With so many people traveling to Mexico each year, we get a lot of questions about the passport requirements to visit Mexico. The answer to that question will depend on how you plan to travel to Mexico. Are you flying to Mexico? Are you sailing to Mexico, or visiting Mexico on a cruise? Or are you planning to cross the US/Mexico border by land?

Flying to Mexico

Unless you live near the Mexican border, the fastest way to get to Mexico is to fly. You will need to have a valid passport book if you plan to fly between Mexico and the US. In fact, passport books are needed for all international travel by air, regardless of your destination!

Your passport book will need to be valid when you enter Mexico. We recommend that it be valid for at least six months past your trip to Mexico. Is your passport close to expiring? Renew it now!

Cruising to Mexico

Under the law known as the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, you can use either a valid passport book or passport card to enter Mexico by sea. Most travelers who visit Mexico by sea are passengers on cruise ships. When you enter Mexico for a shore excursion, you may or may not be asked to show your passport, but you should carry your passport book or passport card with you in case you are required to show it.

Many cruise lines want passengers to have a valid passport book, even when visiting countries like Mexico where a passport card can be used to enter by sea. This is because you’d need to have your passport book with you if you had some sort of emergency that required you to fly back to the US.

Sailing to Mexico

Are you planning to sail down the Pacific coast on a private yacht? Or are you joining a sail race across the Gulf of Mexico? Travelers who will enter Mexico by sea can use either a passport book or passport card to enter.

Interestingly, you’ll need to have your passport with you any time you enter Mexican waters, even if you don’t plan on docking and going ashore! Mexico enacted a new law in 2015 which requires all sailors and offshore fishermen to carry a passport when they enter Mexican waters. If you are the skipper of a boat that plans to enter Mexican waters, you’ll need to apply online with the FMM (Mexican immigration) for a permission document. This permission document will have to list the names and passport details of all your passengers and crew.

Crossing the Mexican Border by Land

The most popular way to visit Mexico is to enter by land. You can enter Mexico by car, by bus, or even on foot!

There are several items you can use to prove your US citizenship when you cross the Mexican border by land:

• A valid passport book
• A valid passport card
• A SENTRI card – this is a Trusted Traveler card issued by the US government that’s meant for people who frequently drive back and forth to Mexico

When you enter Mexico by land, your passport may or may not be checked. For many years, passport enforcement by Mexican officials at border crossings has been lax, but they are becoming increasingly strict about checking passports. Don’t forget that you will also need to have your passport checked by US authorities when you return. The US is even considering levying fines on US citizens who try to cross the Mexican border without a passport!

Save yourself the hassle, and make sure you have a valid passport for your visit to Mexico.

The post Passport Requirements to Visit Mexico appeared first on G3Passports.

Christmas and midterms are now behind us. Across the US, high school and college students are making plans for their spring break vacations. If you’re one of them, read on and make sure that you’ve got the passport you need!

Do You Need a Passport for Your Spring Break Trip?

Whether you need a passport — and what kind of passport you need — will be determined by where you are going and how you are getting there!

Flying Within the United States

When you think about spring break, you can’t help but think about Florida! Are you headed to the epic spring break parties in Daytona Beach and Miami? Or are you flying to Orlando to explore the theme parks? No matter where you are going, you are going to need to show official identification in order to board your flight to the Sunshine State. Your driver’s license will work, but what if you don’t have a license yet? You can use a valid passport book or passport card instead.

ID requirements for domestic flights will be even more strict for next year’s spring break. Next January, the US government will start enforcing REAL ID requirements at airports. If you don’t have a REAL ID certified driver’s license, you will need to use your passport to catch your flight!

Driving to Mexico

Not going to Florida this year? Chances are high you’re headed to the other iconic spring break destination, Mexico! You must have a valid passport to travel to Mexico. If you will be entering and departing Mexico by land, you can use a valid passport book or passport card.

Are you more of a snow bunny than a beach bum? The same requirements apply if you are driving into Canada for a ski trip. You’ll need to have a valid passport book or passport card to enter and depart Canada by land.

Taking a Cruise

Cruises are a great way to make the most of your spring break! Although you don’t technically need to have a passport book for “closed loop” cruises to Bermuda, the Bahamas, or some other Caribbean destinations, most cruise lines do want you to have your valid passport book with you. (“Closed loop” cruises are cruises that start and end at the same US port.) It’s a good idea to have a valid passport book in case you need to fly internationally in an unexpected situation. For instance, if you miss the boat at one of the cruise stops and need to fly to the next port of call, or if there is an emergency and you need to fly home, you would need to have a passport book.

Flying Internationally

Any time you fly internationally, you must have a valid passport book! It doesn’t matter what your destination is — Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, Tanzania, Russia, anywhere — all international travel by air requires a valid passport book.

How to Get a Passport for Your Spring Break Travel

Need to get a passport in time for your spring vacation? No need to worry, G3 can help you get a passport in plenty of time for your trip! But do you know what kind of passport service you will need?

If You Have Never Been Issued a Passport…

• Are you age 16 or older? You will need to use the New Adult Passport service.
• Are you age 15 or younger? You will need to use the Minor Passport service.

