Posts Tagged ‘passport blog’
Friday, October 29th, 2010
Lost your passport? Did you need to get a new passport? Are you unsure of how to get a passport? Do you need to get your passport today? Do you need an emergency passport? Well, you’re not alone. In an effort to keep passports in a safe place, passport holders often put them in too safe a place and end up losing their passports altogether. Stolen passports are also possible, but passport theft usually occurs once a passport holder is traveling. People also lose their passports during travel.
In you recall a previous Rush Passport passport blog entry introduced our readers to Mexican soccer player, Carlos Vela. In April 2010, Vela lost his passport and ended up missing the biggest game of his career – after he was unable to travel to Barcelona for the Arsenal’s Champions League quarter-final soccer match. His team lost the match and now Vela actually takes his passport with him to bed!
The latest passport blunder came at the hands of another athlete, star cricket player Graeme Swann. Swann realized that his passport was lost right just 48 hours before departure for a big match in Australia.
Swann actually tweeted to his 78,000 Twitter followers “Are passports still absolutely required to travel overseas? If so then I fear today may be one of frantic searching.”
Twitter would not have been my first choice if I discovered that my passport was missing 48 hours before a scheduled flight abroad. I would’ve called Rush Passport™!
However, all turned out fine five hours later when Swann again turned to Twitter to add: “My passport turned up in my ‘safe’ place, down the back of my kitchen bin.”
Losing a passport is no fun! But, here’s some advice: Don’t go to Twitter – visit Rush Passport™.
If you are a US citizen and you are interested in getting an expedited US Passport or if you are interested in getting a 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, Westchester County, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Miami, Florida.
Tags: arsenal champion's league, Australia, barcelona, Carlos Vela, Connecticut Passport, cricket, emergency passport, get a new passport, get a passport, get a passport today, get your passport today, Graeme Swann, lost passport, new passport, passport agency, passport blog, passport card, passport expediters, passport expeditors, Passport holders, passport news, passport stolen, passports, rush passport, same day passport, twitter, US passport, US Passport Book, US Passport Card, westchester passport
Posted in Latest Passport News, Passport Ponderings, Passport Services | No Comments »
Tuesday, August 17th, 2010
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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Saturday, August 14th, 2010
The Passport backlog in Ireland is finally over! People who wish to get a passport can now expect to get a passport processed within 10 working days.
Back in May in a previous Rush Passport™ passport blog entry, it was reported that there was a backlog of over 70,000 passports. The passport team at the passport agency formulated a plan to alleviate the passport backlog and they were successful. In less than 4 months, the passport agency has made a significant impact in passport processing times.
Currently, there are just fewer than 25,000 passport applications in the system. This number of passport applications being processed is considered to be within the normal range.
The recruitment of 50 extra temporary passport staff helped to expedite more than 68,000 additional passport applications over the past few months.
At the end of April there were over 69,000 passport applications awaiting processing. As of June 17, there were still approximately 68,000 passport applications in the backlog.
At that time, passports were taking 4 to 5 weeks to process. Now there is a 10 working day passport guarantee is being offered to passport applicants.
Today, with just 25,000 passport applications in the system, Ireland’s passport processing bureau should be seen as an inspiration to other countries around the world that are experiencing a backlog of passport applications.
The number of passports being issued daily is in Ireland is approximately 3,200. Each year, the Passport Office processes over 650,000 passport applications.
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: live passport agent, New York Passport Agency, passport, passport agency, passport applicants, passport applications, passport blog, passport processing, passport processing bureau, passports, rush passport, US passport, US Passport Card
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Thursday, August 5th, 2010
Passports have replaced diplomas as the most sought after document on college campuses! As mentioned in a previous Rush Passport™ blog entry, it was reported that students from Ohio State University are being encouraged to get passports. The University of Toledo is also following suit and now there is a push for each student to get a passport.
The University of Toledo’s director of academic engagement understands the value of student passports and the potential international opportunities they present for undergraduates.
Not only are students being encouraged to get passports, but also to travel abroad.
The University of Toledo is committed to making the passport process as simple as possible as they take steps to compile and help students fill out the necessary forms to get a passport, and schedule appointments for students to get their passport photos taken.
UT is in the process of revamping the university’s study abroad program and obviously the process of getting a passport is a big part of the program’s success.
Faculty members are being encouraged to organize research trips abroad and UT students with passports can apply for travel grants through the Office of Study Abroad.
University of Toledo’s “Get a Passport” campaign should spark an increase in the number of students with passports.
Currently, only 30 percent of American citizens hold passports. You don’t have to be a student to get 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.
Tags: diplomas, get a passport, get passports, get their passport, getting a passport, live passport agent, passport, passport agency, passport blog, passport photos, passports, rush passport, student passports, study abroad, US passport, US Passport Card
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Saturday, July 31st, 2010
It’s safe to say that the chances of having the same name and the same birthday as someone else on this planet are pretty slim. Now imagine that the other person is in trouble with the law… you can be sure to experience passport problems!
