Passport application fees are not only used to cover the costs of producing a U.S. Passport Book or Passport Card. Passport fees also cover the costs of providing emergency services for American citizens overseas in crisis situations, such as the current earthquake disaster in Haiti, helping Americans who have been the victims of crime while traveling or living abroad, and providing support to the families of American citizens who have died overseas.

Passport application fees enable us to keep up with technology and implement fraud prevention initiatives to protect the United States passport. The security features of the U.S. passport book have received high praise from document security specialists the world over. Investing in new technology to prevent passport fraud is one of our key priorities, and an ongoing initiative.

Passport fees fund the expansion of passport infrastructure and service, allowing us to offer more timely service to the traveling public, maintain high standards for adjudication in accordance with US citizenship laws, and provide appropriate attention to fraud vulnerabilities.

Over the last few years, the demand for passports has increased to an average of 15 million per year. In FY 2005, we issued 10.1 million passports; peaked at 18.4 million in FY 2007; and expect to issue over 15 million in FY 2010. To increase our presence in under-served areas, the Department has undertaken a systematic expansion of the passport network, particularly in communities affected by the land border-crossing requirements associated with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. By the end of FY 2010, we will have 23 agencies providing emergency passport services to the general public, three high-volume application processing centers, and two large-scale document print centers.

This week the New York Times had an excellent piece on last minute passports:

Americans have a growing appetite for foreign travel. In 1975, the State Department issued 2.3 million passports; this year, it expects to issue about 15 million. But despite that rise and despite the Great Passport Misery of 2007 — when new rules governing Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean created huge backlogs — the State Department says that matters are well under control.

Normally, applications for first-time or renewed passports are processed within four to six weeks, or two to three weeks for the expedited rate of $60 over the regular $100 adult fee, the State Department says. But people traveling within two weeks or needing foreign visas within four weeks must visit one of the passport centers. Unless, that is, they are willing to hire commercial expediters, who will do the job for fees of up to several hundred dollars.

Read the full article [here].

Are you planning a trip outside the U.S. in the near future?  Is your passport updated?

Swift Passport Services can help you get your passport ready and in hand by the time you leave.  Call us today at  1-877-917-9438 or visit our website:  swiftpassport.com.

(CNN) — Get ready to open your wallet a little wider to satisfy your travel bug: It may soon cost more to apply for a new U.S. passport or renew an old one, and the news is not sitting well with some lawmakers.

The State Department is proposing fee hikes that would require adults applying for their first passport book to pay $135 — a 35 percent increase from the current $100 fee.

(The cost of the wallet-size passport card, which Americans can use on certain trips closer to home, would rise from $45 to $55 for first-time applicants.)

Want to add more visa pages to your passport book? It’s free now, but you would have to shell out $82 under the proposed fee schedule.

The renewal fee for passport books would rise to $110 — up from the current $75.

There’s even a new fee if you’d like to formally renounce your U.S. citizenship — it costs nothing now, but the price tag would be $450 if the proposal is approved.

Officials recommended the hikes after a study found the current fee structure wasn’t covering the government’s costs for the services, the State Department said in the proposal outlined in the Federal Register.

All of the increased security and the anti-fraud measures added to passports in recent years come at a cost, said Deputy Assistant Secretary for Passport Services Brenda Sprague during a news briefing at the State Department on Wednesday.

“New technologies for use in our U.S. passport books and cards must be an ongoing priority if we are to keep one step ahead of the resourceful and technologically savvy criminals, terrorist groups, and subversive elements bent on doing our nation harm,” Sprague said.

“The cost of the passport book [also] includes the cost of maintaining our presence overseas to assist American citizens,” she added.

A ‘burden’ for travelers?

But two lawmakers from New York — a state where cross-border travel with Canada is an important part of the economy — are expressing concern over the proposed changes.

Rep. Chris Lee, R-New York, last week sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asking her to scrap the plan.

