Passport requirement confusion

Greg Rozelle wrote:
The tourism bureaus Canada, Mexico, Bahamas and some other islands
are pushing for passcards for land and sea travel. The problem is
that department of state and the department of homeland security are
disagreeing on what type of rfid passcard to use. Read this info
online. Border cities in Canada and Mexico are pushing this card even
through the Aclu or EFF is fighting this. This is one time that
I disagree with them. I rather have that card then pay $97 for a
passport. Just hope they don't make that passcard cost to much.

I think their concern is (at least the EFF's) over who else *besides*
the government might be able to read an RFID passport.

I've heard it suggested the RFID passport should have a shielded cover,
that would prevent the RFID chip from being read unless the passport is
opened. I think that would make a fair amount of sense. Seem to recall
seeing someone offering shielded boxes one can carry their passport in.

Saw somewhere the other day where some resorts in the Bahamas (or was it
the Bahamas government?) were offering to reimburse Americans' passport
fees if they demonstrated the passports were acquired after this went
into effect and were used to travel to their country.
--
Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66
http://www.w9wi.com

On 2007-01-24 13:49:41 -0500, Greg Rozelle said:

On Wed, 24 Jan 2007 17:44:55 GMT, Doug Smith W9WI
wrote:

Greg Rozelle wrote:
The tourism bureaus Canada, Mexico, Bahamas and some other islands
are pushing for passcards for land and sea travel. The problem is
that department of state and the department of homeland security are
disagreeing on what type of rfid passcard to use. Read this info
online. Border cities in Canada and Mexico are pushing this card even
through the Aclu or EFF is fighting this. This is one time that I
disagree with them. I rather have that card then pay $97 for a
passport. Just hope they don't make that passcard cost to much.

I think their concern is (at least the EFF's) over who else *besides*
the government might be able to read an RFID passport.

I've heard it suggested the RFID passport should have a shielded cover,
that would prevent the RFID chip from being read unless the passport is
opened. I think that would make a fair amount of sense. Seem to
recall seeing someone offering shielded boxes one can carry their
passport in.

Saw somewhere the other day where some resorts in the Bahamas (or was
it the Bahamas government?) were offering to reimburse Americans'
passport fees if they demonstrated the passports were acquired after
this went into effect and were used to travel to their country.

I think that was Jamaica. You will get credit only if your first
stamp is Jamaica for each passport. Either in US dollars or store
credit. You got to mentioned it to the customs or your travel agent.

It was being offered by some hotels in the Bahamas, too.