New Passport Initiative Announced
The Departments of Homeland Security and State have announced the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative to secure and expedite travel. This initiative will require all U.S. citizens, Canadians, British Overseas Territory of Bermuda, and Mexican citizens to have a passport or other accepted secure document to enter or re-enter the United States.
The proposed implementation timeline is as follows:
Q. Why is the U.S. government implementing the travel initiative?
Q. When will the travel initiative be implemented?
Q. Who will the travel initiative affect?
Q. How many U.S. citizens currently hold passports?
Q. Will travelers from U.S. territories need to present a passport to enter the United States?
Q. Will children be required to present passports under the rule?
Q. What happens to U.S. citizens who attempt to re-enter the country without a passport or an alternative travel card?
Q. Beginning January 8, 2007, will I need a passportif I am traveling on a commercial cruise ship?
Q. Beginning January 8, 2007, will I need a passport if I am traveling on a ferry?
Q. Will those traveling on pleasure vessels, such as sailboats, need passports to return to shore by January 8, 2007?
Q. What about commercial or charter vessels, that enter international waters but do not dock at a foreign port? Are its passengers required to present passports upon returning to the United States?
Q. Which documents will be required for land border crossings under WHTI?
Q. Why is the U.S. government implementing the travel initiative? A.The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (IRTPA) mandated that the U.S. Secretaries of Homeland Security and State develop and implement a plan to require U.S. citizens and foreign nationals to present a passport or other appropriate identity and citizenship documentation when entering the United States. For many years, U.S. citizens, and some citizens of other countries in the Western Hemisphere including Canadians and Mexicans with Border Crossing Cards (BCCs or “Laser Visas”), have not been required to present a passport to enter the United States. Currently, a traveler may make a verbal declaration of citizenship, or present other forms of documents to enter the country that cannot currently be validated or verified in a timely manner, such as birth certificates and driver’s licenses. In light of the new security efforts, the proposed rule published today would require all travelers to present a passport or other accepted document for entry into the United States by air or sea. Back To Top Q. When will the travel initiative be implemented? A.In the proposed implementation plan, the initiative will be implemented in two phases. The proposed timeline will be as follows: • January 23, 2007 – Passports, Merchant Mariner Documents (MMDs) or NEXUS Air cards would be required for all air travel from within the Western Hemisphere for citizens of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Bermuda. This is a change from the previously scheduled date of January 1, in order to accommodate holiday travel. • June 1, 2009 – The new statutory deadline for all Western Hemisphere travel, including land border and sea going travel. The specific requirements for the land border crossing will be addressed in a separate rulemaking in advance of this date. Back To Top Q. Who will the travel initiative affect? A.Under this proposed rule, U.S. citizens would need a passport (or Merchant Mariner Document or Air NEXUS card) to enter the United States from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, South and Central America, and the Caribbean (the Western Hemisphere) at airports (or seaports per new statutory deadline). Under this proposed rule, citizens of Mexico, Canada, and Bermuda would now have to have a passport (or if they are Canadian, an Air NEXUS card) when entering the United States by air or sea. This proposed rule makes NO changes to the current requirement that citizens of South and Central America and the Caribbean (other than Bermuda) must have a passport to enter the US Back To Top Q. How many U.S. citizens currently hold passports? A.The State Department estimates that approximately 68-70 million citizens hold passports, an estimated 27 percent of the population. The number of passports issued continues to grow. In fiscal year 2005, we issued over 10 million passports, and this year we are on track to issue over 12 million U.S. passports. Back To Top Q. Will travelers from U.S. territories need to present a passport to enter the United States? A.No. These territories are a part of the United States. U.S. citizens returning directly from a U.S. territory are not considered to have left the U.S. territory and do not need to present a passport. U.S. territories include the following: Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Swains Island and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Back To Top Q. Will children be required to present passports under the rule? A.Yes, children will be required to present a passport when entering the United States at airports or seaports of entry. Back To Top Q. What happens to