So, I'm sitting here at the computer minding my own business, checking email, catching up on my favourite bulletin boards.

Hubby comes lurking up behind me (stop right there and get your mind out of the gutter) peeks over my shoulder and sees 'Ambergris Caye and Belize' He says sweetly "Why don't we go back there next January?"

What a way to start the day!!! Wheeee!!!

Hon

Too bad he didn't say, "Why don't we go there next week"!
Do you take your passport, hon? Everone needs a passport I guess. Mine is expired and they are making me go through the gauntlet to renew. Geez, it's not as if they don't know who I am... my old passport exists. And to try to get a birth certificate out of the Quebec government... in french correspondence no less which is not an issue for me but they are so slow...

But next week I won't have won the Xanadu prize in the SPSC raffle

Because you have to connect in the States, you do NEED a passport. I saw a Canadian woman trying to get through customs/security in Charlotte NC without one...talk about a gauntlet! She was at the kiosk for at least 20 minutes and then was ushered off to another room for gawd knows what.

Although it could happen anyway, for any number of reasons, I think you're better off jumping through the hoops here rather than appear to be a security risk in the USA just because you don't have a passport.

Hon

No passport, no entry into Belize, no exceptions (and it must have 6 months remaining until expiry).

One of our clients were told by their travel agent that they could use their birth certificates (US), two of the group used their passports and were enjoying the beach as of Saturday afternoon, the remaining 5 are still sitting in Texas trying to get their passports renewed.

As far as I know, the woman was never in Belize. From hearing the escalating argument, I was under the impression that she had driven to Mexico, had car trouble and was attempting to fly back to Toronto. How she got into Mexico or got on a plane leaving Mexico destined for an American airport without a passport, I don't know. I do know that she was definitely not getting out of Charlotte without muchos hassles.

Hon

In all seriousness I would NEVER leave the country (Canada) now without a passport. The hassles are just not worth it. And I plan to have medical insurance safely in place too, even though theoretically our Canadian coverage is enough. I think that is baloney and have heard some horror stories.

Guess terrorism has its lessons.