Passports & Visas

New Requirements for Travelers

Under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)

Background

The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 requires the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State to develop and implement a plan to require all travelers, U.S. citizens and foreign nationals alike, to present a passport or other document, or a combination of documents, that denote identity and citizenship when entering the United States. Congress amended portions of the Act in 2006. The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative is the Administration’s proposed plan to implement this mandate.

The Goal of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)

The goal of the Initiative is to strengthen border security and facilitate entry into the United States for U.S. citizens and legitimate foreign visitors by providing standardized, secure and reliable documentation which will allow the Department of Homeland Security to quickly, reliably and accurately identify a traveler.

Timeline

In the proposed implementation plan, the requirements outlined above will be rolled out in the following phases:

On January 8, 2007, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present a valid passport, Air NEXUS card, or U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document.

As early as January 1, 2008, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda by land or sea (including ferries), may be required to present a valid passport or other documents as determined by the Department of Homeland Security. While recent legislative changes permit a later deadline, the Departments of State and Homeland Security are working to meet all requirements as soon as possible. Ample advance notice will be provided to enable the public to obtain passports or passport cards for land/sea entries.

Travel Documents for U.S. Citizens Under WHTI

Under the proposed implementation plan, the following documents will be acceptable to fulfill document requirements:

U.S. Passport: U.S. citizens may present a valid U.S. passport when traveling via air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda, and may also use a U.S. passport when traveling via sea and land borders (including ferry crossings).

The Passport Card (also referred to as the PASS Card): This limited use passport in card format is currently under development and will be available for use for travel only via land or sea (including ferries) between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. Similar in size to a credit card, it will fit easily into a wallet.

DOS and DHS also anticipate that the following documents will continue to be acceptable for their current travel uses under WHTI: SENTRI, NEXUS, FAST, and the U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document. As proposed, members of the U.S. Armed Forces on active duty traveling on orders will continue to be exempt from the passport requirement.

How do I get a passport?

Citizens can visit the State Department’s travel website www.travel.state.gov, or call the U.S. National Passport Information Center: 1-877-4USA-PPT; TDD/TTY: 1-888-874-7793. You should allow yourself a sufficient amount of time to apply and receive your passport in advance of travel. Please allow 6 weeks for processing of your passport application if you apply from inside the If you need to travel urgently and require a passport sooner, please visit http://www.travel.state.gov for additional information. Overseas passport processing times vary; you should contact the closest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for specific information. Peak domestic passport processing is between January and July. For faster service, we recommend applying between August and December. Foreign nationals should contact their respective governments to obtain passports.

Other than a passport, what types of documents will be acceptable under this initiative?

The passport is the document of choice right now because of security features and general availability. Individuals traveling within the Western Hemisphere are encouraged to obtain a passport. For US Citizens traveling to destinations in (Asia, Africa, South America, etc.), a passport will always be required and in addition, some destinations require:
A) A Travel Visa for certain countries such as China, Russia or Brazil. Some cruises include blanket visas to cover all passengers. For example, Baltic cruises that include St. Petersburg, Russia often do not require individual passengers to get Russian visas as long as the passengers stay with cruise-line-provided shore excursions in St. Petersburg. For specific details on visa requirements for worldwide destinations,
B) Immunization Shots for certain destinations. For example, passengers traveling to the Amazon will usually be required to provide a doctor's note indicating that they have been recently immunized for Yellow Fever.
Minors traveling without both parents (as shown on their birth certificate), must travel with proper documentation, including:
A. Proof of legal guardianship, if parents do not match birth certificate.
B. Notarized letter of permission to travel from the parent (or both parents) that is not traveling.
Non-US citizens will need to independently inquire with their embassy/consulate to ensure that they meet all travel documentation requirements, regardless of destination.
It is the traveler's sole responsibility to make sure that they have proper travel documentation.

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