U.S. citizens who attempt to re-enter the country without a passport or an alternative travel card? Under the law, the new documentation requirements may be waived under certain circumstances. These exceptions include individual cases of unforeseen emergency and individual cases based on “humanitarian or national interest reasons.” In addition, the State Department has processes to assist U.S. citizens overseas to obtain emergency travel documentation for those with lost or stolen passports. For the general public, people who apply for entry but do not have appropriate documentation will be referred for secondary screening at the port. In secondary, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers will evaluate any evidence of citizenship or identity the individual may have and will verify all information against available databases. However, to prevent delay at the ports of entry, we would encourage all U.S. citizens to obtain the appropriate documents before they travel. Back To Top Q. Beginning January 8, 2007, will I need a passport if I am traveling on a commercial cruise ship? A.No. This deadline has been extended to no later than June 1, 2009. Passengers and crew aboard “commercial vessels” will not need to possess a valid passport when arriving in the United States from a foreign port or place. However, Travisa encourages all travelers to obtain a passport to avoid any potential confusion as the deadline date is subject to change. Further, applying for a passport early just makes sense given the amount of new passport applications that are likely to be submitted to the U.S. Passport Agency as a result of the WHTI. Back To Top Q. Beginning January 8, 2007, will I need a passport if I am traveling on a ferry? A.No. Travelers arriving by ferry are processed similarly to those entering or departing from a land border port and will be addressed in a separate rulemaking addressing the land border. Ferries include any vessels operating on fixed schedules that are used to provide transportation for passengers and/or vehicles or railroad cars that are or have been transporting passengers between places within a 300 mile distance. Back To Top Q. Will those traveling on pleasure vessels, such as sailboats, need passports to return to shore by January 8, 2007? A.No. “Pleasure vessels” are defined as any vessels used exclusively for recreational or personal purposes and not to transport passengers or property for hire. Because these travelers are processed similarly to those who cross the land border, there will be no changes to the document requirements for these travelers under the air and sea rule. Any changes to travel document requirements for those traveling on “pleasure vessels” will be addressed in a future, separate rulemaking for the land border. Back To Top Q. What about commercial or charter vessels, that enter international waters but do not dock at a foreign port? Are its passengers required to present passports upon returning to the United States? A.No. As long as a vessel does not call at a foreign port, immigration law does not consider this a “departure” from the United States and therefore upon return, is not considered an entry that would require a passport. Therefore, passports will not be required for those, including commercial fishermen, traveling on a vessel that sails from a U.S. port and returns without calling at a foreign port. Back To Top Q. Which documents will be required for land border crossings under WHTI? A.Again, the passport issued to international standards is the document of choice because of its security features. Individuals traveling within the Western Hemisphere are encouraged to obtain a passport. The deadline has been extend to June 1, 2009. Back To Top
- Beginning January 23, 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, or an Alien Registration Card, Form I-551, if applicable.
- June 1, 2009 – Requirement extended to all land border crossings as well as air and sea travel. Accepted secure documents: Passport, Border Crossing Card (Laser Visa), Customs and Border Protection Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI), NEXUS and Free and Secure Trade (FAST) program cards.
Q. Why is the U.S. government implementing the travel initiative?
Q. When will the travel initiative be implemented?
Q. Who will the travel initiative affect?
Q. How many U.S. citizens currently hold passports?
Q. Will travelers from U.S. territories need to present a passport to enter the United States?
Q. Will children be required to present passports under the rule?
Q. What happens to U.S. citizens who attempt to re-enter the country without a passport or an alternative travel card?
Q. Beginning January 8, 2007, will I need a passportif I am traveling on a commercial cruise ship?
Q. Beginning January 8, 2007, will I need a passport if I am traveling on a ferry?
Q. Will those traveling on pleasure vessels, such as sailboats, need passports to return to shore by January 8, 2007?
Q. What about commercial or charter vessels, that enter international waters but do not dock at a foreign port? Are its passengers required to present passports upon returning to the United States?
