Paper padlocks

Posted at 9:07 AM on January 31, 2008 by Bob Collins

All across the northern border, people are upset about new rules requiring passports or birth certificates to get back into the United States. Maybe it's not a big deal if you only travel to Canada every now and then, but if you live along the border, it's a big deal, and a big hassle. In Detroit this morning, though, the new rules reportedly went smoothly.

Tom Robertson of MPR takes a great look at the reality in International Falls.

But in addition to the hassle, there's another frustration to the new rule: It's going to cost you money. A passport card, a new version of the passport, will run you $45 because the government has tacked on a "fee" to its cost of giving you one. $10 for kids, $20 for adults and a $25 execution fee. But the card can't be used for air travel.

Meanwhile, the government is jacking up the cost of a regular passport tomorrow, when it shoots up to $100 for people over 16, $85 for kids. You can get a passport at a post office.

So, a family of four may pay almost $400 just to cross the border.

For crossing the border by land, a birth certificate may be used. Minnesotans can start the process of getting one here. It'll cost you $16 for each certificate. If you're in a hurry (an average wait is said to be 4-6 weeks), that'll cost you another $20 a pop and if you pay by credit card, tack on an additional $6.

In this case, the family of four could pay up to $165 to comply with the new rules.

The days of using a Blockbuster card to gain entry are over.

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