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A valid passport WILL BE REQUIRED by all U.S. citizens of all ages returning
BY AIR from any international destination starting on January 23, 2007
If you are traveling by LAND or SEA a state issued birth certificate with
government issued I.D. will still be an acceptable form of proof of citizenship
when traveling internationally. If you are not a U.S. citizen please contact
your local consulate to find out what documents you will need for international
travel.
The new rule is expected to prompt a dramatic increase in passport
applications. If you need to apply for or renew a passport, we recommend doing
so as soon as possible. If you require assistance in attaining a Passport
please feel free to contact a Red Eye Breaks Representative with any questions
or concerns.
There are a number of ways to expedite the process of attaining a US
passport. Below is a link to the US Department of State where you can get
started. This is provided for informational purposes only.
Please contact a Red Eye Breaks agent with any questions regarding the new US
Passport rules and regulations.
US
Department of State
Below is an excerpt from the US DEPT of STATE website
Under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)
The proposed implementation timeline has two phases:
- 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.
- 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.
The passport requirement does NOT apply to U.S. citizens traveling
to or returning directly from a U.S. territory. U.S. citizens returning
directly from a U.S. territory are not considered to have left the United States
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.
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.
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