“These fee increases could not come at a worse time,” Lee wrote, citing regulations put in place last year that require Americans to show passports when returning to the U.S. from Canada and which Lee said have “exacted a heavy toll on trade and tourism at U.S.-Canada border regions.”

The fee increase would only “further burden American travelers,” Lee wrote.

Meanwhile, Rep. Brian Higgins, D-New York, is urging the public to voice opposition to the proposed fee hikes.

“We need to literally and figuratively build bridges that encourage cross border tourism, commerce and economic opportunity and this move would do just the opposite,” Higgins said in a statement.

The State Department is concerned about any impact on travel the fees might have, Sprague said.

“Nevertheless, we have to cover our costs,” she added.

There is also concern about the proposal on the Canadian side of the border, where newspapers have greeted the news with headlines such as “Higher U.S. passport fees could put a damper on local tourism.”

“It’s a total surprise, and under the circumstances, I’m rather shocked,” Niagara Falls Tourism chair Wayne Thomson told The Toronto Star.

“It’s very difficult to get our American visitors across the border for so many reasons right now. This is certainly not good news for people in the U.S. who may not be able to afford a passport and it’s certainly not good news for tourism destinations.”

The State Department intends to implement the proposed fee hikes “as soon as practicable” after it considers feedback from the public, but Sprague said the fees probably would not go into effect before April. You can weigh in and submit your comments via an online form until March 11.

You also may want to apply for or renew your passport now. The State Department is anticipating that there might be a rush of passport applications from people trying to beat any possible fee hikes and it’s ready to handle it, Sprague said.

For help obtaining a passport before prices increase contact Swift Passport Services 877.917.9438

In today’s economy, regardless of the industry you are in it is smart to diversify the services that you offer.  The reasoning is simple.  If you have multiple streams of revenue coming in, if one starts to diminish you can rely on and nurture another one.  There is an array of services that travel agents can use to gain an extra stream of revenue.  Travel Insurance is probably the most popular.  Offering passport and visa services is a great way to earn more revenue and to strengthen your expertise as a travel professional.

What are passport and visa services? Travel professionals who offer passport and visa services simply assist their clients in attaining passports and visas; typically their clients are in a huge hurry which is why they are calling the travel agent in the first place!  The travel agent simply provides the paperwork and information to obtain the passport or visa and then sends the paperwork to a passport or visa expediter to walk the documents through the proper channels.  Keep in mind, the industry standard for these services range from $50- $300 a service.

Why would people need passport services? Did you know it can take up to 6 weeks to obtain a passport?  Business travelers often do not even have 2 weeks between trips to get a passport renewed, replaced, or have extra visa pages added.  Passport expeditors can expedite a passport in as little as 1 BUSINESS DAY!  What about the family with kids who realize days before travel that 1 child’s passport is expired or worse, LOST!  For these clients, they need to act fast and don’t have time to apply by mail.  These are the people we help that you can help too with minimal training!

Why would people use a visa service? There are many countries that do not require a visa to enter the country.  Other countries, allow you to obtain the visa upon arrival in the country.  Some countries, however, require that you get a visa PRIOR to leaving the country.  Processing times vary on the country but can be anywhere from 1 day to several weeks.  Let’s use China as an example.  To get a China visa you have 2 options.  You can go to 1 of the handful of Chinese consulates across the country and obtain it yourself, OR you can have someone go to one of these consulates on your behalf.  These are the only 2 options!  You cannot just send the Chinese consulate your application.  This means that citizens of 40 states would have to leave the state to do this unless they use an expeditor.  The math is simple- your clients will save precious time and money by leaving this works to the experts like you!

How do I get started making money doing this? Getting started is easy.  The next time your client needs a passport or visa, call the experts at Swift Passport (877.917.9438).  They will ask a series of simple questions in order to determine what you need to get started and email you a list of requirements for the service needed.  They will basically prep you so that you will be able to answer questions quickly and act as an expert.  We give you a huge discount on our services so that you can charge your client and profit.  Our operators are available 7 days a week to help you through this.  Most travel professionals can do these services with ease after 1 or 2 tries.  Your clients will thank you for simplifying the often confusing process.

