New Passport Requirement for U.S. Citizens Traveling in North and South America
The U.S. State Department had previously announced that as of January 8, 2007, U.S. citizens traveling by air between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will now be required to present a valid U.S. passport, Air NEXUS card, or U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document.
However, due to higher than expected demand for U.S. passports, the U.S. State Department has announced that as of June 8, 2007, they will allow U.S. citizens who have applied for, but have not yet received U.S. passports, to temporarily enter and depart the U.S.A. without passports, so long as they have with them a government issued photo ID and Dept of State official proof of application for a passport. This temporary accomodation is valid only through September 30, 2007.
Children under the age of 16 traveling with their parents or legal guardian will be permitted to travel with the child’s proof of filing the application. Travelers who have not applied for a passport should not expect to be accommodated.
This requirement may be extended to U.S. citizens traveling to these destinations by land and sea also by January 1, 2008. Please watch our website for further developments.
For complete details, please visit the State Department’s website at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html.
