Updated Passport Rules Make it Easier to Travel By Courtney Broughton Nexus (Camosun College) VICTORIA (CUP) -- Students without passports should start to prepare their applications as passport requirement deadlines for entry to the US draw closer. Passports are now required for Canadians flying into the US, while birth certificates and driver’s licences are still accepted for land and sea travel across the border. But Passport Canada spokesperson Francine Charbonneau encourages students to apply now because “within the next year, passports will be required to drive into the States.” Charbonneau also pointed out some changes that have been made to help Canadians apply and obtain passports. As of Oct. 1, the Simplified Guarantor Policy changes eligibility requirements for guarantors. Guarantors are personal references that confirm an applicant’s identity by signing one of their passport photos and their application form. Previously, guarantors had to have certain professions, such as a doctor or a judge. But under the new requirements guarantors must have a current Canadian passport, or a Canadian passport that has expired within the last year. They must also have known the applicant for a minimum of two-years, be a Canadian Citizen, at least 18 years old, and been at least 16 when they applied for their own passport. It is also now acceptable for a family member to be a guarantor. Recent nline innovations have also helped streamline the application process. Full application forms are available online at www.pptc.gc.ca. Once the form is complete, it can be printed off and, along with a passport photo, can be signed by your guarantor and then taken to a service office. Approximate processing time is eight weeks by mail or courier, six weeks through the Service Canada Centre and two weeks through the Passport Canada Office. “The line- up wasn’t bad,” said Alyse Adlard, a Camosun College student in Victoria. “I waited probably 20 minutes in line to get into the Passport Canada office in June to prepare for a summer trip to New York.” The standard-sized passport is 24 pages, costs $87, and expires in five years. Renewing a passport is a bit easier but costs the same. Canadian residents who were at least 16 when they got their last passport, have a five- year Canadian passport issued after Today's post-secondary Students need more than a minimum wage job. The BC government's proposed changes to our post-secondary education system don’t add up. Students won't get access to the skills and knowledge they need to get ahead because the government's Campus 2020 Plan fails to fix the key problems of affordability and access. Our students deserve better. Their futures depend on it. 99 POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION se “ais ae te