New law creates passport frenzy

Friday, March 16, 2007

A new law requiring passports for all air and sea travel to Canada, Mexico and South America has increased passport demand and wait times. It takes 10 weeks to get a passport; a year ago it took four weeks.

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Summer is right around the corner. If you are going to apply for a passport, you have to do it now.

Lisa Beers, Lawrence Post Office clerk

The law went into effect Jan. 8 to fulfill requirements set by the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. By 2008, passports will be required for land border crossings as well.

Lisa Beers, a general clerk at the Lawrence Post Office, said that the extra wait time was a problem for people who waited too long to get their passports. Students who plan on traveling to other countries during the summer should get to the post office.

“Summer is right around the corner,” Beers said. “If you are going to apply for a passport, you have to do it now.”

Students in a rush can pay $185, nearly double the regular fee of $97, to receive their passport in six weeks instead of 10.

Danielle Dragan, St. Louis sophomore, waited in line Thursday to get a passport for her summer trip to Italy and Germany with the art department. She said she was going to have to pay the extra money for the faster processing.

“I should have done it earlier,” Dragan said. “But my mom said not to worry about it.”

The line at the post office to get a passport has gotten longer as well. Beers said that wait times last week were up to an hour and a half, whereas previously they were only about 30 minutes. Dragan had to wait in line twice.

“I had to come back because they don’t let you pay with a credit card,” Dragan said. “It’s kinda annoying to have to keep waiting in line.”

Katrina Hibbs waited in four different lines before she got her passport.

“I went to the courthouse, Kinko’s, and finally came here,” Hibbs said. “Then they went to lunch and I had to come back an hour later.”

People can pick up passports from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Lawrence Post Office.

Kansan staff writer Joe Hunt can be contacted at jhunt@kansan.com.

— Edited by Kelly Lanigan

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