New passport regulations that went into effect last week aren't stopping Penn State students from booking spring break trips to Cancun and the Bahamas, according to a local travel agency.

The stricter policy, originally adopted by Congress in 2004, requires a passport for re-entry into the U.S. after air travel to Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda. Previously, a passport was not required.

The second phase of the regulations will require a passport for land and sea travel between the U.S. and these countries beginning in 2008.

Since last summer, it's been standard protocol at STA Travel to explain the new laws to everyone showing interest in traveling abroad, Emily Perry, STA Travel branch manager, said.

She estimated that of the nearly 180 spring break bookings so far, between 120 and 130 have been trips to the Bahamas or Mexico.

However, Perry said the second phase is less pertinent to students because of how they travel.

"Most of our spring breakers are going by air," Perry said.

Some students said they are unfamiliar with the passport application and how long it takes to get one.

"I wanted to go to the Bahamas, but I didn't even apply for my passport yet," Megan Bibey (junior-psychology) said. "Someone told me that it would take three to four months to get it. I was thinking that if I couldn't get it in time, I'd go somewhere in the states, but I kind of had my heart set on the Bahamas."

Michael Herr, of the University Park Post Office, said it usually takes four to six weeks from the time of application to get a passport back from the Philadelphia agency.

Applicants need to provide proof of identity and citizenship, two recent color photographs and $97 to cover processing and application execution fees.

"I've gone through over 200 passport applications in the last two months," Herr said. "I'd say it's been probably eight times the normal."

Despite the sudden influx of applications that will probably result from the new regulations, Herr said he is confident that the passport agency will be able to handle the demand without serious delays.

"They've known it was coming for a while now. I think they're prepared for a lot of people getting passports," he said.

With international travel laws getting increasingly stricter, Perry and Herr both said getting a passport is a good idea.

"If you don't have one, I think you should get one," Herr said.