No passport needed for the 2008 International Bowl... if...

[Jim Johnson]

if you drive over the border.  According to the Department of Homeland Security website the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative rules will not be implemented until January 30, 2008.  This applies to "land and sea" ... if you want to fly to Toronto, you will need a passport.  So fly into Buffalo or Detroit... or just drive up (it's about 24 hours of driving)

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WHTI Land and Sea Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Published

Release Date: June 20, 2007

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Department of State (DOS) announced today the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for the land and sea portion of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), a core 9/11 Commission recommendation. Proposed rules require a passport or other secure document denoting citizenship and identity for all land and sea travel into the United States.

"Secure documents are a national imperative that will prevent dangerous people from entering our country using fraudulent identification," said DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff. "This initiative fixes a vulnerability first identified by the 9/11 Commission and later addressed by Congress. It will enhance our ability to assess threats and confirm identity at ports of entry, while continuing to facilitate lawful travel and commerce."

As the first rational step as we move towards full WHTI implementation, DHS intends to end the routine practice of accepting oral declarations alone at land and sea ports of entry. On Jan. 31, 2008, U.S. and Canadian citizens will need to present either a WHTI-compliant document or a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, plus proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate. DHS also proposes to begin alternative procedures for U.S. and Canadian children at that time.

At a later date to be determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security in consultation with the Secretary of State, the departments will implement the full requirements of the land and sea phase of WHTI. The implementation date will be determined based on a number of factors, including the progress of actions undertaken by the Department of Homeland Security to implement the WHTI requirements and the availability of WHTI compliant documents on both sides of the border. DHS and DOS expect the date of full WHTI implementation to be in the summer of 2008. The precise implementation date will be formally announced with at least 60 days notice.

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Link to official news release

[flsportsfan83]

How far of a drive from Buffalo is it?

[crambone]

About 110 miles.

[Guest]

Using Google Maps:

Here are the directions from Buffalo... 98.3 miles.

Here are the directions from Detroit... 235 miles

and here are the directions from Tampa... 1,339 miles

[flsportsfan83]

flying out on South west the 4th and back the 6th to Buffalo is $99 each way. Not 2 bad. Maybe I would go to Toronto.

[GetAHobby]

Toronto, is a really nice place to visit, but there is no way they are going to send us up there.

[Matt]

no way.  Uconn will probably end up there.  or Rutgers.

we are probably going to be stuck in the pizza bowl again.

have i mentioned I HATE the big east tie-ins.  they were made back when everyone thought the big east was going to die out.

[BullMedic]

I wonder what would happen with the band. I am sure 90% of the members don't have a passport.

Lets just hope that it doesn't come to this.

[BJ]

I wonder what would happen with the band. I am sure 90% of the members don't have a passport.

Lets just hope that it doesn't come to this.

They would proably bus across. Same with the football team....I doubt most of them have passports either.

As others have said, it is very unlikely we are going there, so it's a nonissue in all liklihood

[WoolyBully]

I wonder what would happen with the band. I am sure 90% of the members don't have a passport.

Lets just hope that it doesn't come to this.

I would bet that - at best - it would be a 'pep band' contingent only (is $ an issue?). And it may be possible to have some sort of waiver based on the in-and-out of this particular event. Remember, sports fans, rules were meant to be broken.

To me...it's just interesting the number of people without passports*. That's a handy little document to have,

and it's good - I believe - for a ten year stint. Money well spent.

* by that I mean, it's easier to keep track of one passport than a drivers license and birth certificate. I've had very little use for the birth certificate over the years.