Travel News

Passports are still not required for Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands.

For more information contact Donovan Travel.

If you are planning travel, please take a minute to review the passport policy below. If you don't already have a valid passport, be sure to avoid the rush and give yourself plenty of time to apply for one. Once you've got a passport in hand, the whole world is yours to explore.

ALL PERSONS traveling by air outside of the United States 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.

CURRENTLY:
U.S. citizens need to present either (a) a passport, passport card (available in spring 2008), or WHTI-compliant document; or (b) a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, along with proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate.

LATER:
As early as June 1, 2009, the U.S. government 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 a passport, passport card, or WHTI-compliant document.

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 WHTI COMPLIANT 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: U.S. citizens may begin applying in advance for this new, limited-use, wallet-size passport card beginning February 1, 2008. We expect cards will be available and mailed to applicants in spring 2008. When available it will only be valid for land and sea travel between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean region, and Bermuda.

WHTI-Compliant Travel Documents for U.S. citizen travel via land or sea, as of January 31, 2008:

Trusted Traveler Cards (NEXUS, SENTRI, or FAST)
State Issued Enhanced Driver’s License (when available)
Enhanced Tribal Cards (when available)
U.S. Military Identification with Military Travel Orders
U.S. Merchant Mariner Document when traveling in conjunction with official maritime business
Native American Tribal Photo Identification Card
Form I-872 American Indian Card

For further information see U.S. Customs and Border protection.

Effective Jan. 31, 2008, U.S. and Canadian citizens (19 and older) will be required to present proof of citizenship, such as 1) a passport or 2) a birth certificate or naturalization certificate supported by a government issued photo ID, when entering the United States through land and sea ports of entry from Canada. Children ages 18 and under are only required to present proof of citizenship (without ID), such as a birth certificate, naturalization certificate or passport. If a birth certificate is presented, it must be a certified birth certificate issued by the city, county or state. A photocopy of a birth certificate will only be accepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) if the original has been sent to the Department of State in support of a passport application. In such case, the traveler must obtain and provide proof of passport application. These changes are significant as compared to the current and long-standing policy that allows CBP officers to accept oral declarations of citizenship from U.S. and Canadian citizens seeking entry into the United States through a land or sea border. Effective Jan. 31, 2008, oral declarations will not be accepted.

Eventually, at an unspecified date in mid-2008, the Department of State will require passports, or soon-to-be announced passport alternatives, from ALL travelers at ALL points, including air, land and sea, within the Western Hemisphere. Prior to the effective date, the State Department intends to make available a Passport Card, which is specifically designed for land and sea travel from neighboring countries. The primary advantages of the Passport Card are that it will be less expensive and smaller than a traditional passport. In addition, several states including Washington, Vermont and New York are creating an Enhanced Driver's License that will, according to the CBP, also fulfill the proof-of-citizenship requirement at land and sea borders. Further details of these alternative products are unknown. However, CBP says that ample notice of the exact date of implementation will be provided to ensure travelers can obtain the appropriate documents.

Since passports are the gold standard for entering and exiting the country from all foreign destinations, ALL travelers, including those traveling by land or sea in the Western Hemisphere, should be obtain, and travel with, a passport. The current turnaround time for a passport is four to six weeks.

As of Oct. 1, U.S. citizens traveling by air to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda are required to present a valid passport to enter or exit the United States. It is no longer acceptable in lieu of a passport to present official proof of application for a passport with government-issued photo identification.

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), enacted in January of this year, requires Americans to have passports when traveling by air to or from the United States. The new law increased passport demand to record levels this summer. The time recommended for processing a U.S. passport went from six to eight weeks to 10 to 12 weeks for routine passport applications, and from no more than three weeks to four weeks for expedited service.

Because of the increased processing time, the U.S. Departments of State and Homeland Security allowed U.S. citizens traveling to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda who applied for but did not receive passports to temporarily enter and depart from the United States by air with a government issued photo identification and Department of State official proof of application for a passport through Sept. 30.

By early September, the State Department had restored passport service to the standard six to eight week processing time for routine passport applications, and no more than three weeks for expedited service allowing the Department to reinstate the passport requirements.

For additional information on passport requirements or the WHTI, visit the Department of State website at www.travel.state.gov or the Department of Homeland Security website at www.dhs.gov.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is reminding air carriers and the traveling public that the temporary Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) accommodation allowing U.S. citizens to travel by air within the Western Hemisphere using a Department of State (DOS) official proof of passport application receipt will end as scheduled at midnight on Sept. 30, 2007.

U.S. citizens traveling to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda who have applied for but not yet received passports can nevertheless temporarily enter and depart from the United States by air with a government issued photo identification and Department of State official proof of application for a passport through September 30, 2007. The federal government is making this accommodation for air travel due to longer than expected processing times for passport applications in the face of record-breaking demand.

Adults who have applied for but not yet received a passport should present government-issued photo identification and an official proof of application from the U.S. Department of State. Children under the age of 16 traveling with their parents or legal guardian will be permitted to travel with the child’s proof of application. Travelers who have not applied for a passport should not expect to be accommodated. U.S. citizens with pending passport applications can obtain proof of application at: http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/status/status_2567.html.

This accommodation does not affect entry requirements to other countries. Americans traveling to a country that requires passports must still present those documents. For complete details visit http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html.

All travelers to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico and Canada must now have a passport to enter or re-enter the United States. This is a change from prior travel requirements and will affect all United States citizens entering the United States from countries within the Western Hemisphere who do not currently possess valid passports. Passports will not be required for U.S. citizens traveling to U.S.V.I. or Puerto Rico.

Keep in mind that it typically takes 6-8 weeks or longer for processing of new passports and passport renewals.

If you have booked a flight, hotel, rental car, vacation package, or cruise, visit the CIBT Web site for detailed information on travel requirements for the countries you're visiting, and for those you pass through en route. This site provides online ordering for passports and visas, including rush replacement of lost or stolen passports, and a 24-hour customer support telephone number.

For more information about applying for a Passport contact your Donovan Travel professionals.