The Western Hemisphere Travel
Initiative announced April 5, 2005 by the
Departments of State and Homeland Security will
require all U.S. citizens, Canadians, citizens of the
British Overseas Territory of Bermuda,
and citizens of Mexico traveling to and from the
Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico and Canada to
have a passport or other secure, accepted document
to enter or re-enter the United States by January 1,
2008.
This is a change from the previous policy where
passports were not required for travel to or from the
Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico and Canada (birth
certificates or other proof of U.S. citizenship and photo
identification were sufficient for travel to and from the
U.S.).
See New Requirements for Travelers
Between the United States and the Western
Hemisphere for details.
What is the Timeline for Implementation?
The travel initiative will be rolled out in phases, the
implementation timeline is as follows:
Phase 1 - December 31, 2005, passport or
other accepted document required for all travel by
air or sea to or from
the Caribbean, Bermuda, Central and South
America.
Phase 2 - December 31, 2006, passport or
other accepted document required for all air and
sea travel to or from
Mexico and Canada.
Phase 3 - December 31, 2007, passport or
other accepted document required for all air, sea
and land border
crossings.
Note: If you are traveling to or from the
Caribbean, Bermuda, Central and South America after
December 31, 2005 you
will need a passport to enter or re-enter the United
States.
Why the Change in Requirements?
The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism
Prevention Act of 2004 (IRTPA, also known as
the 9/11 Intelligence
Bill), signed into law on December 17, 2004, mandated
that the Secretary of Homeland Security, in
consultation with the Secretary of State, develop and
implement a plan to require U.S. citizens and
foreign nationals to present a passport, or other secure
document when entering the United States.
The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative is the result
of that mandate.
What Does This Mean to You?
All U.S. citizens (including children) will be
required to have a passport to enter or re-
enter the
United States for all travel by air or sea to or from
the Caribbean, Bermuda, Central and South America
beginning in January 1, 2006 and with travel by
air or sea to and from Mexico and Canada beginning
in January 1, 2007.
A passport will be required to enter or re-enter the U.S.
for all U.S. citizens, Canadians, citizens of the British
Overseas Territory of Bermuda,
and citizens of Mexico for all air, sea and land
travel beginning in January 1, 2008.
U.S. citizens traveling between the United States,
Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam will
continue to be able to use established forms of
identification to board flights and for entry.
How do I obtain a Passport?
To obtain a passport for the first time, you need to
apply in person to a passport acceptance facility,
to find a site near you click on this website
passport acceptance facilities.
You will need two photographs of yourself, proof of
U.S. citizenship, and a valid form of photo identification
such as a driver's license.
You will also need to apply in person if your expired
U.S. passport is not in your possession, if your
previous U.S. passport has expired, was issued more
than 15 years ago, if your previous U.S.
passport was issued when you are under 16 or if your
currently valid U.S. passport has been lost of
stolen.
You can renew your passport by mail if your most
recent passport is available to submit and it is not
damaged, you received the passport within the past 15
years, you were over age 16 when it was issued,
you still have the same name, or can legally document
your name change.
To renew you passport by mail you need to download
form Application For Passport By Mail form DS-82
Attach to form DS-82 - your most recent passport plus
two identical passport photographs and, a $67 fee
payable to the U.S. Department of State.
NOTE: Your previous passport will be returned to you
with your new passport.
If you need your passport urgently, you may request
Expedited Service. (Click here for information
about Expedited Service.)
Children under the age of 14 must appear in person and
all applications for children under 14 require both
parents' or legal guardians' consent.
See information on Special Requirement
for Children under 14
Contact the MTS TRAVEL office nearest you or your MTS
TRAVEL Travel Consultant for
information and help in obtaining a passport or visit the
Passport section
of the U.S. State Department website for information
on obtaining a passport.
Will any other Documents other than a Passport be
Accepted under this Initiative?
The passport is the document of choice and individuals
traveling to the Caribbean, Bermuda,
Panama, Mexico or Canada are encouraged to obtain a
passport.
The other documents that the U.S. government
anticipates will be
acceptable under this Initiative are SENTRI,
NEXUS and
FAST program
cards. The government also anticipates that the Border Crossing
Card (BCC - also known as 'laser visa") will also be
acceptable as a
substitute for a passport and a visa for citizens of
Mexico traveling to the
United States from contiguous territory. The U.S.
government is currently using new technologies to
create other acceptable travel
documents and will make those public as they become
available.
Most of these are of limited use to the average
traveler. SENTRI (Secure Electronic Network for
Travelers Rapid Inspection)
could provide faster processing through border
crossings to preapproved travelers, NEXUS which uses
a biometric (iris photograph) for air travel
is only in the pilot stage, NEXUS for border crossings
functions similar to SENTRI with preapproved travelers
having
dedicated lanes for entry, FAST (Free And Secure
Trade) is designed for commercial drivers and trade
use and the Border Crossing Card is
used primarily by Mexican citizens for entry into the
U.S.
Are these Dates Final?
The dates at this point are final, however there are
several travel and trade organizations who have voiced
concerns
over the timeline for the initiative phases. In addition
several members of Congress have asked for studies on
the economic impact of the Western Hemisphere Travel
Initiative.
Best Advice: If you plan to travel outside the
United States you should obtain a passport as soon as
possible as the demand will
increase as the deadline approaches on December 31,
2005.
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