I just purchased a vacation to Aruba in October. The Aruba.com website says you will need a passport after the 1st of the year but when I booked with Expedia.com it asked me for passport information. Any suggestions? Thanks much.

As I hear it, you will not need a passport in October. They are saying Dec 31, 2005. I have been hearing that they may postpone this deadline but I decided not to take a chance and got my passport last week. We are leaving end of December but not coming back until Jan 8th so just in case, I'm covered.

Expedia may have just put that info on their website to get ready for 2006. But Expedia.com is great at answering questions on their 800 #. Just call, it's listed on their website.

Good luck

P.S. It cost $95 for a passport now. Plus, the photos which have to a certain paper and size. We had ours done at Costco for $4.99 each. Alot cheaper than the P.O. charges. I think their is $15.

As far as I am aware you will not need a passport until December 31st 2005. For more info check out this site's link from its home page. http://aruba.com/extlinks/travel-state-pdf.html

Expedia just may be getting ready in advance, so they don't have to do a last minute web site deployment or it was too complicated to disclude Aruba from all other international destinations so they didn't bother. I kind of remember expedia doing that when we had our Aruba trip in May 2005. It still wouldn't hurt to get a passport especially if traveling in the future. I happen to have mine and used it in Aruba and elsewhere as ID, my wife used her certificate. Seems things go alot smoother and quicker when you have a passport, they don't double check it against other ID, etc, not that they give you trouble with the certificate either. FYI, Getting in Aruba is alot quicker than getting back, Leave yourself plenty of time when returning to the US.

Passports are not required now, but all that changes after 12/31/05.

I would get a passport it is easier

You shouldnt need a passport until after Dec 31, 2005. Check out this website http://travel.state.gov/pdf/WHTI.pdf for further info.

You shouldnt need a passport until after 12/31/05. Check out this website http://travel.state.gov/pdf/WHTI.pdf

After the January 1, you will need a passport. Until then, your original birth certificate WITH THE RAISED SEAL is all that is needed. If you don't have the original, you won't be going anywhere.

Justin,

You will not need a passport until December 31, 2005. You will, however, need a birth certificate with a RAISED SEAL accompanied by a driver's license or other government issued form of ID. Copies of birth certificates are NOT accepted.

If you plan on traveling, why not get a passport now? They are good for 10 years. You can obtain the forms online. Just fill out what information you can, and take them to your nearest post office. You can even have your photos taken when you're there. We've had friends, in the past, who had their photos taken elsewhere, only to find that the photos they'd hoped to use would not fit the template. I think it is a better idea to have then taken right there at the post office, then you will be certain they're acceptable.

The cost is approximately $100.00, give or take, and your mission is accomplished. Having passports make it much easier for you, as well as customs agents.

Just a suggestion -- hope it helps!!

After 31 Dec. 2005 all travel
USA -> Caribbean
Caribbean -> USA
will require a passport.