IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Starting January 23rd, 2007, travelers to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Central and South America, Mexico and Canada must have a valid passport or other secure, accepted document to enter or re-enter the United States.This requirement does not affect travel between the U.S. and its territories. U.S. citizens traveling between the U.S. and Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa will continue to be able to use established forms of ID.
General Passport Information
Traveling abroad? New passport requirements are now in effect. Get the latest information on your passport, visa, and health requirements—which can vary by travel mode—well in advance of your trip. We strongly recommend that every traveler be prepared by having a passport; if you don't have one, allow a minimum of 6–8 weeks to obtain one.
- Air travel: Passports are now required for all U.S. citizens traveling to or from any international destination via air, with the exception of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
- Land and sea travel: From January 31, 2008 to June 1, 2009, U.S. citizens traveling to or from the Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, the Caribbean, and Mexico via land or sea ports must present a government-issued photo ID in addition to proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate. A voter’s registration card and social security card are not considered to be proof of citizenship. Children under the age of 16 do not require a government-issued photo ID.
- Summer 2009 rules: Beginning June 1, 2009, passports will be required for all U.S. citizens traveling to or from the United States via land, sea, and air—regardless of destination.
United States citizens can visit the State Department’s web site http://travel.state.gov, or call the U.S. National Passport Information Center: (877) 4USA-PPT. Please allow at minimum 6–8 weeks for processing of the passport application. If you need to travel urgently and require a passport sooner, expedited processing is available.
For information, please visit: http://travel.state.gov/passport/about/npic/npic_898.html
To find out more information about how to obtain a passport, please visit:http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html
To find foreign country entry requirements, please visit: http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/brochures/brochures_1229.html.
To find U.S. entry requirements for non-citizens, please visit: http://travel.state.gov/visa/visa_1750.html. |
