application, passport nyc, passport renewal, rush passport, US passport
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Thursday, August 16th, 2012
Do you have a passport? What about a passport for your pets? Don’t laugh. Malaysia is considering making it compulsory for owners of pets to have a
passport for their pets. Passports for pets is not such a crazy idea as the passports could assist in the prevention of the spread of viral
diseases. Pet passports could also help track down missing pets.
The World Organisation for Animal Health may have something to add to the pet passport initiative at their next conference.
The pet passport program would be voluntary at first and then could eventually become mandatory. Passports for pets is something that would require cooperation from countries across the globe if it were to carry any weight.
Currently there is no US passport for pets, but if the Malaysian pet passports take off, then we may soon see pet passports in the United States. Imagine what the pet passport application would look like. Would the pet’s paw print be a part of the passport? There would have to be some sort of fee associated with the pet passport and don’t forget about the pet passport photos. It is doubtful that pet passports will come to the US anytime soon, but we will keep you posted on any new developments.
If you are interested in getting a passport or visa, give us a call at (212) 643-9305. Rush Passport™ Official US Passport Expeditors, serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Westchester County, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.
Tags: NYC Passport, passport application, passport office ny, passport photo, pet passport, pet passport malaysia
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Tuesday, August 14th, 2012
Did you know that 66% of Americans do not have a passport? For the 1/3 of Americans who do have passports, they can use their passports to travel around the world. However, passport holders must make sure to check the expiration date or they can be left scrambling to renew their passport. It is a good idea to make it a habit of checking your passport to make sure that it is not expired. A good tip would be to check your passport when you wake up in the morning on your birthday each year.
If you find out that your passport is set to expire within the next six months, then you can apply for passport renewal. Some countries will not allow you to use your passport if it has less than 6 months left on it before the passport expires. If your passport expires while overseas you will be allowed to travel back to the United States, but you probably will not be able to travel to any other countries. This may present problems using your passport to get home.
The standard time for passport renewal is between 4-6 weeks, however, if you contact the passport expediters at Rush Passport™, that time can be cut substantially.
Depending on your situation, you may even be able to get your passport in just a few hours. In most cases, you can have your passport in the same day.
If you are interested in getting a passport or visa, give us a call at (212) 643-9305. Rush Passport™ Official US Passport Expeditors, serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Westchester County, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.
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Thursday, August 9th, 2012
Do you think that people will ever be able to apply for their passports online? Online passport applications would certainly reduce the amount of paperwork. However, the security risks may be too high for the passport application process to ever be available online.
The number of passports applications able to be processed would likely double if they were allowed to be completed online. People with passport emergencies, in need rush passports, same day passport could apply with ease. People who have lost or stolen passports, expired passports or are in need passport renewal services could apply for new passports online.
The online passport application process would not only save time, but would reduce the amount of staff needed at the Passport Office.
The online passport application would also reduce inaccuracies due to poor penmanship.
Some think that passport applicants should not only be able to file passport applications online, but also be able to log in and retrieve information regarding the passport application status.
Passport applicants would also be able to determine whether or not their passports were issued and would receive notification and reasons if their passport applications were rejected.
Online passport applications may be a thing of the future or they may never happen at all.
If you are interested in getting a passport or visa, give us a call at (212) 643-9305. Rush Passport™ Official US Passport Expeditors, serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Westchester County, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.
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Sunday, August 5th, 2012
Have you ever thought about going on the Disney Cruise? Do you know that if the cruise leaves the country you will need a passport. A woman, Mrs. Arenson, planned her Disney Cruise scheduled for this September and applied for her daughter’s US passport in May. She applied for the passport four months prior to the trip to be sure she would receive the passport in time and avoid problems.
The woman’s daughter, Isabella, was born in Taiwan and is a legal US citizen with a social security number. The child was adopted in 2008 and has a green card proving that she had entered the US legally.
Back in June, Mrs. Arenson received a letter from the US Dept of State asking for proof of her daughter’s permanent residency. A green card would do the trick, so Arensen sent a copy of her daughter’s green card to the State Department’s passport office.
The passport office sent a letter in July asking for Arenson to send the actual green card itself to fulfill the passport requirements. Arenson sent the original green card via certified mail.
Records indicate that someone at the State Dept. signed for the letter and received the green card. However, it turns out that someone in the passport office lost the green card.
Now, the passport office wanted Isabella’s original Taiwan passport. Mrs. Arenson hand delivered it to the passport office to avoid further confusion.
There is a happy ending to the story as Isabella’s US passport arrived earlier this week and the Disney Cruise planned for September is on! Isabella and her mom are looking forward to checking out the Bahamas with Isabella’s new US passport.
If you are interested in getting a passport or visa, give us a call at (212) 643-9305. Rush Passport™ Official US Passport Expeditors, serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Westchester County, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.
Tags: expedited passport, expired passport, lost passport, passport, passport card, passport ny, Passport Services, passports, rush passport, US passport
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Wednesday, August 1st, 2012
With the Olympics coming to a close, one can’t help to wonder about the countless stories of athletes and family members who lost their passports. What about all of the spectators who had passport issues? More passport issues may be on the horizon as the Olympic games comes to an end this weekend. Athletes, family members and fans may soon discover that when it is time to go home that they cannot find their passports. It seems that many of the embassies in London should be prepared for people who have lost their passports, have had their passports stolen or damaged. Several new passports will have to be issued.
On an average day it is hard to predict just how many people will lose or misplace their passports. Now, think about all of the people who plan to be leaving London next week. Surely they can’t all know where their passports are. Sometimes by trying to find a secure location for one’s passport, the location is so secure that the passport’s owner can’t even find it! Many travelers feel that their luggage is a safe place to store their passports. Others feel that it would be better to keep passports in the room safe. While others will only trust the hotel safe deposit box. Some people just keep their passports on their person at all times. Either way, be sure to make a photocopy of your passport, so that in the event your passport gets lost, you can make it as easy as possible to be replaced.
If you are interested in getting a passport or visa, give us a call at (212) 643-9305. Rush Passport™ Official US Passport Expeditors, serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Westchester County, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.
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