New Travel Document Requirement for U.S. Citizens / Canadians
Posted Aug 05, 2005
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Travel document requirements for U.S. and Canadian citizens are changing. As explained below, the changes begin to be phased in December 31, 2005, with completion scheduled for December 31, 2007. Since these changes increase the needs for certain travelers to carry passports, it may be necessary to take action several months in advance of travel to acquire the requisite passport in time for travel in December 2005.
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Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative
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The changes requiring additional documents and, preferably, the passport for the traveler are part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. This Initiative requires people traveling to and from North, South and Central America, the Caribbean and Bermuda to have passports. (There are some other documents that may be acceptable, but the passport is preferred.) This is a significant change, as it eliminates passport exemptions for U.S. and Canadian citizens that are now in place. These changes are tied to security initiatives.
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Nationals of Neighboring Countries Affected
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The Initiative will apply to all travelers to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Canada, Mexico, Central and South America who are seeking to enter or reenter the United States. This is a U.S. requirement pertinent to those entering or reentering the United States. This is separate from any travel document requirements or exemptions that may exist for the countries being visited.
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This requirement will impact U.S. citizens, who previously were exempt from the need to present a passport when reentering the United States from certain destinations, including Canada and Mexico. It will also affect Canadian citizens, citizens of Bermuda, and Mexican citizens who will now need passports to enter the United States.
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Effective Date of New Requirements as early as Dec 2005
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The program is effective in stages, starting December 31, 2005.

  • December 31, 2005 Requirement applicable to all air and sea travel to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Central and South America. [Canada and Mexico are not yet included.]

  • December 31, 2006 Requirement applicable to all air and sea travel to and from Mexico and Canada. [Land border crossings not yet included.]

  • December 31, 2007 Applies to all air, sea, and land border crossings.

Obtaining a U.S. Passport
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Information for U.S. citizens on how to obtain a passport is available on the U.S. Department of State WebSite. Passports should be requested well in advance of planned travel. This new requirement is prompting an increase in passport applications. While there are provisions to expedite processing, these involve additional expense. One who needs or desires the freedom to make last-minute travel plans may want to get a passport and keep it current, just in case.
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Canadian Passports
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Information for Canadian citizens who need a passport is available on the Passport Canada WebSite. Canadian passports also involve the payment of application fees.
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Travel Industry Concerns over Additional Documents
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The new requirement for passports has raised concerns in the travel industry. The current fee for a U.S. passport is between $67-$97, depending upon whether the applicant is an adult or a child and whether it is an initial application or a renewal. The fee to expedite is $60. While this may not seem like a lot of money for a document that is valid for ten years for adults, it does add to the overall cost of travel. This is particularly true if the expense is multiplied by several family members who do not normally go abroad or if the trip under consideration was a short, reasonably priced vacation to the Caribbean or Mexico. That little jaunt for two people who need initial passports would now be almost $200 more. These additional expenses could result in making certain U.S. destinations, like Hawaii, more attractive to U.S. citizens.
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The requirement's resulting increased costs for travel, in addition to the limitations to spontaneity and the opportunity for last-minute bargain sales, have caused anxiety among those in the travel industry. Because of this, some tour operators are offering to cover the expense of passports for those booking vacations within a certain timeframe.
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Other Issue
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The air and sea carriers will need to check documents on outbound trips to confirm that those using their services will be able to return to the United States. Travelers without proper documents should not be permitted to depart. The question does arise, however, as to what would happen at the U.S. border if a U.S. citizen is without a passport after flying to, for example, Bermuda after December 31, 2005. There are provisions permitting the Port of Entry to waive the need for proper documents. This is not routine and cannot be guaranteed, however. Moreover, the forms involved have filing fees exceeding the cost of a passport.
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Conclusion
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In a post-September 11th world, one must now be prepared for additional roadblocks when traveling to and from the United States. U.S. citizens, who have enjoyed certain exemptions, will no longer be excluded from these documentation requirements.

 © 2005 The Law Office of Sheela Murthy, P.C. All Rights Reserved


 

  
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