Sylvie Nelson of Upstate New York has dealt with such problems first hand. Canadian born Nelson is married to American, where they live with their 2 children in Saranac Lake, NY. Since becoming a U.S. citizen in 2008, her US Passport began setting off alarms due to the fact that a person with a similar name and the same exact birthday is wanted by the State Police in DeKalb County, Georgia.
Nelson has two passports and uses both of her passports to cross the border several times each month. She uses her Canadian passport to leave the country and her US Passport to get back in.
She has been ordered from her car and handcuffed on several occasions. She still can’t figure out why her passport causes alarm on some visits, but not others.
At this point, it may be a good idea to apply for a name change to avoid further passport issues.
Whether or not you are experiencing passport issues, 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 Agent. (877) 937-7277 (All 50 States) or (212) 643-9305 New York Passport Agency.
Tags: Canadian passport, NY Passport, NY Passport Agency, passport blog, passport issues, passport problems, passports, rush passport, Sylvie Nelson, US passport
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Thursday, July 29th, 2010
passport applications at a Study Abroad Expo at the Ohio Student Union on Oct. 7th, 2010.” width=”400″ height=”266″ />
In an earlier, Rush Passport™ blog entry, it was reported that U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk in his commencement speech at SMU this past spring urged students to “Get a passport!”
Now it seems that Ohio State University is following suit. In an effort to better prepare students to become citizens of the world, OSU plans to double the number of students with passports. The campaign starts this summer, and the initial focus is to encourage the more than 6,000 incoming freshmen to get passports.
Dolan Evanovich, Ohio State’s vice president made the following analogy: “The passport is really the driver’s license to the world.”
The passport initiative was first announced in March 2009 and among the steps towards encouraging every student to have a passport, is doubling the number of international undergraduates at Ohio State.
Ohio State officials estimate that just 20% of the university’s 62,000 students have a US Passport. To help facilitate the passport process, officials from the National Passport Outreach Center in New Hampshire will process students’ passport applications at a Study Abroad Expo at the Ohio Student Union on Oct. 7th, 2010.
While the State Department received over 14 million passport applications in 2009, only about 30% of Americans have passports.
When asked why they did not have passports, some students blamed not getting passports on their cost. Now, the cost will present even more of an issue as the passport application fee increased from $75 to $110 on July 13th, 2010.
Having a passport creates international opportunities for students. Studying abroad widens students’ world views and provides an appreciation for other cultures, languages and perspectives.
You don’t have to be a student to get a passport. Well, what are you waiting for? 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.
Tags: American Passport, get a passport, live passport agent, National Passport Center, passport, passport agency, passport application, passport applications, passport blog, passport initiative, passport process, passports, rush passport, student passport, US passport, US Passport Card
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Tuesday, July 27th, 2010
In a previous Rush Passport™ passport blog, security loopholes in the new passports, e-passports, enhanced driver’s licenses and US Passport Cards were exposed. The technology that is being compromised is included in the RFID (radio frequency identification tags).
Every new US Passport issued since 2007 has been designed with a computer chip embedded on its back cover. The technology employed in these passports include wireless radio frequency identification (RFID). Professor Avishai Wool at Tel Aviv University’s School of Electrical Engineering in Israel and his students demonstrated how simple it is to disrupt the radio frequency using simple devices constructed from disposable cameras and copper pipes.
Now, piggy-backing off of Professor Wool’s research, Chris Paget has constructed a device which operates out of his vehicle. The device is able to find and then reproduce the ‘unique’ RFID from US Passport Cards.
Paget recently drove around in downtown San Francisco for 20 minutes looking to pick up RFID signals. In his drive, the device successfully duplicated the tags of two US Passport Cards unbeknownst to the owners.
Due to the fact that the technology does not employ encryption and can be read from distances of over a mile, the tags are susceptible to cloning and tracking.
While the RFID chips in the US Passport are not as easy to clone as the ones in the US Passport Cards or the enhanced driver’s licenses, they are still not 100% secure.
To combat this problem, US Passport Cards are issued with a protective sleeve. US Passport Card holders are advised to keep the passport card in the sleeve when the card is not in use.
If you are interested in getting a US Passport, a US Passport Card or any other passport services before the rate increase, visit us at http://www.rushpassport.com or call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to speak with a Live Agent. (877) 937-7277 (All 50 States) or (212) 643-9305 New York Agency.
Tags: e-passports, new passports, passport blog, Passport Services, passports, RFID, rush passport, US passport, US Passport Card, US Passport Cards
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Monday, July 26th, 2010
As reported in a previous Rush Passport™ blog entry, there are several reasons to get a US Passport Card.
Now, there’s another great reason to get a US Passport Card – to cross the Ambassador Bridge. US Passport holders and Canadian Passport holders have been using the Ambassador Bridge for years. A little more than 30 years ago, Manuel “Matty” Moroun bought the Ambassador Bridge that connects Detroit and Windsor, Ontario. Moroun, now 83 years old, holds the honor of being the only person to privately own a border crossing in the United States and he has a monopoly over one of the nation’s busiest international trade routes.
