United States - Passport & Travel Document Requirements

 

 

Passport and visa requirements will depend on your itinerary. We can advise you of the specific entry requirements.

 

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 U.S. Department of Homeland Security's website.

• CURRENTLY:
  U.S. citizens need to present either (a) a passport, passport card (scheduled to be in full production beginning in July 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 the passport card to be in full production beginning in July 2008. 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 Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative
The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative is a result of the Intelligence Reform and 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 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on February 22 its intent to propose, as part of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), significant flexibility regarding travel documents required for U.S. and Canadian children as part of WHTI requirements for U.S. land and sea border entry in 2008.

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 - Air Phase (PDF)

          Final Rule - Passport Card (PDF)

          Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Land/Sea Rule (PDF)

 

Other Relevant Links

          Department of Homeland Security

          U.S. Customs and Border Protection

          Applying for a Passport

 

Document Requirements
Different situations require different documents. Please become familiar with the specific document requirements for the country(s) you are visiting. More information on these documents can be found here:

          US Citizens - Passports

          US Citizens - Visas for entry into foreign countries

          Foreign Visitors and Immigrants - Visas

          Authentication of Documents

          U.S.CIS How to Get a Travel Document

          USCIS Emergency Travel Information

 

Other Important Links

          Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

          International Travel Information: Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, Country Specific Information

              and Country Background Notes