Get Your Passports Ready

[Lakota Wiyan]

I was wondering how the new Passport requirements for travel between the USA and Canada will affect our powwow people. Even infants are required to have a passport now, as off this week. Passports can get pretty pricey if you have to get each and every person in your family one, for our family, it will be near $500.00, which we will pay in order to go up North to attend ONE powwow this summer. We got ours done a few weeks ago, so we are ready to go, but I wonder at some of my friends in Canada and if they will be able to afford that as well as the Denver March or GON travel costs.

What do you guys think about this, and how do you think it will affect our people who barely make the money to go to the powwows further off? Who do you think will suffer the most from this financial burden? I think elderly and families with many children will suffer the most. Maybe suffer is to strong of a word, but like I said, passports can be pricey!

REMEMBER!!! Some of our greatest singers and dancers blow in from the North!!!!!!

[Mato Winyan]

I get frustrated with the whole thing. My new son-in-law is from Norway House and came to the country without a passport under the jay treaty but now he will have to have one to be able to go back to visit.

I understand that for security reasons that they need to keep track of people........ ok ok...... BUT do they have to make it so much? Like you say......it will inhibit some from going back and forth to visit family. That was supposed to be the point under the jay treaty wasn't it...... to let people go back and forth to visit family members that were separated by the boarder?

[trob226]

I think the passport only applies to airline flights at this point. You can drive up without one - theoretically.

[Privateer6]

Fortunately the passport is good for ten years. I believe, but don't quote me on that, that if you renew before the 10 yr. experiration, it's cheaper.

Unfortunately it's the @$$*0!# terrorists that are casuing the problems. That and the government can't keep the borders secure. Yeah it's gonna hurt.

[WhoMe]

Unfortunately it's the @$$*0!# terrorists that are casuing the problems. .... Yeah it's gonna hurt.

Privateer,

Anytime I am asked to show my passport, I always ask this question,


"Have you ever heard of an American Indian terrorist?"



(Well actually there are some who like to "terrorize!") *L

[Kiwehnzii]

Passports are required to enter the U.S.A. by air.

Driving into the U.S. - a person must have proper I.D.

Beginning January 2008, a passport is required.

The political organization that represents the native population of our area will be issuing a secure native card this year to the membership that will replace a Canadian passport.
As soon as both federal governments come to an agreement on these cards, it'll be a go.

This a Canadian org. I believe that these cards will not be for use to enter Mexico or other countries.

That's all I know. Don't be asking me more questions. I don't have any more answers.

[WhoMe]

That's all I know. Don't be asking me more questions. I don't have any more answers.

Butt, butt, BUTT Kiwehnz,

What if your Mexican children want to come visit you???


*L

[Josiah]

When i lived in Wash State i used to travel to Canada 4 or 5 times a year and only had to show WA Driver's License but after 9/11 they clamped down and wanted better ID
Fortunately my Job required me to have a passport so I had one
But i heard several stories of people that had not paid attention to the new requirements and were stopped at the border going into Canada!!! Thats right you could not go into Canada without a Passport or Birth Certificate and they would not let them come in at all and even worse if you forgot those documents for your children no shopping trip that day
If you can get one get a Passport they are expensive but they LAST 10 years and once you get one the renewal fee is not as bad as the original fee
I have used my passport for that second form of ID that some places always ask and before I just had a driver's License and my Library card hahahaha
Now I whip that sucker out and no more Hassle!!!!!

[OLChemist]

If you fly, you now need a passport to re-enter the US from Canada. If you drive, you will not need a passport until 1/2008. There is a rumor of a driver's license like limited use Passcard, but this has not been fully implimented yet.

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

[chazziff]

therotically .. you DO NOT need one to enter canada or united states if you are driving but entering by air or by sea .. yes you do need one.

proper ID is required at this point .. certificate of indian status (treaty card), birth certificate and/or provincial/state indentification card (driver's licence) .. for all people trying to enter either country even for children.

[Brisa26]

...

[Kiwehnzii]

I live on a border rez. To enter the US by car, all I need right now is my status card. Occasionally, one of those customs guys will ask for one more form of ID.

January 2008. I'll need either a passport or a secure native status card.

[Kiwehnzii]

My Mexican kids will have to learn to live without me. Aye.

[thizgirlpowwows]

My Mexican kids will have to learn to live without me. Aye.

[badmaninc]

I believe that as we already have status cards issued to us by the federal government, then they should issue us passports and pay for them. In the old days, they used to let us cross at will. Or give us a combination status/passport card.