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United States Passport Not Yet Needed for Travel to Mexico

Posted on: Monday, 19 September 2005, 15:00 CDT

Q:We are going on a five-night cruise to Mexico this December. I keep getting mixed reports on whether we need passports or not. One says we do and one we don't.

Could you please tell me for sure which one is right and maybe send some kind of proof?

A: According to both the U.S. Department of State (www.travel.state.gov) and Mexico Tourism Board (www.visitmexico.com or 800-446-3942), the answer is, no, you don't need a passport. All you need is a U.S. birth certificate and a government-issued photo identification (such as a driver's license). The U.S. Department of State's Web site listed the following regarding entry into Mexico:

"Proof of citizenship and photo ID. Tourist card is required. Tourist card valid three months for single entry up to 180 days, $20 fee, requires proof of U.S. citizenship, photo ID, and proof of sufficient funds. Visa not required of U.S. citizens for tourist/ transit stay of up to 30 days. Obtain tourist cards in advance from Consulate, Tourism Office and most airlines serving Mexico upon arrival."

The tourist card will be issued when you disembark from your cruise ship. However, if you're a worrier, you can always just bring your passport in place of your birth certificate.

The United States had planned to require passports for travelers going to Mexico and Canada by Dec. 31, but those plans have been delayed for at least one year.

Q: I understand Air France is no longer part of Delta Air Lines' SkyMiles Alliance. My fiance called Air France to find out if his air miles (through his Delta account) would still be usable on Air France. He was told yes, they would. I don't think so. Do you know anything about this?

A: According to a SkyMiles representative (800-323-2323), Air France is still part of the SkyMiles Alliance. What Air France did was black out travel for the summer. Regular rules and miles usage returned to normal after Aug. 31.

Q: My husband and I are planning a trip to Asia for October this year, going to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Singapore. We would prefer to do it on our own, or mostly (with local day tours) and we do not know how to go about it. Should we buy a round-the-world ticket and, if so, what do you know about it? I am afraid, with so many places to go, buying single tickets would be astronomically expensive. And then, what airline would go to all these places?

Also, can you tell me about business class upgrades? And finally, I am a Romanian citizen (living in the United States, with an American citizen husband), I might need visas for all these places. Is there a service that can provide help with this?

A: I would recommend purchasing Cathay Pacific's All Asia Pass (www.cathay-usa.com/offers/aap) for $1,099 per person. The basic pass price is actually $1,299, but you'll receive a $200 discount if you sign up as a Cathay Pacific CyberTraveler. The All Asia Pass includes round-trip coach travel from New York (JFK), San Francisco or Los Angeles to Hong Kong, plus travel to 18 Asian cities, which includes all the cities on your list, except Kyoto. You can fly to any of the 18 cities, and the only additional cost would be airport fees and taxes.

You'll have 21 consecutive days to complete your travel, but if you need more days, you can extend the validity period: up to 30 days, it's an additional $100, 45 days is $200, 60 days is $300 and 90 days is $350. A one-way transpacific upgrade to business class will set you back an additional $1,299, which is quite reasonable, and that's only for travel between Sunday and Thursday.

There are are a few downsides to the pass: You'll have to fly through Hong Kong every time you want to fly to another city, even if it means flying backward; you don't earn frequent flyer miles; and you'll be charged $50 to $100 for each itinerary change, depending when the changes occur. But for the price, it really can't be beat.

To get to Kyoto, I suggest just taking a train from Osaka. The train ride will take about one hour, and will cost anywhere between $6 and $30, depending on the train you take. Reservations aren't required because it's a local commuter train. The train schedule and pricing information is available at www.hyperdia.com.

As for visa service, check out www.travisa.com (800-222-2589) or www.prioritypassports.com (800-605-0975). They handle visa issuance, including non-U.S. passports.

George Hobica writes for the Copley News Service. If you have a travel question, send it in care of Travel Editor, the Daily Breeze, 5215 Torrance Blvd., Torrance, CA 90503-4077 or e-mail George Hobica at geohobica@aol.com.

Source: Daily Breeze

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