US Passport/Passport cards - required 6/1

It sounds like the US is going to implement the requirement for Passport or Passport card starting June 1st 2009.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html

Children under the age of 16 will be allowed to return to the US with a birth certificate as proof of citizenship.

The US government had been delaying the implementation for passport requirements quite a few years, so I think it is something we were all suspecting could come someday.

In speaking with many of the guests it sounds like nearly half have gone the route of the passport card because it is cheaper and works for land crossings into Canada.

Regards,

The good news is that my wife, five kids and I recently applied for passports and had the same delivered to us in 17 days without requesting priority. The passport agency's website's projected delivery date was very accurate. P.S. - the information we received is that children under 16 do not need a passport but can continue to use a birth certificate with a raised seal.