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Air Travel Tips
AIR TRAVEL
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: On 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:
Passport card applications are
currently being accepted in anticipation of land border travel
document requirements. Based on current projections, we expect to
begin production of the passport card in June, and be in full
production in July. We will provide additional updates as available.
Once in production, the passport card 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.
ABOUT WHTI
The Western Hemisphere Travel
Initiative is a result of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism
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 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. Federal
Regulations
Final Rule - Passport Card (PDF)
Other Relevant Links
Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Customs and
Border Protection
Applying
for a Passport
Source: U.S. Department of State /
WWW.Travel.State.Gov
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