Any Cdn travel agents on here?? Help, please!

[marliejaneca]

I saw it mentioned on this thread a couple times now that a passport is not required for travel to DR. I think that has just recently (this month) stopped being the case. Check out the western hemisphere travel initiative at Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. Basically, if you travel through the US, you need a passport. I'd assume that it would be a good thing to have a passport even if you are not going through the US, just in case you get diverted to the US, or something happens that requires you to abandon your vacation and get home using scheduled service on US Airways or something like that...

You have a very good point, mattm.

It is very WISE to travel with a passport, but ...it is still not required for us Canadians at this point. This is a bit of relief for those who wanted to go to the Caribbean, especially last minute travellers, since there are such long delays at the passport office right now. The last update was a 32 day wait for those who mailed their applications in.

I will reiterate, though, that if you have a passport or if you are travelling later on and have the opportunity to obtain a passport before travel - you should be travelling with it in case you do find yourself in a scenario like the ones that mattm has written.

I would be curious to know what would happen if a direct charter flight from/to Canada had to land in the U.S. for any reason, how they would handle the situation, since we are not required by law to have a passport when travelling on a direct flight out of Canada. The travellers that are without are certainly not at fault, I wonder if there is a loophole for this type of situation?

Marlie

 

[MommC]

They have a secure area in most airports where you would be held pending your departure.......or deportation should I say??

 

[newfiegirl44]

hi;
I think if you are on a charter to ths DR and your flight makes an unexpected land in the US, if you do not have a passport than you are not permitted to leave the plane.TA's info.Hope this helps.Leaving for Occidental Grand Puerta Plata in 2 weeks