http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20020402/ts_nm/attack_usa_passports_dc_1<BR><BR>The US has redisgned passports using computer technology, digital photographs. It doesn't effect passports already issued, but you can turn your existing one to get an upgraded one for a fee. Just thought I'd pass the info on.

In addition, you can no longer get a duplicate passport at American Embassys'if you should loose yours.<BR><BR>Dick

Think Reuters got a bit confused about the timing of it all within the US. The technology is already in use, at least in Seattle, where we renewed my daughter's passport in January. The photo on her new passport is a part of the page, rather than being affixed to the page, and the entire page has very cool irredescent "watermarks" of an eagle and other details over the entire page, including the photo. Hopefully, this will be hard to alter!

PS. Here's the State Dept web site on this, including some info on passports abroad.<BR><BR>http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2002/9123.htm

You can still get papers overseas if you lose your passport. Uncle Sam isn't going to leave us stranded in Paris.<BR>The following is from the above news item: "Reeker said the new system meant the processing time would be extended to about a week for people abroad, though temporary papers would still be issued for emergency travel that could be turned in for a digitized version."<BR><BR>

Mike:<BR>The State Department won't leave us stranded in Paris - Damn!!

That looks exactly like the passport I got when I renewed mine last year.

See! there is always a down side, sure we get these new fancy shmancy passports but then we don't get stranded in Paris! What is the fun in that????

I tried!!!<BR><BR>Dick