Tagged: bureaucracy

If You Don't Want Trump's Image in Your Passport, You'd Better Apply Soon

The State Department's media event on Sept. 29 was remarkable for a bunch of reasons. Many observers commented on the apparent attempt to emulate the style and cadence of a corporate…

U.S. Feds Promise Online Passport Application, Which We Already Kind of Have

At a Sept. 29 media event touting America.gov, a new catchall government portal for federal services, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that for the first time, Americans…

Trump Moves Forward with Plan to Allow Logging in Untouched National Forests—but There's Still Time for You to Weigh In

The Trump administration is determined to get rid of a 25-year-old regulation that helps protect about 59 million acres of public forest land from road construction, logging, and other…

Traveler Warning: Texas Just Made It a Felony to Carry Most THC Products

If you regularly travel with THC gummies for physical comfort or as a sleep aid, you'd better remove them from your bags before you go to Texas, or you could wind up in prison. Going…

U.S. States with No Toll Roads—and the Worst State for Tolls

Since 2008, the U.S. Congress has failed to provide enough funding for the highways it previously authorized. Some states make up the difference through measures like gas taxes, but…

Turkey Just Banned a Gay Cruise. Read Arthur Frommer's Inspiring Words About a Similar Situation

Last week, Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady was refused entry to Turkey by local authorities. The offense? It had gay people on it.The cruise was carrying 2,000 passengers as well as…

If the SAVE Act Passes, Americans May Not Get Their Passports On Time in 2026

If you don't pay a lot of attention to the news right now, you've forgiven. The headlines aren't doing most of us any favors.But there's one development that could have a massive…

"The TSA’s New $45 Fee to Fly Without ID is Illegal," Says Regulatory Expert

On Sunday, February 1, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) began charging travelers without REAL ID $45 to fly.This may come as a surprise, but no U.S. law requires you to…

What Airline Refund Rights Do Americans Still Have? Here's What Remains

In 2025, the major U.S. airlines were taken off the leash by the incoming federal administration. A lobbyist for the airlines, Sean Duffy, was installed as the head of the Department…

Warning: Trump Won't Let You Cover Up His Photo on Your National Parks Pass

Some nature lovers have been suggesting ways to cover the glowering mug of President Donald Trump on the new annual pass for U.S. national parks, but if you wanted to do that, too, you…

7 Tips for Surviving the FAA Flight Reduction Crisis—Including One You'll Wish You'd Thought Of Yourself

You’ve read the news: The U.S. government shutdown is now the longest in history. TSA agents and air traffic controllers haven’t been paid in over a month, so Transportation Secretary…

Before You Fly During the U.S. Shutdown, Check These Websites

The U.S. federal shutdown has lasted more than a month. Workers in the Transportation Security Administration and in the air traffic control system have not been paid, and their…

New Executive Order Demands National Park Price Hikes for International Tourists

On the day before Independence Day, U.S. President Donald Trump announced his intention to make international visitors pay more to visit America's national parks. In a confusing new…

Air Passengers Have Fewer Rights in the U.S. Than in These Other Countries

Perhaps the most annoying of all airline fees is the extra charge for a carry-on bag, which several U.S. airlines, including United, can charge. But there's good news from the European…

Mexico's Tax on Cruisers, Soon to Be $21, Has Taken Effect: Is It Really a Big Deal?

Late last year, incoming U.S. President Donald Trump wasn't even in the White House yet when he threatened Mexico with a new 25% tariff. When he did that, Mexico slapped back fast. The…

Your Personal Airline Data Is Secretly Being Sold to U.S. Homeland Security

Perhaps it surprises nobody that in this age of meaningless digital privacy protections, the U.S. government has been secretly buying up data about airline passengers.But that's what…

For the Love of Maps: Why Paper Maps and Atlases Remain Relevant in 2025

What follows is a lightly edited transcript of the March 23 edition of the Frommer's Travel Show podcast. To listen, click here. Pauline Frommer: Welcome to the Frommer's Travel…

Flyers without REAL ID Asked to Arrive 3 Hours Early (Or Just Bring This Instead)

REAL ID is a case study of how constantly shifting politics in the United States makes it nearly impossible to get constructive long-term projects done. First developed in 2001 after a…

Newark Airport is a Mess. Has it Become Less Safe to Fly in the U.S.?

Even people who live nowhere near New Jersey have been shaken by reports of chronic flight delays and cancellations at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) due to ATC. There's…

The U.S. National Parks Bring In Much More Money Than They Take from Federal Funding

To my mind, the U.S. National Park System (NPS) is invaluable. Its 85 million acres span all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and every U.S. territory. In these parks are…

Can I Take [Name Any Item] Through TSA Airport Security? 4 Ways to Ask from Home

The AAA, which tracks travel patterns, predicts nearly 8 million people will fly this upcoming holiday season. And 7.99 million of them will be in front of you, slowing down the…

Why Experts Warn Visiting Spain Now Poses a Huge Risk of Identity Theft

The Spanish government calls it Royal Decree 933/2021, but the tourism industry calls it something more sinister: Tourism Big Brother.On December 2, 2024, a new law took effect in…

Warning, U.S. Travelers: Airline Execs Want to Snatch Your Consumer Rights Away

The fight for fair treatment isn't over once a battle is won—especially when powerful interests stand to benefit from keeping things unfair. In the United States, travelers are facing…

In 2025, Venice's Access Fee Will Cost Double if You Don't Reserve Ahead

As Frommer's predicted in July, the tourist-laden Italian city of Venice has officially announced it will not only continue its new entry fee for day-trippers, but will also double the…

Online U.S. Passport Renewal is Now Fully Available! Here's All You'll Need

The U.S. State Department has announced that passport renewal via its website was officially open as of Wednesday, September 18, 2024.Until now, when a U.S. passport expired or was…