PASSPORT REQUIREMENTS
Important Passport Information
New Passport Regulations from the U.S. Government
LATEST FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
US Issues Final Rule on Land, Sea Entry.Passports are now taking 4 to 6 weeks to process, both new and renewals.
Thursday March 27 2008
The Homeland Security (DHS) and State departments announced today the final rule for the land and sea portion of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), requiring travelers to present a passport or other approved secure document denoting citizenship and identity for all land and sea travel into the US, effective June 1, 2009.
Air passengers already are required to present a WHTI-secure document on re-entry to the US. The rule announced today affects cruise passengers arriving at US ports, as well as those crossing the border from Canada and Mexico.
The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative was enacted by Congress as part of its response to the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
In addition to the release of the WHTI final rule, DHS is officially designating the Washington State Enhanced Driver's License (EDL) as a WHTI-compliant document.
DHS, in an announcement, said that it is publishing the WHTI land and sea final rule more than a year in advance of its implementation to give the public ample notice and time to obtain the WHTI-compliant documents.
In addition to a valid US passport, WHTI-compliant documents include a Trusted Traveler Card (NEXUS, SENTRI and FAST), or a Washington State EDL. These are used by residents of areas on the Canadian border who frequently travel between the countries.
The State Dept. is accepting applications for the new Passport Cards and additional states and Canadian provinces will be issuing EDLs in the next several months - all of which are options specifically designed for land and sea border use, according to the Homeland Security department.
Beginning June 1, 2009, DHS will institute special provisions that allow school or other organized groups of children ages 18 and under who are US or Canadian citizens to enter the US with proof of citizenship alone.
Since Jan. 1, US and Canadian citizens ages 19 and older have been asked to present proof of identity and citizenship at land border crossings and arrivals by sea. Children ages 18 and under are currently asked only to present proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate.
U.S. citizens on cruise voyages that begin and end at the same U.S. port (closed-loop itineraries) must show proof of citizenship* and government-issued photo ID (such as a driver's license). A passport will not be required for passengers that fall into this category. (Note: it is still strongly urged for travelers to hold a current/valid passport in case of emergency situation that might make it necessary to debark in a foreign port).
*Documents include: Original or certified copy of birth certificate; Naturalization papers; Consular Report of Birth Abroad issued by Department of State. All other passengers and/or itineraries (such as cruises which begin in one U.S. port and return to a different U.S. port or any cruise that begins or ends in a foreign port) will require a passport or other recognized document.
The good news for a majority of cruise passengers - American citizens that leave and return on their cruise from the same U.S. port - is that the travel document requirements will remain largely unchanged from how the industry is operating today.
CLIA continues to encourage travelers to obtain passports to allow the broadest travel opportunities.
Visit www.dhs.gov or www.travel.state.gov.
Expedited Service Plus Overnight delivery - Within 3 weeks (door-to-door).
Important Change in International Land and Sea Travel Document Procedures.
New Passport fees as of February 1, 2008..
Timeline
Under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)
The proposed implementation timeline has two phases:
As early as January 1, 2008, U.S. citizens traveling between the United States and
Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda by land or sea
will be required to present a valid passport or other WHTI compliant documents, as
determined by the Department of Homeland Security.
This proposal, which will be subject to public comment as part of the rulemaking process
on the WHTI, would allow U.S. and Canadian citizens, ages 15 and younger with parental
consent, to cross the border at land and sea ports with a certified copy of their birth
certificate as an alternative to a passport or other WHTI compliant identity card. U.S.
and Canadian citizen children, ages 16 through 18, traveling with public or private school
groups, religious groups, social or cultural organizations or teams associated with youth
athletics organizations would also be able to enter, under adult supervision, with a
certified copy of their birth certificate.
The initial phase of WHTI travel document requirements went into effect last month,
obligating all air travelers, regardless of age, to present a passport for entry to the
United States. The DHS proposal announced today does not affect the requirements for air travel.
The Department of State will soon issue final regulations that will allow it to issue to U.S.
citizens a lower cost alternative to a passport, the Passport Card. DHS will continue to issue
WHTI compliant border crossing documents for frequent border crossers under its trusted traveler programs.
The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 mandated the WHTI travel document
requirements. A formal proposed rule addressing land and sea travel will be published at a later
date, with additional details on requirements for travelers entering the United States through land and sea border crossings.
Travel Documents for U.S. Citizens Under WHTI
Under the proposed implementation plan, the following documents will be acceptable to fulfill document requirements:
Cruise Travel
As early as January 1, 2008, subject to U.S. Government amendment, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda may be required to present a valid passport or other documents as determined by the Department of Homeland Security.
Until that time, the following travel document requirements apply:
Domestic Travel
Our Recommendation
We strongly recommends that all travel with a valid passport during their cruise. This greatly assists cruise
passengers who may need to fly out of the
United States to meet their ship at the next available port should they miss their scheduled embarkation in a U.S. port;
cruise passengers entering the U.S.
at the end of their cruise; and cruise passengers needing to fly to the U.S. before their cruise ends, because of medical, family, personal or business
emergencies, missing a ship’s departure from a port of call, involuntary disembarkation from a ship due to misconduct, or other reasons.
