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Passport Regs Kick Back In
As summer rush abates, tighter restrictions on North American air travel return
By Vasiliki t Touhouliotis
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Posted Sep 28, 07 9:02 PM CDT
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(Newser)
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The deluge of passport applications that forced a suspension of new rules has eased, and starting Monday, US airline passengers must carry a passport when traveling to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean or Bermuda. And after Jan. 31, documentation requirements for those destinations will apply to travelers on water and land as well, reports USA Today.
Tighter restrictions went into effect in January, but lengthy delays in passport processing forced the government to waive enforcement. Meanwhile, the State Department was issuing 18 million passports, compared to 12.1 million in fiscal 2006. Now that peak travel season is over, the rules are in effect again. More regulations are pending, but they won't apply before next summer.