Travel Information, Public Announcements, and Security Updates

Western hemisphere travel initiative change from prior travel requirements

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April 6, 2005

All travelers to and from the Americas, the Caribbean and Bermuda will soon be required to have a passport or other accepted document that establishes the bearer's identity and nationality to enter or re-enter the United States.

This is a change from prior travel requirements. The Travel Initiative will affect all United States citizens traveling within the Western Hemisphere who do not currently possess valid passports.

It will also affect certain foreign nationals who currently are not required to present a passport to travel to the United States namely most Canadian citizens, citizens of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda, and Mexican citizens.

The initiative will be implemented in phases. The proposed timeline is as follows:
--On December 31, 2005: Requirement applied to all travel (air/sea) to or from Bermuda, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America.
--On December 31, 2006: Requirement applied to all air and sea travel to or from Mexico and Canada.
--On December 31, 2007: Requirement extended to all air, sea, and land border crossings.

For more information on the initiative and how it may affect you, please visit the State Department's consular website or the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's website www.dhs.gov.

For more information about applying for a passport, U.S. citizens may contact the Embassy. U.S. citizens while in the United States may visit travel.state.gov or call the U.S. Passport Office at 1-877-4USA-PPT or TDD/TYY: 1-888-874-7793. Foreign nationals should contact their respective governments to obtain passports.

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