U.S. Withdraws Proposed Passport Deadline

[Eugene]

U.S. Withdraws Proposed Passport Deadline

By MICHAEL NORTON, Associated Press Writer

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

(08-17) 18:57 PDT SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) --

The United States has withdrawn a proposed December deadline for
implementing new rules that would require Americans to show passports
when returning from the Caribbean, an official said Wednesday.

Caribbean tourism officials had complained that the measures would
hurt the vital industry. Similar rules were also proposed for Canada,
Mexico and Bermuda, and Caribbean officials also complained that
Mexico and Canada would have gain an edge because Americans returning
from those countries would not have to show passports until Dec. 31, 2006.

Americans have needed only birth certificates or driver's licenses for
travel to and from the countries.

<snip>

The new rules are meant to prevent terrorists and other criminals from
entering the United States through the Caribbean. But island leaders
complained the measure would discourage American visitors, who made up
53 percent of the region's 22 million visitors last year, excluding
cruise ship passengers.

More: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2005/08/17/international/i185706D77.DTL