Travel Policy Spurs Increase in Passports

A new policy requiring air travelers flying to and from Mexico and Canada to carry passports could slow down already sluggish wait times, but has triggered an increase in the issuance of passports in Corpus Christi.

Under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, beginning Jan. 23, people traveling by air between the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda will be required to present a valid passport, Air NEXUS card, U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Marine Document or an Alien Registration Card.

Americans will still be able to visit Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands without a passport after the new rules take effect.

At the Corpus Christi International Airport no airlines offer international flights.

The purpose of the policy is to strengthen border security and facilitate entry into the United States for U.S. citizens and foreign visitors, said Amy Gazin, spokeswoman for the Corpus Christi airport.

Since early November, Corpus Christi's main post office on Nueces Bay Boulevard saw a 30 to 40 percent increase in the daily number of people renewing or getting passports for the first time, post office officials said.

"We usually have about 17 to 20 people per day," said Timothy Birrenkott, customer relations coordinator for Corpus Christi post offices. "Lately, due to the new regulations, we've increased to about 30 people per day."

Birrenkott said the number spiked around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, when it seemed families with young children were taking advantage of their children being out of school.

Any time is a good time to get a passport, said Mark Johnstone, owner of Sanborn's Travel Service. It takes about six weeks for the passport to be processed and mailed to the recipient.

Lately, because of the new regulations, he said, their clients have asked more questions about when passports are necessary.

"We have always advocated passports," Johnstone said. "They're always good to have."

Because emergencies can happen during travels to any destination, it's always important to have a passport, Johnstone said.

For example, if a person is flying to Hawaii, it's always possible that the plane might be diverted to an island that does not belong to the United States, Johnstone said.

Gazin said it is a traveler's duty to ensure they have the right documentation to make their desired trip.

Currently, because there are no international flights out of the Corpus Christi airport, employees won't check for passports, Gazin said.

Gazin said long-term negotiations with various airlines are being conducted to offerflights from Corpus Christi to Mexico.

Gazin said she couldn't release the names of the airlines the airport was negotiating with, and couldn't say when negotiations might be finalized.

Based on the demographics of Corpus Christi and surrounding areas, Gazin said there is a great need and desire for flights to Mexico.

"We definitely believe people would use the international service," Gazin said. "We seem ready for that type of expansion."

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