Planning to travel in or to the United States and wondering if the U.S. government shutdown will hit your plans?
Well, you may need to
tweak some sight-seeing portions of your itinerary. Never mind that
visit to the Statue of Liberty in New York City. Forget visiting
Independence Hall in Philadelphia. And that hiking adventure at
Yellowstone National Park? It won't happen.
Congress, wrangling over
spending and Obamacare, failed to renew government funds in time for the
start of the new fiscal year on Tuesday, and many travelers -- both
domestic and international visitors -- will quickly start feeling the
impact of the shutdown.
While rail networks,
essential air security and traffic control operations won't be impeded,
travelers visiting the country's national parks and other government-run
tourist attractions will find the gates shuttered and the doors locked.
All 401 National Park
Service sites, which collectively average about 715,000 visitors per day
in October, will be closed, according to a park service spokeswoman.
(Guests staying in campgrounds and on-site hotels will be given 48 hours
to leave.) The Smithsonian's 19 museums and galleries and the National Zoo will also turn visitors away.
In addition to the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, the shutdown bars tourists from two of the world's top destinations for aviation enthusiasts: the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, Florida, and the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Ohio's Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
Is it safe to fly?
Airport security personnel are considered essential,
so travelers please continue to follow Transportation Security
Administration rules about liquids, shoes and other restrictions at the
airport.
Air traffic controllers, some safety inspectors and other essential employees
will "continue working in order to maintain the safety of the national
airspace system," said the Federal Aviation Administration, in an
e-mailed statement. "Safety is our top priority."
Most immigration, border and customs employees are also considered essential personnel,
which means passport controls at U.S. borders and points of entry like
airports and cruise ports -- should be unaffected by the shutdown.
Other FAA projects,
including facility security inspections, routine personnel security
background investigations and development of the next generation of air
traffic control technology, will be placed on hold.
What if you're waiting on a passport?
If you're waiting on a
U.S. passport, how long that wait will last depends on where the
passport agency is located. Passport services, because they are funded
by other revenue, are generally "unaffected by a government shutdown,"
according to a State Department spokesperson.
There's just one
possible catch: If the passport office is located within a government
building that has been shut down, passport approvals may be affected.
If you need a visa
Because consular
services at U.S. embassies and consulates around the world are largely
funded by application fees, not annual appropriations, visa applications
filed by foreigners wanting to enter the United States will continue to
be processed, according to the State Department.
Overseas impact
Even those visitors
trying to pay their respects at American military cemeteries located
outside of the United States will feel the impact. The Normandy American
Cemetery and 23 other overseas cemeteries operated by the American Battle Monuments Commission will be closed to the public for the duration of the shutdown, according to the commission's contingency plans.
"The Normandy American
Cemetery presents a special case, as visitors have access to the
cemetery via the unfenced approaches from the beach, according to the
plan. "Visitors will be asked to leave, but confrontation will be
avoided."