The bridge is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Each day over 40,000 commuters, tourists and truck drivers cross the Windsor-Detroit border. In addition, over $323 million worth of goods is transported daily.
There is plenty of Duty Free Shopping on both sides of the border in both Detroit and Canada which means no GST, no federal tax, no manufacturing tax, no excise tax and no provincial tax. This all means huge savings.
US Passport holders can find great deals on designer perfumes fragrances from around the world, Canadian handcrafted art, fine china, crystal, porcelain, glassware, jewelry, watches, cigars and liquor – including the world-famous Canadian ice wine.
As of June 1, 2009, when crossing US-Canada Border, a US Passport Card can be used to cross over into Canada. Travelers must also have appropriate identification for all children making the trip.
Frequent travelers can also take advantage of the NEXUS program. This will enable them to use dedicated lanes to cross the border between Canada and the US more quickly.
For international travelers wishing to enter Canada, from countries other than the U.S, a valid passport is required.
If you are interested in getting a US Passport , US Passport Card , or for any passport 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 Agency.
Tags: Ambassador Bridge, live passport agent, Manuel Moroun, Matty Moroun, passport blog, passport book, Passport holders, passport renewal, rush passport, US passport, US Passport Card, US Passport Cards, US Passport holders, valid passport
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Sunday, July 25th, 2010
As reported in yesterday’s Rush Passport™ blog entry, a Texas woman was denied a passport and the right to travel with her husband on an international cruise.
Today’s Rush Passport™ passport blog deals with another Texas couple with passport problems. A couple complete with snorkel gear and travel guide to the Galápagos Islands in hand were turned away at the airport on the day of their trip.
At the airline’s check-in counter, the husband was told he could not board the first end of a connecting flight to Ecuador en route to the Galápagos Islands. The reason that he was not permitted to board the flight is because Ecuador requires that travelers have a passport valid for an additional six months from the date of their visit. Even though he was only going to be in the airport in Ecuador on his way to the Galápagos Islands, because his passport was only valid for another four months, it did not satisfy Ecuador’s passport requirements.
They planned the trip for months and were shocked to find out about this rule. They had even called the Ecuadorian consulate office in Houston to check whether or not they needed a visa, but neglected to find out about the passport requirements.
Now, Friday afternoon, unable to board, they anxiously waited all weekend until the passport office opened on Monday where they went to renew the husband’s passport..
Finally, on Monday night, they got the passport renewed and were bound for Ecuador’s airport where they boarded a flight for the Galápagos Islands.
The passport dilemma quickly forgotten, the couple was able to enjoy their vacation. You can be sure that they will always be aware to check each country’s passport requirements before planning future vacations.
Don’t let this happen to you. Plan ahead. Be sure to check with foreign consulates to determine entry/exit requirements. However, if you do find yourself in a passport emergency, do yourself a favor – contact Rush Passport™ (877) 937-7277 (All 50 States) or (212) 643-9305 / New York Agency 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and speak with a Live Agent or visit us online at http://www.rushpassport.com
Tags: Ecuador, entry/exit requirements, Galápagos Islands, passport, passport blog, passport emergency, passport office, passport problems, passport renewed, passport requirements, rush passport, US passport, US Passport Card, valid passport, Visa
Posted in Latest Passport News, Passport Services, Visa | No Comments »
Saturday, July 24th, 2010
Passport Update: A Texas woman, June Cloud will be joining her husband on an international cruise in August.
As reported in an earlier Rush Passport™ blog entry, June was unable to obtain her US Passport because she wasn’t able to provide a valid birth certificate.
June Cloud is an American – born and raised. However, when she was born, her doctor did not file the necessary form to receive a birth certificate. Cloud received a delayed birth certificate from the state of Texas, but this document was not enough for the State Department, which issues passports upon proof of the first 5 years of birth.
Cloud’s husband had won the cruise after being named “Employee of the Year” and the pair planned to go on the cruise together – but first she needed to get a passport.
Because she was unable to provide enough proof of her first five years of life, the passport office in Houston declined her passport application.
With the assistance of Congressman Louie Gohmert’s office together with the Gregg County Clerk’s Office, June Cloud was issued a passport.
This means the 61-year-old Texan known as “the woman without a country” has her US Passport, is officially an American and can join her husband the cruise. Lookout shuffleboard court, bingo hall and unlimited buffet – here comes June Cloud!
If you find yourself in a passport emergency contact Rush Passport™ (877) 937-7277 (All 50 States) or (212) 643-9305 / New York Agency 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and speak with a Live Agent or visit us online at http://www.rushpassport.com.
Tags: get a passport, issue passports, issued a passport, passport, passport application, passport blog, passport emergency, rush passport, rushpassport.com, US passport
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