Latest Passport Requirements & Information

I thought I'd start my blog with information that just about everyone contemplating the need for a passport could use. The information listed below comes directly from the US State Department. (Current as of 11-4-07)

Most cruise lines are adhering to the following information. However, it is strongly suggested if you have a cruise booked or are planning one in the near future, that you consult with your cruise specialist for current up to date information pertaining to your cruise and specific itinerary.

AIR TRAVEL

Implemented on January 23, 2007, ALL PERSONS traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean region are required to present a passport or other valid travel document to enter or re-enter the United States.

LAND AND SEA TRAVEL

• JANUARY 31, 2008-U.S. and Canadian citizens will need to present either a WHTI-compliant document, or a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, plus proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate. DHS also proposes to begin alternative procedures for U.S. and Canadian children at that time.

• SUMMER 2008-At a later date, to be determined, the departments 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 either a U.S. passport; a U.S. passport card; a trusted traveler card such as NEXUS, FAST, or SENTRI; a valid Merchant Mariner Document (MMD) when traveling in conjunction with official maritime business; or a valid U.S. Military identification card when traveling on official orders.The implementation date will be determined based on a number of factors, including the progress of actions undertaken by the Department of Homeland Security to implement the WHTI requirements and the availability of WHTI compliant documents on both sides of the border. DHS and DOS expect the date of full WHTI implementation to be in the summer of 2008. The precise implementation date will be formally announced with at least 60 days notice.

Note: The passport requirement does NOT apply to U.S. citizens traveling to or returning directly from a U.S. territory.

U.S. Citizens traveling to and returning directly from a U.S. territory are not considered to have left the U.S. territory and do not need to present a passport.

U.S. territories include:

• American Samoa
• Guam
• Northern Mariana Islands
• Puerto Rico
• Swains Island
• U.S. Virgin Islands

How Long Will it Take to Process a Passport Application?

U.S. Passport Services Back to Standard Processing Time

The Department has restored passport service to the standard four to six week processing time for routine passport applications, and no more than three weeks for expedited service.

To date, we have issued over 16 million passports in fiscal year 2007, which ends on September 30, compared to 12.1 million issued in fiscal year 2006. Throughout the summer, dedicated Department staff in Washington and at the nation's 18 passport agencies have worked tirelessly to eliminate the delays in processing that had developed earlier in the year.
The Department plans to expand passport facilities and continue to hire more passport specialists in order to increase production capacity and meet rising passport demand expected in coming years, as passport requirements are extended to land and sea borders. By January 2008, we will have hired hundreds of new employees, and production capacity at the National Passport Center in New Hampshire, the largest passport facility, will have doubled. Longer-term expansion plans include new passport facilities strategically located to enhance customer service around the country.

For more information on obtaining a passport, please see the following link:

http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html