It's not like a passport is hard to get. It is just prudent
to have one when traveling outside the US.

Doug
s/v Callista

"Geoffrey W. Schultz" wrote in message
. 16...
What concerns are being voiced? You're crossing international boarders
and
the US wants you to have a passport to reenter instead of some easily
forged documents. Sounds like a prudent measure to me. You can just
imagine the heat that Immigrations would be under if a terrorist crossed
the boarder using a birth certificate and a license.

-- Geoff

Glenn Ashmore wrote in
news:BY%Kc.29113$Sh.12520@lakeread06:

Just heard from a friend who returned from a fishing trip to the
Bahamas Sunday. Traveled with drivers licence and birth certificate.
C&I at West Palm is cautioning everyone that effective January 1, 2005
US citizens MUST have a passport for re-entry. Photo ID and birth
certificate will no longer be accepted. It supposedly applies to all
countries not just the Bahamas.

Seems to be big news on the sport fishing forums but I don't find
anything about it on the State Department sites and the New Orleans
Passport office doesn't have a clue. Can anyone find a way to verify
this?