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 News from Around the Americas | November 2006 
Bridges Already Hit By Holiday Bustle
 Louie Gilot - El Paso Times
As far as border officials are concerned, the holiday season has already started.
Customs and Border Protection officials are already seeing the annual 30 percent increase in bridge traffic from Mexico. They have already seized some forbidden Christmas staples such as Poinsettias and tecojote for calientitos. And they are passing around holiday travel tips.
"Declare everything," said El Paso port director David Longoria. "And have all documents ready. What delays the line the most are people who are not ready."
The holiday rush, which coincides with the Mexican winter break, goes on until the first week in January.
Shoppers contribute to the seasonal crowds especially in the pedestrian lines at the Paso Del Norte Bridge that swell from the normal 18,000 people daily to about 40,000 people daily during the holidays, officials said.
Longoria said the bridges would be fully staffed to move things along but asked that travelers leave on their trip 30 minutes early, just in case.
Other tips included:
• Check bridge wait times updated hourly at www.cbp.gov before you go or when planning the best time to leave.
• Consider taking a less-traveled border crossing like the one at Santa Teresa. The most-used bridge in El Paso is the Bridge of the Americas.
People who seek to travel in the United States beyond the border zone need to obtain a I-94 visa but they don t have to wait until the last minute to apply for it.
Longoria said the visa, which is valid for six months, can be obtained at any international bridge at any time of the day or night.
Longoria suggested that visa applicants make the transaction before 7 a.m. or after 9 p.m. to avoid the crowds. Last year, CBP issued 48,000 I-94 visas in december, compared with a monthly average of 29,000, agency records showed.
Holiday no-nos
What food products can and can't be brought into the United States from Mexico:
• Fruits: Avocados without the seed, almonds, bananas, tunas (cactus fruit), coconuts without the peel and without the milk, dates, grapes, strawberries, lemons, limes, melons, papayas, pineapples, pine nuts and watermelons are OK. Apples, oranges, pears and guayava are not.
• Vegetables : Everything is OK except potatoes, sweet potatoes and sugar cane.
• Seafood: Fish and shellfish are all OK.
• Poultry and eggs: Must be cooked.
• Meat: All beef is OK. No pork.
• Fine: A first offense will cost a maximum of $300.
More complete lists at www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/clearing_goods. |
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