If You Have an Expired or Expiring Passport…

• In case your most recent passport was issued after you turned 16, you will need a Passport Renewal.
• If your most recent passport was issued before you turned 16, and you are now over age 16, you will use the New Adult Passport service.
• If you are still age 15 or younger, you will need to use the Minor Passport service.

And If You Can’t Find Your Passport…

• Lost your passport? You will need to use the Lost Passport Replacement procedure.

No matter where you are heading, or what kind of passport you need, G3 can help you get the passport you need for your ultimate spring break!

The post Passports for Your Spring Break Travel appeared first on G3Passports.

When is your child likely to need identification?

Let’s look at some scenarios in which your child could use their passport book or passport card as official ID.

1. International Travel

This one is obvious! Children, even babies, are subject to the same passport requirements as adults. Your child will need a valid passport book for all international air travel.

2. TSA Security at the Airport

Whether you’re boarding a domestic flight or an international one, you’re going to need to get through the TSA security checkpoint first. The official rule is that children under 18 do not require their own identification if they are traveling with an adult companion. However, in practice, having ID for your kids will get you through the security checkpoint much faster! Families who do not have child identification documents are asked many questions by TSA security agents. The agents have to determine whether your child should be traveling with you, or if there’s a risk that you might be abducting the child. Having ID for your child goes a long way toward proving that your child really should be with you!

3. Travel as an Unaccompanied Minor

Thinking about letting your kid fly on his own to go visit Grandma? Airlines have strict rules for air travel by unaccompanied minors. Many airlines require that your child have official ID in order to fly on their own. A passport is the ideal child identification to use for unaccompanied minor travel. Because it has a photograph, it will allow the airline to positively identify your child and make sure your child gets where he needs to go.

4. Enrolling in TSA PreCheck or Global Entry

Frequent travelers love the TSA PreCheck and Global Entry programs! By assigning you a Known Traveler Number, these Trusted Traveler programs allow you to get through TSA security checkpoints and US immigration quickly using designated express lanes. Children age 12 and under can also use the express lanes if they are traveling with a parent who is part of TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. That’s great for your little kids, but what about your middle-schooler? Children age 13 and over need to apply for their own Known Traveler Number, and in order to get one, they must have official ID. You can use your child’s passport book or passport card as child identification for TSA PreCheck applications for your young teen. If you’re enrolling them in Global Entry, you will need to have their passport books. Global Entry is specifically focused on international travel, so passport books are a must.

5. SATs and Other College Testing

We’ve talked a lot about the many ways your child’s passport can come in handy when you’re traveling. But it can also be useful when you are at home! One important use of a passport for child identification is for college testing, like the SAT. To prevent testing fraud, the College Board checks IDs against the name listed on the test. All students must show official photo ID when they arrive to take the test. A passport book or passport card is one of the few universally-accepted child identification documents that can be used for college testing.

6. Medical Emergencies and Child Identification

Imagine this: your 14 year old daughter is traveling with her soccer team. You’ve got to work, so you’re not with her. During the game, she falls and breaks her wrist on the pitch. It’s not a life-or-death emergency, but she’s in pain, and she needs medical treatment right away. Does she have the right documents to get registered at the hospital without you? If she has her passport book or card, she can use that as identification with her health insurance card.

How has your kid used their passport for child identification? Tell us in the comments!

The post Minor Passports: The Perfect Child Identification! appeared first on G3Passports.

Birth Certificate Requirements for US Passports

You’ll need to make sure that the birth certificate you submit with your passport application meets all the following criteria:

• Issued by a US state, city, or territory.  You must submit a government-issued birth certificate.  Hospital-issued birth certificates or other commemorative certificates won’t work.
• Original document with a raised seal. When we say “original,” we don’t necessarily mean the very first copy that your parents got when you were a baby!  You need to submit a certificate issued by the government agency, with a raised seal.  Photocopies, scans, or photographs are not accepted.
• “Long Form” certificate showing your parents’ names.  Some states have an option for a “short form” or card-sized birth certificate.  These aren’t accepted for passport applications.  You need to have a “long form” certificate that shows your parents’ names.  (Don’t have a father listed?  That’s OK.  As long as the certificate has a space for the father’s name, it’s fine if that space has been left blank.)
• Shows birth in a US state, federal district, or territory. Yes, if you were born in Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands, you can use your birth certificate to get a US passport!

When you go to the Passport Acceptance Facility, the Passport Acceptance Agent will be checking your birth certificate to ensure it meets all these requirements.

How to Get Your Birth Certificate

It’s an important document… but that doesn’t mean it won’t get lost!  Many passport applicants have trouble locating their original birth certificate.  Luckily, there are a few simple ways to get an official copy.

