Time is running out

Time is running out

There are two deadlines approaching that won’t affect everyone, but people who were planning to go to Mexico or Canada this summer or people who still rely on an antenna to watch an older TV could have problems if they haven’t been paying attention.

People who have traveled to Canada in the past and weren’t aware that things were changing could be in for a shock.

New rules go into effect Monday that will require anyone over the age of 16 to have a passport or Enhanced Driver’s License to get back into the country. Only Michigan, New York, Vermont and Washington issue EDLs.

This is not a sudden development, although we’re sure that some procrastinators are going to be caught off guard. Those whose only experience has been going to Mexico or Canada with nothing more than a driver’s license will be shocked to learn they now need a passport. The need to prove citizenship is a result of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, so the June 1, 2009, deadline was five years in the making.

The U.S. Department of State reports that routine applications are being processed in approximately 4-6 weeks from the time of application and expedited service takes about half that time.

Additional information is available on line at www.getyouhome.gov or http://travel.state.gov.

Noncompliant travelers won’t become men without a country. They’ll be able to get back into the country, but not without delay and inconvenience, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman says.

From travelers to TV viewers

The second deadline procrastinators must dread is just two weeks away, June 12, when television stations will stop broadcasting analog signals. This was supposed to happen in February, but Congress extended the deadline when some surveys showed as many as 15 percent of the TV viewers who would be affected hadn’t yet gotten digital converter boxes.

If you use an antenna for an analog TV, you will need a converter box, which can be bought for $40 to $70 and are widely available. Government coupons good $40 toward the cost are available, but take at least three weeks from application to delivery.

If you have cable or dish service, you’re covered. If you have a newer digital TV attached to an antenna, it’s likely that nothing will change, but you made need an antenna upgrade. If you have an older TV (all TVs built before 1998, most TVs built before 2004 and even some sold after that, time is running out).

You’ll either need a converter box for your old TV, a new TV or cable or dish service by June 12, or all you’ll be watching on June 13 is a screen full of snow.

If you’re not sure how to connect a converter box, now is the time to reach out to more technically savvy friends or relatives. Additional information is www.dtv.gov, or call (888)225-5322.

Procrastination has been described as the art of keeping up with yesterday. But some travelers and TV watchers are going to have to act quickly or suffer at their leisure.