If you don’t have a valid passport or an enhanced B.C. drivers’ licence by June 1 you will not be able to cross the United States border.
But don’t panic.
On May 13, Passport Canada will be in Osoyoos conducting a passport clinic which will speed up the passport application and processing method by a significant amount.
The clinic will be held at the Sonora Community Centre and will be in operation between 12 and 8 p.m.
But you’ll need to be prepared if you’re planning on taking advantage of the streamlined application system.
Sebastien Bois from Passport Canada said all applicants showing up for the clinic must have already fully completed a passport application form, which can be accessed online at the Passport Canada website at www.ppt.gc.ca/index.aspx?lang=eng
Bois said two photos, taken by a professional photographer, are also required and one of them must have the address of the photographer and the signature of a guarantor.
Fast Photo, at Suite 3, 8302 on Main St. is the only place in town where you can have your passport photo taken.
A guarantor is someone who can confirm your identity; you must have known your guarantor for at least two years; he or she must be 18 years old or older, have a valid Canadian passport issued after the age of 16 and be a Canadian citizen.
A complete list of qualifications as well as the responsibilities of the guarantor is available on the online application form.
Applicants must also have their birth certificate and two other forms of identification with them to present at the clinic.
And if you have a valid passport, or one that has been expired for less than one year, you should have it with you.
The clinic will only accept certified cheques, money orders, Visa or MasterCard.
The cost is $87 for an adult aged 16 or older, $37 for children three to 15 years old, and $22 for infants younger than three.
Bois said passports are valid for five years for children and adults but only for three years for infants because their appearance changes so much as they grow.
“The processing time for applications is up to 20 working days,” Bois said.
The passport requirement is part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI).
The WHTI is a U.S. law that requires all travellers, including Canadian and American citizens, to present an approved identification document when entering the U.S. from within the Western Hemisphere.
There will be a presentation on WHTI in Osoyoos on May 26 at the Sonora Community Centre at 7 p.m. to further explain the law and the new identification requirements for crossing the U.S. border.
By Karen Knelsen
Osoyoos Times