Not interested in getting this involved?  We have a program for travel agents who don’t care to learn the ins and outs of passport expediting.  Direct your clients to us and earn a $25 commission for each referral.

To find out more about our services and who we are visit us at swiftpassport.com or call us at 877.917.9438.  We love working with travel professionals and love to see you succeed!

What Travel Professionals are saying about Swift Passport

“In my first year of expediting passports with Swift, I earned $1500 in commission without actually learning the ropes; I simply directed my clients to Swift and collected commission.  The people at Swift are easy to work with and just really nice people.  I always trust that they would treat my clients like their own.  This year I am learning how to do it myself and so far it’s been easy.  Swift provides the paperwork needed with checklist and it’s as simple as following directions.”   -Kaye Jorgenson, MI

“Swift gives great discounts to travel agents.  I call Swift when I need a visa to get the information that I need to provide for my clients.  Sometime, my work is as simple as forwarding the information to the client and requesting they bring the finished paperwork to me.  Once I send it to Swift it gets done fast- often before the promised deadline.  Over Christmas I processed 40 Brazil visas through Swift and made a $35 profit on each.  That trip alone was a $1400 profit for me.” –Susan Shultz, IL

“People who want the best in travel go to travel agents because they are the experts.  As a travel agent, I use Swift because they are the experts!  Why mess around trying to figure it out on your own when there are people at Swift to get it done?  I use Swift if for no other reason because they simplify my life and are the best resource for my questions about passports and visas.  I love that they always answer the phone and are quick to respond to my emails.  Thanks Swift!”  -Jaime Dean, CA

Disney’s reign as the king of family cruises may be over.  The children’s network Nickelodeon has teamed with Royal Caribbean  for their very first cruise scheduled later this summer:

The Nickelodeon Family Cruise with Royal Caribbean will depart from Los Angeles, Calif. on July 26 on Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas, the largest ship to be home ported on the West Coast. It will sail to the exotic Mexican Riviera stopping in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Mazatlan, Mexico; and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The Eastern Caribbean cruise will leave on Aug. 9 from Port Canaveral, Fla., on the largest cruise ship in the world–the Freedom of the Seas–and will sail to Nassau, Bahamas; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Royal Caribbean’s private island destination, CocoCay in the Bahamas. – About.com

The cruise will feature several of the Nickelodeon signature characters including the wildly popular Sponge Bob Squarepants, interactive game shows, and never before seen episodes of some of Nick’s best loved series.

With plenty of on-board activities for both kids and parents, and the  it’s little wonder that family-style cruises are so popular.

Are you planning a trip outside the U.S. this year with your family?  Let Swift Passport Services assist you in getting your travel documents prepared.

Photo by Matito

Brazil could quite possibly be one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Known for its exquisitely diverse wildlife and natural environments as well as being the eighth largest economy in the world, it’s no wonder so many Americans travel there every year. Obtaining the required travel documents however, can be time consuming and painfully confusing.

If you plan to travel to Brazil you will need a valid passport. That is the easy part. Brazil, like many countries, requires a travel visa in addition to the passport. You can obtain your Brazilian travel visa at one of nine cities in the United States. YOUR jurisdiction is determined by your place of residence. For example, residents of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin would obtain their Brazilian Visa from the Consulate in Chicago. California residents should know that there are two Brazilian Consulates in California, one in Los Angeles, and one in San Francisco. Your jurisdiction will be determined according to the county you live in. It is your job to either show up in person with your application OR to have someone show up on your behalf. You cannot just send in your application by mail!

Once you have determined your jurisdiction, you will then determine whether you need a Brazil Business Visa or a Brazil Tourist Visa. Most of the time this is quite obvious, but there are always exceptions to that. If you are unsure, it is best to ask an expert such as a Swift Passport representative for direction. For business visas, Brazil requires two additional documents. You will need both a Letter of Intent written on a company letter head that details the business intended to be performed in Brazil, and a Letter of Invitation from the company in Brazil with which you will be conducting business.