For additional passport information see the links below.
Non-U.S. Citizens
You will need a valid passport and, in some cases, a visa. If you live in the U.S., you will also need the original copy of your Alien Registration
Card (ARC or "Green Card") and any other documentation the countries on your itinerary require due to your alien status.
Benefits of Having a Passport
Machine-Readable Passports
If you are in possession of a passport issued by any of the 27 countries listed below, please
contact the passport issuing authority to ensure that you are in possession of a machine-readable
passport. Please note that boarding will be denied to travelers from VWP countries that do not
have machine-readable passports.
The 27 countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program include: Andorra, Australia, Austria,
Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein,
Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
A machine-readable passport has a code like this on the bottom of the picture page:
P<USADOE<<JOHN<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Additional information regarding the Visa Waiver Program is available on-line at www.dhs.gov.
WESTERN HEMISPHERE TRAVEL INITIATIVE
Passport needed for U.S. borders - April 6, 2005
The change, which will be phased in over the next three years, is part of an ongoing effort to
tighten border security after the 2001 terrorist attacks. Canadians, who now are the only foreigners
allowed to enter the United States with only driver's licenses, also will need passports to head south
across the border.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, in an interview with the Associated Press, said the United States
has to take every precaution to screen out "people who want to come to hurt us."
Border agents must look at scores of different state driver's licenses and try to determine if they
are real or fake. With passports as the main form of identification, "it's going to take a lot of the
mystery out" of the process, said the State Department's Maura Harty.
One in five Americans — more than 60 million — have passports, the State Department says. Because the
government doesn't know how many cross the borders without passports, officials don't know how many
more people will need them. Nearly 1 million enter the United States from Canada and Mexico each day
by car, truck, bus, train or on foot.
The State Department is hiring 500 more workers to process applications, a nearly 50% increase. It
expects to handle about 2 million more applications each year.
The new system will begin on January 8, 2007 for all air
travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda.
Note: The requirement does not apply to travel between the United States and its territories.
U.S. territories include the following: Guam, Puerto Rico,
the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Commonwealth
of the Northern Mariana Islands.
UNITED STATES PASSPORT INFORMATION
If you don't already have a passport, now is a good time to apply for one! There are many benefits to having a passport:
For Guests 16 years of age or older, a passport is valid for 10 years, and passports for Guests 15 years of age or younger are valid for 5 years -- so there's plenty of time to use your passport again and again when you sail on any Cruise Line.
How to Get a Passport
See the information below or visit the U.S. Department of State website or call the U.S. National Passport Information Center at 877-4USA-PPT for more information.
Effective June 26, 2005, travelers from the 27 countries participating in the United States'
Visa Waiver Program (VWP) must have a machine-readable passport to enter the United States.
1234567890M1234567890M1234567890<1234567890
Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM)
WASHINGTON — U.S. citizens will be required to show a passport to re-enter the United States
from Canada, Mexico, Panama, Bermuda and the Caribbean by 2008, the departments of State and
Homeland Security announced Tuesday.
As early as January 1, 2008 it will include all sea travel.
Click here for information on Passports & Visas.
For information on the new Passport Card.
U.S. Passport Services Office.
On line DS-11 Passport Application. Will create a Adobe Acrobat file to print out.
Download DS-11 Passport Application. Will create a Adobe Acrobat file to print out.
On line DS-82 Passport Application by Mail. Will create a Adobe Acrobat file to print out.
Download DS-82 Passport Application by Mail. Will create a Adobe Acrobat file to print out.
Need a passport in a hurry? Click on Get a Passport under Before you Go on my Cruises Inc. Page.
How Long Will it Take to Process a Passport Application?.
CANADA PASSPORT INFORMATION
How to obtain a Canadian passport.
MEXICO PASSPORT INFORMATION
How to obtain a Mexican passport.
BRITISH PASSPORT AND IDENTITY INFORMATION
How to obtain a British Passport and Identity Card.
The New U.S. Electronic Passport
|
The proposed U.S. Electronic Passport is the same as a regular passport with the addition of a small contactless integrated circuit (computer chip) embedded in the back cover. The chip will securely store the same data visually displayed on the photo page of the passport, and will additionally include a digital photograph. The inclusion of the digital photograph will enable biometric comparison, through the use of facial recognition technology at international borders. The U.S. "e-passport" will also have a new look, incorporating additional anti-fraud and security features Passports without chips will still be valid for the full extent of their validity period. |
Design of the New U.S. e-Passport
|
The new U.S. e-passport will incorporate updated security features and a new design.. This design will reflect the varied landscapes of our country and each page will include a quote reflecting the hope and success that is the United States of America.
The image below is a example of how the data page of the U.S. |
New U.S. Passport Card
Front of Blank Card with Artwork Only
Back of Card showing PASSsystem:
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