Passport Prices OnThe Rise

[Henry]

The State Department is proposing a number of fee increases, including upping the price of a new adult passport from $100 to $135.  The price for people under 16 would also go up from $85 to $105.  There would even be an $82 fee for adding passport visa pages, and that has been free.

If they're not planning a trip abroad, they'll probably just get the enhanced driver's license and that you can get right here in Burlington on North Avenue.

For more information on this, click on the following link

http://www.fox44now.com/global/story.asp?s=12106072

[Papi]

If you just need to travel to Canada rather than overseas, you may want to get a NEXUS card rather than a passport or enhanced DL.  The cards are $50 for adults and kids are free.  Plus the cards allow you to use the NEXUS lanes at the bigger ports such as Champlain or Highgate...

[trussell]

How difficult is the Nexus card to get?  Is that different from the Enhanced Driver's License?  Any benefit to one over the other?

[Papi]

The NEXUS card and enhanced DL are totally different although both allow you to cross the border.  The enhanced DL's are put out by individual states including Vermont.  The NEXUS card is issued jointly by the US federal govt (CBP) and Canada.  You apply for the NEXUS card online.  Once your application is vetted and approved by the US and Canada, you go for a short interview/photo/etc.  The completed cards are then mailed to you.  The process is fairly quick.  The only downside is that the interview locations are fairly limited.  The closest for Fairfax are at the Champlain, NY port or the Trudeau airport in Montreal.  We got ours (a family of 4) at Champlain in approximately 30 minutes.  The NEXUS is card is good for 5 years before you have to update them.  Also, unlike the enhanced DL you can use the NEXUS cards for the NEXUS lanes which are automated.

[trussell]

Thanks Papi.  I would certainly consider a Nexus card... except my time during the day is very limited.  Oh well.