Q. Which documents will be required for land border crossings under WHTI?
Q. Why is the U.S. government implementing the travel initiative? A.The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (IRTPA) mandated that the U.S. Secretaries of Homeland Security and State develop and implement a plan to require U.S. citizens and foreign nationals to present a passport or other appropriate identity and citizenship documentation when entering the United States. For many years, U.S. citizens, and some citizens of other countries in the Western Hemisphere including Canadians and Mexicans with Border Crossing Cards (BCCs or “Laser Visas”), have not been required to present a passport to enter the United States. Currently, a traveler may make a verbal declaration of citizenship, or present other forms of documents to enter the country that cannot currently be validated or verified in a timely manner, such as birth certificates and driver’s licenses. In light of the new security efforts, the proposed rule published today would require all travelers to present a passport or other accepted document for entry into the United States by air or sea. Back To Top Q. When will the travel initiative be implemented? A.In the proposed implementation plan, the initiative will be implemented in two phases. The proposed timeline will be as follows: • January 23, 2007 – Passports, Merchant Mariner Documents (MMDs) or NEXUS Air cards would be required for all air travel from within the Western Hemisphere for citizens of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Bermuda. This is a change from the previously scheduled date of January 1, in order to accommodate holiday travel. • June 1, 2009 – The new statutory deadline for all Western Hemisphere travel, including land border and sea going travel. The specific requirements for the land border crossing will be addressed in a separate rulemaking in advance of this date. Back To Top Q. Who will the travel initiative affect? A.Under this proposed rule, U.S. citizens would need a passport (or Merchant Mariner Document or Air NEXUS card) to enter the United States from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, South and Central America, and the Caribbean (the Western Hemisphere) at airports (or seaports per new statutory deadline). Under this proposed rule, citizens of Mexico, Canada, and Bermuda would now have to have a passport (or if they are Canadian, an Air NEXUS card) when entering the United States by air or sea. This proposed rule makes NO changes to the current requirement that citizens of South and Central America and the Caribbean (other than Bermuda) must have a passport to enter the US Back To Top Q. How many U.S. citizens currently hold passports? A.The State Department estimates that approximately 68-70 million citizens hold passports, an estimated 27 percent of the population. The number of passports issued continues to grow. In fiscal year 2005, we issued over 10 million passports, and this year we are on track to issue over 12 million U.S. passports. Back To Top Q. Will travelers from U.S. territories need to present a passport to enter the United States? A.No. These territories are a part of the United States. U.S. citizens returning directly from a U.S. territory are not considered to have left the U.S. territory and do not need to present a passport. U.S. territories include the following: Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Swains Island and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Back To Top Q. Will children be required to present passports under the rule? A.Yes, children will be required to present a passport when entering the United States at airports or seaports of entry. Back To Top Q. What happens to U.S. citizens who attempt to re-enter the country without a passport or an alternative travel card? Under the law, the new documentation requirements may be waived under certain circumstances. These exceptions include individual cases of unforeseen emergency and individual cases based on “humanitarian or national interest reasons.” In addition, the State Department has processes to assist U.S. citizens overseas to obtain emergency travel documentation for those with lost or stolen passports. For the general public, people who apply for entry but do not have appropriate documentation will be referred for secondary screening at the port. In secondary, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers will evaluate any evidence of citizenship or identity the individual may have and will verify all information against available databases. However, to prevent delay at the ports of entry, we would encourage all U.S. citizens to obtain the appropriate documents before they travel. Back To Top Q. Beginning January 8, 2007, will I need a passport if I am traveling on a commercial cruise ship? A.No. This deadline has been extended to no later than June 1, 2009. Passengers and crew aboard “commercial vessels” will not need to possess a valid passport when arriving in the United States from a foreign port or place. However, Travisa encourages all travelers to obtain a passport to avoid any potential confusion as the deadline date is subject to change. Further, applying for a passport early just makes sense given the amount of new passport applications that are likely to be submitted to the U.S. Passport Agency as a result of the WHTI. Back To Top Q. Beginning January 8, 2007, will I need a passport if I am traveling on a ferry? A.No. Travelers arriving by ferry are processed similarly to those entering or departing from a land border port and will be addressed in a separate rulemaking addressing the land border. Ferries include any vessels operating on fixed schedules that are used to provide transportation for passengers and/or vehicles or railroad cars that are or have been transporting passengers between places within a 300 mile distance. Back To Top Q. Will those traveling on pleasure vessels, such as sailboats, need passports to return to shore by January 8, 2007? A.No. “Pleasure vessels” are defined as any vessels used exclusively for recreational or personal purposes and not to transport passengers or property for hire. Because these travelers are processed similarly to those who cross the land border, there will be no changes to the document requirements for these travelers under the air and sea rule. Any changes to travel document requirements for those traveling on “pleasure vessels” will be addressed in a future, separate rulemaking for the land border. Back To Top Q. What about commercial or charter vessels, that enter international waters but do not dock at a foreign port? Are its passengers required to present passports upon returning to the United States? A.No. As long as a vessel does not call at a foreign port, immigration law does not consider this a “departure” from the United States and therefore upon return, is not considered an entry that would require a passport. Therefore, passports will not be required for those, including commercial fishermen, traveling on a vessel that sails from a U.S. port and returns without calling at a foreign port. Back To Top Q. Which documents will be required for land border crossings under WHTI? A.Again, the passport issued to international standards is the document of choice because of its security features. Individuals traveling within the Western Hemisphere are encouraged to obtain a passport. The deadline has been extend to June 1, 2009. Back To Top