Many people run into obstacles when trying to sort out all of the forms and information required to obtain a Brazil visa expeditiously. Between the misinformation online and time required to travel to a consulate in person, you could waste hours trying to get this done on your own. Swift Passport Services has established relationships with all 9 consulates and can simplify the process for you to save time and money, and a headache. Our visa experts are trained to help you determine your jurisdiction and get all the answers you are looking for and are, as always, thrilled to help you make the process as smooth as possible. Need additional visa pages added to your passport? Not to worry, we can help you with that too. Let’s work together to make one of the more complicated countries to travel to an easier one so that you will be able to experience one of the most beautiful countries in the world.

A major change is about to occur less than two months from now, requiring all U.S. travelers by land, sea or air to have a passport in order to enter Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas and any of the Caribbean islands.  Since it takes up to seven weeks to process a new passport application some foresight is needed if you plan to travel anywhere in the western hemisphere after June 1, 2009.  If you have family in any of these areas, you will probably want to get a passport now to prevent having to wait if you need to make an emergency trip across the border.

The following are the only allowable options for U.S. citizens traveling outside our borders after June 1:

• Official U.S. Passport
• Official U.S. Passport Card
• Enhanced Driver’s License
• Travel Program Cards such as NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST
• Native American travel documents

With this crucial date looming in the very near future, there is sure to be a mad rush for passports.  Again:  be sure to plan ahead!!!

If you find yourself in a crunch, you may also consider using our expedited passport service which will help you get your new passport approved in far less time than the standard seven week.  Visit our main website to learn how: www.swiftpassportservices.com

Bureaucracy stinks.  Let’s face it.  When you are busy (and after all, who isn’t)–standing in a line for two or more hours only to be turned away because you’ve filled out the wrong form is NOT your idea of a productive day.

Take for example the case of the John C. Kluczynski Federal Building in downtown Chicago, which is where you would go if you were a resident of the greater Chicago area and needed an expedited passport for an emergency trip.  This fine building also just happened to be the location of the office of the president elect Barack Obama.  So, in addition to the regular wait, the additional security makes this place a nightmare. You might as well plan to spend an entire day trying to get your passport approved.

Instead, you can place the task in the hands of a professional passport expediting service.  These folks know exactly which forms and fees to have handy, and more importantly, they have a working relationship with the federal employees who are responsible for issuing your passport.  Instead of standing in line and being searched by security, you can spend your time in your office actually working–and let someone else have the headache.

Next time you have somewhere to go in a fast hurry, don’t waste time!

For more information on passport expediting, contact Swift Passport Services.

The travel industry is about to undergo some major changes to the regulations for international travel, beginning in 2009. In fact, it is a good time to start thinking about it now.

1.  Passports will be required for all border crossings.  Yep, that means Canada and Mexico.  Gone are the days of spur-of-the-moment getaways across the border.  If you (and everyone with you) doesn’t have a current, valid passport, it is no going to happen.

2. Tickets to Europe must convey all fees, taxes and additional costs in their initial price quote.  This is partially to serve for consumer protection and to avoid the nasty surprises that many travelers to Europe have reported lately.  Additionally, any options that will incur additional cost to the traveler must be offered up front during the booking, in a clear and unambiguous manner, which will allow the traveler to decide for themselves if they want to opt in.

3. The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) is about to become implemented on January 12, 2009.  It is a fully automated system put in place by the Department of Homeland Security and it will pre-screen travelers who wish to visit he US under the Visa Waiver Program.  (The Visa Waiver program allows for citizens of 27 countries to visit the US for up to 90 days without a visa.)

Unfortunately, many of us do not travel internationally frequently enough to pay attention to major changes in regulations and policies.  That’s why it is important to think ahead.  If there is any chance that you might be going over the border, traveling to Europe, or entertaining visitors under the Visa Waiver Program, keep these changes in mind.