Apply for your passport soon

The U.S. Department of State is getting hit with huge amounts of passport applications due to a new federal law that is in effect. The meaning of this for you is that it is never too late to apply for a passport. Usually it takes 8 weeks for it to get processed, but that may get extended due to the huge number of applicants currently. Plus, I'd would assume that with the high volume the State Dept. is seeing right now, the chance for clerical errors is higher, which could derail applications entirely.

I avoided a near passport disaster on my last trip by only a day. One traveler kept putting off the application process, and when he finally applied, the form was completed incorrectly, so he had to re-submit. By that time the departure was nearing, so he had to pay an extra $45 or so to get the expedited service. His application kept moving slowly, and I had to make at least 10 calls to the State Department to make sure it moved quickly enough. (I talked to everyone short of Condi Rice just to get this kid on our plane.) With two days before departure, we got word that his passport was in Chicago. He had to choose between making a round-trip to the windy city to pick it up, or pay $18 to have it Fed-Exed overnight. He coughed up the cash, and his passport arrived 20 hours before we left the country.

The point is, apply for your passport soon. It's not the quickest process, but it's a must for this trip.

Travelers Enrolled!

The informational meeting on February 28 went very well. I'm excited to announce that we already have 3 travelers officially enrolled and many more interested in enrolling soon. Please remember that you can register via the paper application and a check or online with a credit card.