WESTERN
HEMISPHERE TRAVEL INITIATIVE
AIR
TRAVEL
Implemented
on January 23, 2007, ALL PERSONS traveling by air between the United
States and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean region are required
to present a passport or other valid travel document to enter or re-enter
the United States.
LAND AND SEA TRAVEL
The
following summarizes information available on the Department of Homeland
Security’s website.
JANUARY 31, 2008
U.S.
and Canadian citizens will need to present either a WHTI-compliant document
(Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative), or a governmentissued photo
ID, such as a driver’s license, plus proof of citizenship, such
as a birth certificate. DHS also proposes to begin alternative procedures
for U.S. and Canadian children at that time.
SUMMER 2008
At
a later date, to be determined, the departments will implement the full
requirements of the land and sea phase of WHTI. The proposed rules require
most U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of
entry to have either a U.S. passport; a U.S. passport card; a trusted
traveler card such as NEXUS, FAST, or SENTRI; a valid Merchant Mariner
Document (MMD) when traveling in conjunction with official maritime
business; or a valid U.S. Military identification card when traveling
on official orders.
The
implementation date will be determined based on a number of factors,
including the progress of actions undertaken by the Department of Homeland
Security to implement the WHTI requirements and the availability of
WHTI compliant documents on both sides of the border. DHS and DOS expect
the date of full WHTI implementation to be in the summer of 2008. The
precise implementation date will be formally announced with at least
60 days notice.
Note:
The passport requirement does NOT apply to U.S. citizens traveling to
or returning directly from a U.S. territory.
U.S. PASSPORT AND OTHER TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
- U.S.
Passport: U.S. citizens may present a valid U.S. passport when traveling
via air, land or sea between the U.S. and the aforementioned Western
Hemisphere countries.
- The
Passport Card: This limited-use, wallet-size passport card is not
yet available and is under development. When available it will only
be valid for land and sea travel between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico
and the Caribbean region (includes Bermuda).
- Other
Accepted Travel Documents: SENTRI, NEXUS, FAST and the U.S. Coast
Guard Mariner Document.
- Members
of the U.S. Armed Forces on active duty traveling on orders are exempt
from the passport requirement.
- DHS
has more information on these travel documents. This information may
be seen at www.dhs.gov.
ABOUT WHTI
The
Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative is a result of the Intelligence
Reform and Prevention Act of 2004 (IRTPA), requiring all travelers to
present a passport or other document that denotes identity and citizenship
when entering the U.S.
The
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on February 22 its intent
to propose, as part of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the Western
Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), significant flexibility regarding
travel documents required for U.S. and Canadian children as part of
WHTI requirements for U.S. land and sea border entry in 2008.
The
goal of the initiative is to strengthen U.S. border security while facilitating
entry for U.S. citizens and legitimate foreign visitors by providing
standardized documentation that enables the Department of Homeland Security
to quickly and reliably identify a traveler.
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