• Visit the Vital Statistics Office in your state of birth. If you are still in your state of birth, you can go in person to the Vital Statistics Office.  For a small fee, they will print out original copies of your birth certificate for you.  You’ll need to have proof of identity, such as your driver’s license.  While you’re at it, you might as well get two copies of your birth certificate — most places give a discount if you get two copies, and both will be completely official original documents.
• Write to the Vital Statistics Office. Most locales allow you to order your birth certificate by mail.  Processing may take a while, so this is not the best option if you’re in a hurry to apply for your new passport!  Make sure to check the ordering instructions closely.  You may need to pay via money order, or submit a photocopy of your valid ID.
• Order your birth certificate online. You can order your birth certificate right now, without even leaving your chair!  VitalChek.com is a reputable website that works with US government agencies to get you your official birth certificate quickly and easily.

What If Your Name Has Changed?

Your birth certificate was issued when you were a newborn baby.  You’re applying for your first passport as an adult.  It’s quite likely that your legal name has changed!  If your name has legally changed through marriage, divorce, or court order, you’ll need to submit an original copy of the marriage certificate, divorce degree, or court order to prove your new legal name.

The post Get Your Birth Certificate for Your New Passport appeared first on G3Passports.

The fees for your new passport will be made up of several different parts:

• Execution Fee
• Passport Book Fee
• Government Fee for Rush Passport
• G3Passports Service Fee

Execution Fee

One of your first steps in getting a new passport will be to go to a Passport Acceptance Facility to have your application reviewed by a Passport Acceptance Agent.  Your passport application and supporting documents will be sealed into an official envelope that can only be opened by Passport Agency personnel.  This process is known as “executing” the application.  You’ll need to pay a $25 fee for this service, directly to the Passport Acceptance Facility.

Passport Book Fee

The main part of your passport fees is the government fee for your passport book.  For applicants age 16 and over, the US government charges a base fee of $110.  This actually contains two separate fees: $70 for the passport book fee and $40 for the Passport Book Security Surcharge.  This surcharge goes towards all of the enhanced security features that have been added to passports since 2006.  Those extra security features include RFID chips and the shiny polycarbonate coating over your passport information page.

Government Fee for Rush Passport

If you’re getting your passport with G3Passports.com, you’re getting your passport in a hurry!  The government charges an extra $60 for all passport books that need to be issued in less than three weeks.  Every service that we offer is a rush service that we hand-carry in to the Passport Agency for quick processing.  This is why the government passport book fee you see listed on our site is $170, because it includes the $60 government rush fee.

G3Passports Service Fee

When you apply through G3Passports.com, you’ll have three options for passport processing speed – fast, faster, and fastest!  We call these three speeds Expedited, Priority, and Mission Critical.  The service fees you’ll pay to G3 depend on what processing speed you choose:

• Expedited Service will have your passport completed in 7-10 business days, and has a service fee of $95.
• Priority Service will have your passport completed in 4-6 business days, and has a service fee of $185.
• Mission Critical Service will have your passport completed in no more than 2-3 business days, and has a service fee of $245.

You’ll also need to include a shipping fee in your payment to G3 — this covers the cost of sending your new passport to you via secure Federal Express delivery.

How to Pay Passport Fees

• Execution Fees are paid at the Passport Acceptance Agent.  Some locations accept credit cards, but most require that you pay by check.
• Government Fees of $170 are paid by check or money order payable to “US Department of State.”  You’ll need to have this check with you at the Passport Acceptance Agent.  Your check for government passport fees will be sealed in to your official envelope.
• G3 Service Fees are paid by credit card when you submit your order online.  Easy!

The post Understanding Passport Fees for New Passports appeared first on G3Passports.

A Card-Sized ID for Children

Even if you have a valid passport book, the likelihood is that you don’t carry it around all the time. If you’re like most of us, you rely on your driver’s license as the official ID in your wallet. But what about kids who are too young to drive? A passport card is the perfect alternative. It is the same size as a driver’s license or credit card, and it is a solid proof of identity and citizenship.

Passport Cards for Domestic Travel

My favorite time to use my children’s passport cards is when we fly inside the US. We clear TSA security much faster than families who don’t have official identification for their children. We watch other families having to answer the security officers’ questions, as they try to confirm that the children belong to the parents, but we sail right through, even though I have a different last name than my kids. My son has also always loved being able to hand over his own passport card and boarding pass, just like the grown-ups!

When we fly with the baby, his passport card will also serve as his proof of age. Most airlines require that you bring a birth certificate to prove your little one is under age 2 and eligible to fly for free as a “lap child.” We’ll be able to pull out his passport card instead!

Official ID for College Testing

It won’t be long before my oldest child needs to start taking critical exams like the SATs and ACTs. Since 2012, these important college placement exams have required that students show an official ID, in order to prevent fraud. With his passport card in hand, my son will be able to start taking these exams before he takes his driver’s test!

Getting a Passport Card for Your Child

It’s easy to get a passport card for your child when you apply for their minor passport book. All you have to do is mark the passport application to show you are requesting both the passport book and passport card. Passport cards for children under age 16 cost an additional $15 if you apply for a passport book at the same time. They are valid for five years from the date of issue, just like a minor passport book. If you are applying for both a book and a card at the same time, you only need to submit one passport photo. Your child’s completed passport card will be mailed to you separately after the passport book has been issued and returned to you.

The post Why My Children Have Passport Cards appeared first on G3Passports.