- Are U.S. Citizens
with pending passport applications allowed temporary travel flexibility
within western hemisphere?
The
U.S. Departments of State and Homeland Security announced
June 7, 2007 that U.S. citizens traveling to Canada, Mexico,
the Caribbean, and Bermuda who have applied for but not yet
received passports can nevertheless temporarily enter and depart
from the United States by air with a government issued photo
identification and Department of State official proof of application
for a passport through September 30, 2007. The federal government
is making this accommodation for air travel due to longer than
expected processing times for passport applications in the face
of record-breaking demand. View
The Department of Homeland Security's Press Release.
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- Who
is affected?
This accommodation is available to Americans traveling
by air and returning from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and
Bermuda.
U.S. citizens who take advantage of this accommodation
will need to present the official proof of passport application
to air carriers and to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers
at air ports of entry*. Such individuals may be subject to secondary
inspection.
Adults who have applied for but not yet received
a passport should present government-issued photo identification
and an official proof of application from the U.S. Department
of State. Children under the age of 16 traveling with their
parents or legal guardian will be permitted to travel with the
child’s proof of application.
U.S. citizens with pending passport applications
can obtain proof of application at: http://travel.state.gov.
Customers may track the progress of their application within
7-10 days after their application arrives in the processing
office.
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- UPDATED ENTRY
REQUIREMENTS BY DESTINATION
The following are the entry requirements by destination. Please
note that passengers must adhere not only to the US requirements
(a US passport ONLY), but the entry requirements of their vacation
destination as well.
All of Mexico: Passport Only
Jamaica: Passport Only
Antigua: Passport Only
Aruba: Passport Only
Barbados: Passport only
Bermuda: Passport only
Curacao: Passport Only
Grand Cayman: Passport Only
Dominican Republic: Passport Only
Nassau: Passport Only
St. Kitts: Passport Only
St. Lucia: Passport Only
St. Martin: Passport Only
Turks & Caicos: Passport Only
Note that these regulations apply for adults 16 and older.
Children under the age of 16 will be required to have the official
proof of application from the US Department of State. An ID
is not required for those destinations requiring an ID, though
it is recommended that if they have a school id card that they
bring that along. For countries that require a passport for
entry, the same regulations apply to children.
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- What will be
acceptable proof of application for a passport?
A print-out of the online status check accessed at http://travel.state.gov/passport,
showing an application has been received by the Department of
State.
NOTE: A passport receipt obtained from your local post office
or passport agency will not be accepted.
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- How long will
these relaxed rules be in place?
Through Sept. 30, 2007.
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- Are the relaxed passport requirements
ONLY for travelers who applied for a passport prior to Friday,
June 7?
NO. These relaxed rules are for all passengers returning to
the US by air from Mexico, the Caribbean or Canada BY September
30, 2007. Note that if you are departing the US prior to September
30, 2007 but returning after that date, you MUST have a Passport.
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- What
is the requirement for children under 16 who are United States
citizens? What about older teens (16-17) who do not have a photo
ID?
Children under age 16 traveling with a parent or
legal guardian will be required to present the receipt from
the Department of State Passport Services indicating confirmation
of an application upon arrival to and departure from the United
States.
Requirements by destination are listed above. For
those destinations that required both a government issued ID
as well as proof of application from the US department of state,
only the proof of application is required. For those that required
a passport, a passport is required for all travelers to that
destination, including children. A birth certificate or government
issued id are not required for entry back into the United States
for children under the age 16.
For children 16-18, the adult requirements apply
for entry into the destination as well as entry back into the
United States. For children who do not have a government issued
ID card, one can be obtained at the Department of Motor Vehicles.
The following are required to obtain a government-issued ID
card: birth certificate, social security card and student id
card (if available).
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- What
steps do travelers who have APPLIED but not yet received their
passport have to take to ensure they can take their trip?
Customers can go to http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/status/status_2567.html
and follow the instructions to print out your passport status
page. This may only be done within 7-10 days of receipt of the
application by the US Department of State, faster if customers
choose to expedite their passport and clearly mark EXPEDITE
on the outside envelope.
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- What
steps do travelers who have NOT YET APPLIED for their passport
or NEED TO RENEW their passport have to take to ensure they can
take their trip?
Janus Travel recommends that customers
apply for their passport at least two weeks prior to departure
if they haven’t already. In order to print the official
proof of application from the US Department of State, it is
7-10 days from the US Department of State receives the application
unless customers’ clearly marked EXPEDITE on the outside
envelope and paid the $60 expediting fee.
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- Have passport
requirements been relieved for countries that previously required
a US Passport?
NO. Countries that required a passport prior to
the new regulations that went into effect in January still require
a passport for entry back into the United States.
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