Show Your Passport at the Border
By: Jake | December 08, 2008 | Category: Travel
We've been getting a lot of calls at the National Contact Center about the new passport requirements that take effect on June 1, 2009. People want to apply for or renew a passport now because these new requirements state that U.S. citizens traveling to Mexico and Canada will be required to present a passport or passport card to enter or re-enter the U.S. on June 1. Currently you only need a passport to enter or re-enter the U.S. from a border country by air, but the new requirements will require a passport or passport card to enter or re-enter by land, sea and air.
If you don't have a passport, I suggest you get one ASAP because it could be cheaper, you'll get it quicker and you'll save yourself some headaches. Earlier this year, I found out firsthand that passport fees can rise at the beginning of the year. I know from past experience that processing times will take longer as the deadline approaches and you don't want to pay extra money to expedite your passport.
The current routine processing time for passports is three weeks. Here are the new rules from the Department of State:
On
June 1, 2009, the U.S. government will implement the full requirements
of the land and sea phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (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.
Please Note:
Children under age 16 will be able to continue crossing land & sea
borders using only a U.S. birth certificate (or naturalization
certificate) after the new law takes effect in June. The original birth
certificate or a copy may be used. See the Department of Homeland
Security's Ready, Set.. Go! for more information on the changing travel requirements.
The good news is if you're going directly to Puerto Rico or another of the U.S. territories, they're considered part of the U.S., so you don't need a passport! Makes a great case for visiting the U.S. Virgin Islands!
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If you use only the normal http link http://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/ you will not forwarded to any site at all.
I am sure that this will lead to unnecessary trouble for people who want to register for the ESTA program in order to travel to the US.
Best wishes from Munich,
Daniel
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